Saturday, April 17, 2021

Are You Planning a Career as an Applied Anthropologist?

 Are You planning a career as an Applied Anthropologist? 

If so, are you also an entrepreneur? Is this why you have chosen to apply your anthropological training and interest to creating a career for yourself?

The biggest challenge in starting a business is CAPITAL. Do you have access to enough Capital to invest in the start-up costs AND to pay yourself as an employee? What you would require to maintain a minimum life-style for as long as it takes to become profitable? And, Where will this come from, for how long?

This is really the owner-operator problem. To do it alone is a real challenge. To do it so income exceeds expenses in time to prevent running out of capital is a challenge to your scheduling skills. You may want to consider a partnership either with an inside and outside division of responsibility (managing the business vs. selling the product). Or a silent partner who guarantees your expenses in return for a long term buy-out agreement and interest payment.

Be aware of your scale -- how much business can you really do in a unit of time? What will you do if you exceed your ability? What will you do if you don't make your targeted need?

Ask the right questions and get the right (real) answers. Be aware that usually it costs more than you planned and you earn less than you hoped for in the beginning.

And Good Luck!