自考英语二教材英文翻译第四课：Text B How to Start Your Own Business

Text B How to Start Your Own Business

The paradox(悖论) of starting your own business lies in the simultaneous challenge and reward, making it an experience unlike any other. So many businesses fail, and most entrepreneurs exclude themselves from the possibility. The tragic reality is that when businesses fail, the passion often dies with it. By following some sound advice and being prepared for the process, you will decrease your chances of losing a lot more than you bargained for(期望). I have recently started a business and have learned some crucial lessons in the process that I feel privileged(=honored/lucky)to share with you.

如何开始自己创业

和其他的经历不同，自己创业的矛盾之处在于挑战和收益并存。很多企业倒闭，而大多数企业家则能全身而退。然而残酷的现实是，跟着企业一起倒下的，还有创业的激情。然而在准备过程中的一些忠告则会让你比预计的少一些损失。最近我也在创业，并且在其中学习到了一些重要的经验教训，我很荣幸与你分享。

1. Identify your motivation. Why do you want to start your own business? To have more time? To make more money? To be your own boss? To have creative control over what you love to do? Write out all of your motivating factors and prioritize them. When you see them listed, you might see a pattern(风格，特色)in that you#39;re just unhappy at your current job and starting your own business isn#39;t the answer.

1.明确你的动机所在。你为何要创业?为了有更多的时间?为了赚更多的钱?为了自己当老板?为了能有创造性地掌控你喜欢做的事情?写出所有激励你的因素，并排出先后顺序。当你列好以后再看。如果发现你只是对现在的工作不满意，那么创业绝不是你想要的。

2. Identify your passion. What do you love to do? What skills and knowledge do you uniquely bring to the table(拿得出手)? What gets you excited about your work? Keep that passion at the forefront of your business plan, your marketing strategies, and your daily routine. If you keep your passion in plain sight(显而易见), you will stay focused on the purpose of your business and not solely on the logistics(后勤).

2.明确你的激情所在。你喜欢做什么?你有什么样的独门绝技?什么能让你对你的工作很兴奋?把激情置于你的商业计划、营销策略和日常生活之前。如果你能保持激情，你就能更加专注于创办公司的目的，而不仅仅是运营。

3. Identify your market. If you are starting your business locally, research your competitors. Determine if there is room(余地，空间) in the market for your business. What will you do differently to draw in customers? What niche market are the other businesses missing? If you are starting an Internet company, research the requirements for your own unique Web presence. Your business cannot survive without customers, so do enough research on the front end to determine if there are enough potential clients to keep your business alive.

3.明确你的市场所在。如果你想在本地创业，关注你的竞争对手。确定市场是否有你的立足之地。你能用什么不同的方式来吸引客户?其他公司缺少什么样的市场定位?如果你打算开创一家网络公司，研究一下你的公司存在的特别之处。客户是你的公司存在之本，因此提前做足研究，确保有足够的潜在客户能维持你的公司。

4. Identify your finances. If you have ever purchased a new home, you know that the financial obligations(债务)extend beyond the down payment and the mortgage. You have to buy furniture, trash cans, a garage door opener, light fixtures and landscaping equipment(景观美化设备), and before you know it, you#39;ve far exceeded your financial boundaries. That can happen just as easily in a business. Do exhaustive(详尽的)financial planning. Meet with a financial advisor or someone at your bank to examine the financial viability of your business and the process of getting it up and running. Plan wisely and do not assume the best about your business. Be prepared for financial loss and get advice on how to alleviate that burden in the future.

4.明确你的财政状况。如果你刚买了房，你必须清楚随首付和月供而来的财政义务。你还要添置家具、垃圾桶、车库门遥控开关、灯具和绿化设备。在你反应过来之前，这已经远远超过你的财政预算了。这在创业中是很常见的。做详尽的财政规划。找个财政顾问或者银行专员，核算你在启动和运营公司的时候财务上的可行性。理智规划，做最坏的打算。为经济损失提前做好准备，咨询如何减轻未来可能承受的财政负担。

5. Identify your support system. Seek out advice from seasoned business owners, even those in your own field. Develop relationships with people who can offer sound(=right)advice and criticism that you might not see. If there is a business owner in your community or in your network that you aspire to model, examine his or her business practices and how they handle various situations. Ask for counsel before big decisions, and even create your own makeshift Board of Directors to help guide you in the planning and start-up process.

5.明确你的支持体系。向经验丰富的企业家求教，包括同领域的。和那些能提出可靠建议和批评的人搞好关系。如果你周围或者朋友圈里有你钦佩的企业家，研究学习他或她的业务实践以及他们如何处理各种情况。做重大决策前多多请教，甚至在规划和启动过程中设立临时董事会来帮助出谋划策。

Once you have all of these elements in place(准备好), you are prepared to start the process of developing a business plan, applying for a license, establishing a marketing presence(营销实体), etc. Owning your own business can be unparalleled in the professional world, and if you surround yourself with wise counsel, you can have a career that daily feeds your passion.

一旦你已经对上述问题成竹在胸，那么你就可以开始制定商业计划、申请执照、在市场中崭露头角了。能在专业领域拥有自己的公司美不堪言，如果你能时时听取明智的建议，那么你就可以每天激情满满地工作了。