Five top reasons to start-up in 2013

The start of the year often sees a surge in new business launches, as plans mulled over throughout the year, fermented over Christmas, come to fruition.

There are many things that can delay or even wreck these start-up dreams, such as family circumstances, financial concerns or self-doubt.

Other external factors also come into play, such as the stance of potential suppliers or clients. And then there’s the economy, which, given the recent gloom over consumer spending and the long-term prosperity of the nation, you could be forgiven for finding a little off-putting.

But there are several reasons, generally speaking, why 2013 is the ideal time to start-up. Here are the top five reasons to take the plunge this year.

1. You probably aren’t happy in your job

Let’s face it, you aren’t overjoyed in your current role and think you could do a better job than your boss. Or you have a sideline passion that you want to explore more fully.

And you’re not alone. A report out last week from Seek Learning found that a quarter of Australians are planning a career change this year, while only half of Australia’s 11.5 million employees believe they are in the right line of work.

A further four in ten employees admit they ended up in their present career by “falling into it”. Only 5% said they chose their career because it would earn them a lot of money.

Not all of these disgruntled staffers want to be their own boss, of course. But those looking to start-up have an easier path than ever to go it alone – and they don’t even have to leave the day job.

Test out your business concept in your spare time – see if you can get some customers on board and listen carefully to their feedback. Adjust your model accordingly and take it from there.

Hopefully, it will grow to the point that you are faced with the dilemma of whether to keep the security of your job or take a leap into entrepreneurship.

2. You won’t be alone

Even sole operators with minimal help from family and friends can gather first-hand help and advice these days, without even having to speak to a formal mentor.

A slew of co-working spaces, incubators and accelerators have opened up across Australia in recent years and it’s clear this trend is still at the thin end of a thick wedge.

In places such as The Hub in Melbourne or Fishburners in Sydney, a modest outlay can get you a desk among other like-minded start-ups, all able to share something that will aid your new business.

Promisingly, several of these co-working hubs have purposely introduced different skillsets, such as lawyers and IT professionals, into the community, to cover off all the various hurdles faced by a start-up.

It can even help your fundraising efforts, although co-working spaces aren’t as big a help as incubators, unsurprisingly.

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