Timing is Everything in Business Start-up

Someone once said: Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a Rain Dance.

Timing is everything in business start-up.

If you are starting a business, is there a best time of the month, of the year?  It depends.

Is a recession a good time to start a business?  It depends.

Should you start a service business in December  (during the holidays)? It depends.

How do you know when to start a business? Research and planning. Do the research on the business cycles of companies similar to yours.  Find out, for example, when their highest and lowest sales are.  It’s usually best to start when business typically is slow, so you have time to get prepared for all those customers.

Planning and research will tell you if your business might do well in a recession.  If your business is seen as essential or something people want that is inexpensive, a recession might be a great time to start.  But you won’t know unless you do your research.

What About Intuition? Having said all of this about research and planning, sometimes what really drives your business timing is intuition, that “gut feeling” that says, “Now is the time to do this.” If an Indian tribe is doing a rain dance to get rain, it is the intuition of the leader that dictates when is the best time.  Intuition usually comes from experience.  This is why business experts suggest you spend time learning about a business before you start.  The more you learn about the business you are going to start, the better your chances of being successful in that business.

And remember, if it’s not raining right now, it will be soon.

Image: Extranoise@flickr