11 Must-Haves To Grow A Successful Business [Infographic]

I was speaking to one of our new guest authors on the phone yesterday, and since she is launching her tech startup in four weeks, she told me all about the ups, downs and things she’s learned along her journey. She is very organized and knows exactly what she’s doing, but I’ve also talked to entrepreneurs who approach things a little differently. Some people who decide to start their own business stumble into it, and it seems they spend the first few years just “winging it.” My question is, when you first start a business, whether it’s a tech startup or a brick and mortar small business, can you become successful from pure passion and dedication alone or are there some must-haves that you need to have in place in order to find success?

In my humble opinion, I believe both are necessary. I think in order to build a successful small business, passion, courage, dedication, creativity and high energy (or stamina) are all critical and can take you farther than you ever imagined. Along with those vital character traits, you need to utilize the fantastic small business resources available to you. The SBA can help with business planning; Sun Document can assist with some of the more important paperwork associated with business; and well, you get the point. However, I also think having a clear outline of what you want to accomplish and a plan to get there are also important. But those are just some of the must-haves that every business needs from the beginning in order to build a strong foundation.

The next question is, what exactly are all those building blocks or must-haves? I’m sure different people would say different things, but according to this infographic called 11 Necessities To Grow A Successful Small Business by Merchant Resources, it can all be broken down into 11 essentials. As you see on this list, a leader with experience is number one. I agree that all of these things are critical, and that none are necessarily more important than others. What is your opinion? What tangible must-haves do you think are necessary for a small business to become successful?