Sailing into entrepreneurial waters is something that many dream of. After all, being your own boss, dedicating your time to working on projects that mean something to you, and building something of your own are all exceptionally attractive benefits of business ownership.
But building a business can be challenging — especially when starting from scratch.
Nevertheless, you don’t necessarily have to begin from zero. In today’s world, you can easily acquire an existing business and shape it into something that fits your unique vision.
So, what’s better? Buying an existing business or starting from scratch?
Both have significant benefits and some notable drawbacks. So, let’s look at the pros and cons of each option so that you can choose which one wins for your ideal entrepreneurial path.
Why It’s More Logical to Buy an Existing Business
If you want to be an entrepreneur or small business owner, you don’t have to begin from zero (or even have an original business idea).
Many aspiring entrepreneurs overlook one major option: buying an existing business. While acquisitions were once largely reserved for corporations or well-capitalized investors, that’s no longer the case. Today, it’s entirely possible to purchase an existing business without access to a massive budget. With numerous business marketplaces out there, finding a business for sale — even in specific regions — is easier than ever.
But is buying an existing business the logical choice for you? Or are you better off starting from scratch?
Well, the answer to this question depends entirely on your goals and priorities. Here are a few situations in which buying a company beats starting one on your own.
You’re Looking for an Investment Opportunity
If you’ve got some funds lying around and want to make them work for you (instead of losing value due to inflation), investing in a well-developed, healthy business can be a great option.
Purchasing a business can allow you to build a passive income stream, but that’s not all. It can also provide you with an opportunity to create more value without the immense time and energy required to launch something new.
You Have a Unique Expertise You Wish to Implement in a Specific Industry
Sometimes, the most significant benefit of buying a business instead of starting one of your own is that a developed system allows you to test innovative ideas.
So, if you have a unique expertise you’d like to put to use (without having to deal with the added risk of building a brand from the ground up), then it might be a good idea to find an existing company that could allow you to achieve this goal.
You’re Looking for a Shorter Launch Period
Let’s face it. Starting a business isn’t something that happens overnight. And even with a short timeline, there’s very little guarantee that your brand is going to make it through the first few years.
So, if you want to see results (that is, profits) sooner rather than later, buying could be the better choice for you.
You Can’t Afford an Unreliable Cash Flow
Finally, if you’re considering becoming an entrepreneur but aren’t ready to deal with the extreme ups and downs of being a business owner, acquiring an existing company may help mitigate some of that risk by allowing you to enjoy a more reliable cash flow.
Naturally, you’ll still have to manage risks and adapt to the circumstances in your industry.
However, not being in the early phases of running a brand (and having a solid customer base) can be hugely helpful in allowing you to optimize your budget and income.
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When to Start from Scratch
Despite the fact that buying an existing business offers impressive benefits, it simply may not be for you. In some cases, starting from scratch offers advantages that investing in an established brand can’t.
But what are the precise advantages of starting from zero when sailing into entrepreneurship? And are there any situations where it’s a clearly better choice than investing in a well-established brand?
You Want to Bring a Unique Vision to Life
The reality is that the best entrepreneurs are innovators. Creating something entirely new (or even industry-disrupting) probably won’t be possible when relying on existing models.
So, if you have a unique vision or want to focus on niche products/services, starting your own business is probably a much better option for your specific goals.
You Prefer a High Level of Involvement
Running a startup is a 24/7 job. And some people genuinely thrive in such extreme work conditions.
If that’s you, then starting your own business is a wonderful opportunity to put your time and energy to good use and build something that’s uniquely you.
Of course, you can also build a business as a side hustle. However, be aware that it won’t be easy and that you’ll probably have to sacrifice growth speed for the sake of manageability if you choose this path.
You’re Committed to a Specific Company Structure, Culture, or Purpose
A clear vision of what your organization should be is a wonderful thing.
It gives you a clear idea to work toward. And it can be hugely helpful in guiding you in tough times.
However, truly unique ideas often require an original approach.
So, if you want to adopt a highly-specific company structure, wish to prioritize culture, or want to build a value-driven brand, you probably won’t find a business for sale that aligns with all of these priorities.
You’re Working with a Shoestring Budget
Let’s be honest. Buying an existing business is never cheap. But starting a company out of your parents’ basement can be done with minimal to no investment.
So, if you’re an entrepreneur whose ideas are far bigger than their finances (and you haven’t got the connections or experience to secure angel funding), then starting small is probably going to be the right path for you.
Keep in mind that a great idea isn’t sufficient to help your business succeed. That requires a solid growth strategy, so learn how to make the most of your budget. That way, you won’t be spending valuable resources on low-value outcomes.
Final Thoughts
Whether you choose to build your business from scratch or acquire an existing company is entirely up to what feels right for you.
Ultimately, there’s no single best course of action. Instead, you have to make your decision based on multiple factors, including your budget, goals, and priorities.
As you can see, both options have pretty impressive pros. So choose the one that resonates with you, and you’ll see that your chances of success will be much higher if you’re true to your vision than if you blindly follow advice — no matter the source it comes from.
Image by vectorjuice on Freepik
