There is a segment of the population that believes in the story that starting a business is the easiest way to make money, because it will be yours and you will be the owner, in other words, you are your own boss and don't have to endure others telling you what to do, you can make your own decisions and do whatever you see fit. In parts, that's true, but if the correct decisions are not made, your project may end sooner than it started and you will have to bear all the responsibilities.
In times of unemployment, many enter the world of business not by choice or vocation, but because they see this possibility as the only path. The report of theGlobal Entrepreneurship Monitor(GEM) of 2019, the result of a partnership between the Brazilian Institute of Quality and Productivity and Sebrae, shows that 88.4% of initial entrepreneurs stated that they opened a company to earn a living because jobs are scarce.
When a person chooses this path, it's important to know that managing your own business is not the same as being an employee, like under the CLT system; in fact, it's quite different. In this last case, the employee is usually asked to do things and has their income guaranteed at the end of the month, while those who start their own business have to "go hunt the lion"; they cannot wait idly for someone to buy their product or hire their services.
In this sense, a tool that helps in business management is OKRs – Objectives and Key Results – as they encourage constant alignment, generate focus and clarity, and increase employee engagement. All of these are crucial factors to increase the likelihood of achieving extraordinary results, regardless of the size of the company or the industry, and also for those who venture into their own business out of necessity.
And what should you consider when entering this world? Following what the OKRs specify, here comes the objective. Assess the priorities, set the objectives, and plan in detail the necessary actions to achieve them without losing focus. Keep in mind the purpose you want to achieve. Adjustments are always necessary, and OKRs not only allow them to be made but also understand that they should occur periodically, such as every three months.
Finally, and no less important, maintain the engagement of the employees you hire to be part of your team, even if this is done remotely, as is often the case nowadays, given the hybrid and home office work models. It is necessary for everyone to be aligned with the company's strategy and to know exactly what they need to do to contribute to the business results.
Nowadays, OKR management is increasingly a smart choice for business management, whether due to the natural speed at which things change or the technologies that constantly open new possibilities across all sectors, which requires constant adjustments to strategic plans. The fact is that starting a business can indeed be easy; the real challenge is keeping it alive, healthy, and running smoothly.
What should we know when opening a business?
