In our world governed above all by economic demands, the working population can be divided into two broad categories. The first is made up of employees, who represent the majority of individuals.
Some see this status as a form of comfort and tranquility, but this is less and less true as the economy and the labor market become more flexible.
Many therefore choose to become an entrepreneur. But is it really justified? And if so, what are the steps to becoming an entrepreneur? And, above all, how to give yourself every chance of success in an increasingly competitive world? Answers here!.
Why choose to become an entrepreneur?
In France, there are still multiple prejudices about the value of work, especially in the business world. Many see entrepreneurs as greedy individuals, often unscrupulous and willing to do anything to crush the competition.
However, entrepreneurship is in many ways a real universe of freedom, which pushes the men and women of our country to get involved. And it is above all thanks to the spirit of initiative and the taste for risk that we improve our living environment every day, thanks to innovation in multiple sectors.
It is in particular thanks to the will of the various successive governments that the business world has developed in France. Contrary to popular belief, our nation is consistently ranked as one of the easiest G20 countries to do business.
This is mainly due to the quality of infrastructure and training, to the good reputation of French companies in general, and also to the wide variety of legal forms available to companies.
It is indeed this variety that makes it possible to limit the steps to become an entrepreneur and therefore facilitate access to today’s flexible and adaptive economy. But before we see how to become an entrepreneur, let’s take a look at the essential questions you need to ask yourself.
Ask yourself the right questions about your entrepreneurial project
The first thing to do when an idea comes to you for starting a business is to ask yourself if it meets a real need. This does not necessarily mean that you have to address everyone. A niche clientele can perfectly justify the creation of a company.
But in any case, your service or product must produce satisfaction among your targets, and above all be able to retain them in order to perpetuate your structure. Originality is also necessary to avoid having to scrape with the already established competition.
On the other hand, it is just as important that you are interested in your project. Starting a business, especially in the early days, is not easy. It will take a lot of involvement to meet administrative requirements, find clients or solicit support.
The more interest you show in your project, the easier the path will be! Finally, it is also essential to have the skills and knowledge necessary to achieve your goals. Among the steps to becoming an entrepreneur, these questions are decisive, so take the time to ask yourself.
The business plan, an essential component of success
Once you have made sure of the relevance of your project, it is time to confront it with the reality on the ground. First, you can discuss it around you. Relatives are often the perfect interlocutors because they will know how to find the words to express their feelings about your idea without restraint.
A more complete market study will also be necessary to identify your targets with precision, and if necessary to adapt your offer. Next comes one of the most important steps in becoming an entrepreneur: writing a business plan.
The business plan is a document that constitutes your roadmap during the first years of your activity. It is therefore very important to write it carefully.
Here, you will have to express your goals in the short, medium and long term, in particular, to be sure to stay the course once launched. You will be able to detail your commercial strategy there, define your needs in terms of recruitment, supplies, or the need for premises.
It is also in this document that you will have to find a solution to easily open a professional account if you have to, for example.
Find funding to become an entrepreneur
Opening a professional account is one of the essential steps to becoming an entrepreneur in most situations. However, there is no obligation for sole proprietorships and self-employed persons who achieve an annual turnover of fewer than 10,000 euros.
However, we recommend the opening of such an account to all entrepreneurs, because it allows them to build up capital that will be used to meet the needs of society, but also because it gives certain credibility with business partners.
It is also on this account that you will invest the part of your savings that you will devote to the development of your activity. A professional account will also be very useful if you are looking to get financing from relatives, a bank loan, and more by patrons.
Also, know that the various means of crowdfunding are very popular and can be an interesting asset to develop an idea that reaches a large audience.
Finally, ask the experts in business support to benefit from the various business creation aids. They can also guide you to let you know how to become an entrepreneur under the best conditions!
Choosing the right legal structure
Now let’s come to one of the most important steps in becoming an entrepreneur. The choice of the legal form of your structure is indeed essential because it will determine the future possibilities of your evolution.
Tax regime, manager’s social regime, creation procedure, financing possibilities, external participation, all these components of your activity will be impacted by your choice.
This is why we also recommend that you be assisted by a lawyer in order to find the option that best suits your ambitions, your expectations, and your activity.
Especially since the legal forms are not lacking in France. If you choose to do it alone, you can opt for the microenterprise scheme as a first step, which will allow you to test your idea without being constrained by heavy administrative requirements.
But if you believe that your activity will develop quickly then you can also opt for EURL to benefit from a favorable tax regime or SASU. With several, you can again choose SARLs, especially couples or SASs, with the goal of rapid evolution.
The Steps to Become a Successful Entrepreneur
You can see that taking steps to become an entrepreneur is important to succeeding in your industry. Each phase of starting a business is important.
Once the legal form is chosen, all you have to do is complete the administrative procedures. Which can be very different depending on the nature of the company. This is again a good reason to be accompanied by legal experts in the field.
The drafting of the statutes in particular is a crucial stageEspecially for companies like SAS. Because the great regulatory freedom that also offers so many benefits can become a trap for the untrained.
In addition, getting support on how to become an entrepreneur also means benefiting from relevant advice. Which can help you quickly turn your project into a profitable business, using well-thought-out commercial and tax strategies, for example.