I have seen several promising entrepreneurs, who just disappeared into the oblivion. They had a great idea, but they did not have a great plan! A right start paves the way for success. As a novice, you will surely tend to make mistakes, but it will be better if you avoid them! Business Start-up Mistakes to Avoid You are smart if you learn from your mistakes, you are smarter if you learn from others' mistakes. Mistakes are inevitable, and experience is the best teacher, but as they say, prevention is better than cure, so life would be easier for you, if you do not commit the following mistakes: Not Evaluating Your Idea Almost everyone who comes up with an idea thinks that he has the best idea in the world, but they seldom realize that there are hundreds of business ventures that have implemented better ideas than them. So, I advise you to carry out research, and evaluate your business idea before you proceed. Inadequate Planning Your dream to become number 1 in the market, will never become a reality if you do not plan well. I agree that planning is time-consuming, but it plays an instrumental role in the growth of the company. Your business plan should not be rigid, it should be able to adapt to the changing trends of the market. Wrong Business Structure A wrong business structure can be a major cause of concern. Have intense deliberations with your accountant and your attorney, before you adopt any business structure (general partnership, sole proprietorship, liability partnership, etc.). See that you have the best business structure for your enterprise. Frittering Money Away People tend to get carried away, and they spend money on the things, which are not really necessary for their business. You should identify the essentials (every business has a different set of essentials), and focus on them. When you start making profit, you can think of spending on the subsidiary things. Hiring the Wrong People Taylorism (scientific management) advocates that you should have the right person for the right job. If you hire the wrong people, then there will be lack of efficiency! If you think of hiring your friend as the manager of your company, just on the basis of emotional attachment, it would affect your business negatively. So, make sure that you hire skilled people, who specialize in the assigned task. Poor Marketing Marketing stimulates growth by attracting clients. If you do not have a good marketing strategy, then your chances of progress are feeble. Marketing is crucial during the start-up phase, but you should not stop marketing once you are established. Stand out among your competitors, use different platforms to promote your enterprise, and in the contemporary times, you must have a website for your company. Relying on Pretense Wannabe business magnates often try to project a false image, in order to acquire clients. If you hide behind pretense, then it will surely backlash one day. I advise you to be true to your clients, and grow on your merits, rather than relying on such tactics. Ignoring Legal and Financial Issues A prime reason for the ebb of many business endeavors was disregarding the legal and financial issues that the company was facing. I advise you to find solutions to any issues (financial or legal) at the earliest. So, now that you know the mistakes to avoid while starting a new business, make sure that you do not commit them. Once you have a good start, see that you avoid mistakes while running the business. If you are determined, you will surely be successful. Best of luck!