What do you need to start a successful business?

It’s a question almost all entrepreneurs have pondered. Do you need a business plan before you start, funding to fall back on, or a detailed strategy for how your company will grow? Nearly half of all small businesses fail within the first year of operation- what’s the difference between those that fail and those that succeed?

I recently had the opportunity to speak with Judi Sheppard Missett, founder of Jazzercise. Missett built Jazzercise from a one-woman operation into an international corporation with over 7500 franchises worldwide. Here’s what I learned from our conversation:

You don’t always need start-up capital. “I didn’t even get a business loan,” she told me- something virtually unheard of in many entrepreneurial circles. This should come as wonderful news for anyone trying to start a business on a lean budget or without the resources they think they need.

Evaluate your costs of doing business, and show smart for the resources you need to get started. For example, you can usually find a great website designer for a few thousand dollars if you shop around and compare quotes. Most of what you really need is accessible without a large nest of start-up money.

Provide what the customer finds valuable… Missett taught a jazz dance class in Chicago that eventually lead to the Jazzercise idea. At first, she instructed with an eye to technique and form –just like she had been taught while training to become a professional performer. When students stopped coming to class, she had that “lightbulb” moment- the students cared more about looking like professional dancers than dancing like them. From then on, Missett taught the kind of class her students wanted- fun, no mirrors, great music, and lots of movement.

Too many business owners come up with an idea and try to find a market. Missett proves that the other way around is usually more successful- listen to what customers want, and figure out a way to give it to them. Do research on customer patterns, find a way to track behavior by hiring an online marketing company or tracking marketing campaigns and sales strategically.

…And be willing to adapt and change to customer needs. Jazzercise has managed to grow in spite of the “fad” element most fitness trends seem to capitalize on, precisely because customers still get what they want- Jazzercise programs now incorporate strength moves, contemporary music, and other elements that customers began to want as the program became more popular.

Planning and development aren’t just for startups. If your customer base is growing or changing, you need to grow and change, too. Use email blasts to keep in touch with customers, and build relationships while your business is growing. Keep your offerings exciting and fun, but consistent with the product customers have grown to love.

Listen for opportunity knocking! As the saying goes, you should be ready to answer when opportunities come pounding on your door. When Missett began teaching in San Diego, many of her students were military spouses who moved to far away cities and wanted to continue the program.. Missett’s husband was familiar VHS video, then just a developing technology, so she videotaped routines for faraway teachers. This effort lead to the formation of what is now JM DigitalWorks, a video production company that is a division of Jazzercise.

Don’t wait to be in the right place at the right time- evaluate the resources you already have, and try to create opportunities for yourself . As Judi Sheppard Missett says, “We are all in the right place at the right time, we just need to be aware of it.”

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Interesting post. As a new entrepreneur I learn a lot from your post. Thanks!

 Posted by: Online Garden Fountains at May 5, 2009 5:06 PM

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