If you’ve just started a new small business or have an amazing product or service and want to start a
business, you may be looking for some guidance from the experts. We’ve compiled a list of the best pieces of advice for small business owners who are driven to success, including some from people who have already done it.

1. Get a mentor

Successful small business owners often credit their success to having had a successful mentor. Charles Hammond, President and CEO of all natural body car products, had this to say, “Try to find a mentor if possible. I was incredibly fortunate to have had Art Christoffersen as my business partner…He was a great sounding board and really never told me what to do, but he asked some great questions that led me to the answer.”

2. Know your customers

In order to sell your product or service, you need to look at it the same way consumers do. For example, what do you think comes to mind for customers examining your product for the first time? What impression does it make? Will it improve their lives? Does the product or service seem trustworthy?

3. Show up and everything else will fall into place

Woody Allen once said, “80% of success is showing up.” If you’re committed to your small business and show up everyday and work hard, your chances of success improve dramatically. That means being present to handle everything that comes up – the good, the bad, and the ugly.

4. Make mistakes

According to the president of the successful retail store GameXChange, Chris Runyan, you should “…make as many mistakes as you can, as fast as you can. Get them out of the way. No one hits home runs right away.”

5. Surround your small business with positive, loyal people who love what they do

Your team is the heartbeat of your new, small business. Whether you have one employee or a dozen, each person will be responsible for contributing to the success or failure of your business and its products. That means you need to hire people who are like you – excited, enthusiastic self-starters with vision and incurable optimism.

6. Have a strong online presence

You need more than just a website for your small business – you need a stellar website. A website that is easily navigable and accessible, concisely brands your products or services, connects to soical meida platforms such as facebook and pinterest, and drives traffic through engaging, useful content. Building a website takes considerable time and effort if you’re just starting out. That’s why it makes sense to hire professionals to do it for you to get it right the first time. By having experts build and manage your website for you, you’re saving a considerable amount of time and money in the long run.