When making the decision to start a business, the requirements for it and its growth from the beginning set the stage for success. The requirements for businesses vary based on the type, but there are items to consider: your abilities, resources, time you have to devote to the endeavor, your needs as they relate to income, the risks you are willing to assume.

Here is a breakdown of those items that you should ponder during the exploration of a start-up business opportunity:

• Having a desire to become an entrepreneur is necessary, but what is more crucial is the determination to follow through. Getting a business up and running takes hours of time and effort and if, when faced with a brick wall, you want to throw in the towel you need to redefine the business or your reasons for wanting to be an entrepreneur. Embracing a business idea that excites and inspires you regardless of the difficulties ahead will help overcome potential obstacles and setbacks.
• It is easier to operate a business endeavor in which you possess core competencies. There will be a learning curve when it comes to opening your doors and inviting in clients, and that is why having a base of knowledge and skills from which to draw could be critical to your future success. Having too many new tasks and skills to learn will leave you overwhelmed.
• Set a timeframe for, and the amount of risk you are willing to assume, before you open your doors. Overwork leads to burnout, especially if you are starting a new business while maintaining a career outside of this endeavor. Having a clear-cut dollar amount of how much money you can afford to lose will give you that bottom line of when you need to cut your losses.
• What do you need to survive? The answer to this question will vary based on whether you are holding down another job that is providing a paycheck or whether your plan is to make your living completely from the new business. Make certain that when deciding what you need to make to survive that you incorporate what it will cost to market your business.
• What desires or interests do you have in your life that you are hoping your business will satisfy? Are you looking to leverage the business into a speaking career? Do you want to be seen as a local or a national expert?
• What abilities, skills, and knowledge do you bring to the table? Are you focusing on your core competencies during the course of your business day? What talents have you honed in your personal or professional activities that you can bring to the table?
• Do you have resources at hand to jump-start your business? Do you have all of the office equipment necessary? Will you need to rent an office or warehouse space? Is there specialized computer hardware or software you will need to operate the business?

Taking the time to thoroughly explore and answer these questions may just get your business off on the right foot and will certainly provide you the information necessary to compile a business plan and strategy.