Succeeding as an entrepreneur isn’t easy. In fact, first-time business owners only have a 16% chance of succeeding in the business world.

Why do so few entrepreneurs succeed? It’s because they fall victim to common entrepreneur mistakes that cost them both personal and business success. If you want to make it big as an entrepreneur, you’ll need to avoid these entrepreneur mistakes and be smart about how you approach your business.

Entrepreneur Mistakes You Need to Avoid

Success as an entrepreneur isn’t just about passion and talent. It’s about following the right practices and avoiding potential pitfalls that could undermine your efforts. Here are some basic mistakes you need to avoid:

1. Thinking You Can Do It On Your Own

One of the biggest entrepreneur mistakes you can make is taking on too much. Just because you know your product, and are arguably the most passionate about it, doesn’t mean you know how to run a business. Taking it all on alone will result in burnout and blindside you to any shortcomings your product or business effort may have.

You should surround yourself with people who are knowledgeable about your product and the competitive field you’re trying to break into. You should also have an experienced consultant or mentor who can give you perspective on your business and product market.

2. Not Setting Attainable Goals

It’s okay to be a dreamer, but if you want to succeed you need to devise a list of business goals you can actually accomplish. If you only think about the big picture and don’t set short-term and long-term goals, you will ultimately fail. So, set specific goals, come up with a list of ways to accomplish them, and be flexible enough to change them if you have to.

3. Hiring the Wrong People

As a business owner, you’re only as good as your employees. So, the last thing you want to do is hire people who are unqualified, or unable to accomplish the things needed for the business to succeed. Avoid hiring unqualified family and friends, and try to find people who support your product and vision.

You can set your business up for success by hiring talented and experienced employees who can help get you to the next level. It may be tempting to hire cheaper employees to cut costs, but hiring unqualified employees is a huge mistake that will only hurt your business in the long run.

4. Think Your Product is Unique or Unlike Anything Else

Many entrepreneurs fail because they believe their product is unlike any other one on the market. But the reality is, you most likely have many indirect or direct competitors who already have brand awareness and a loyal consumer base. Not acknowledging them, and failing to identify your niche will result in your ultimate failure as an entrepreneur.

What you need to do is identify that there is a consumer need for your product, and then determine how it’s different from similar offerings. By knowing how you’re different, you can sell your product in a way that will speak to customers.

Final Thoughts

If you want to succeed as an entrepreneur, you need to be smart about how you approach your business. And while it may be tempting to turn to these bad behaviors, doing so will only hurt your business efforts in the long run. By avoiding these common entrepreneur mistakes, you can get one step closer to accomplishing your business dream.

Are you an entrepreneur? Have you ever fallen victim to these common mistakes? Let us know in the comments!