To run a business successfully, it’s crucial to dedicate enough time, effort, and passion to a venture. This makes entrepreneurism a difficult path for many, particularly college students who have to balance schoolwork and other unique responsibilities with the dream of becoming a business leader. Fortunately, that doesn’t mean you can’t make your dreams come true. Many college students have managed to launch and run successful startups while still in school, and you can do the same if you follow these essential steps:

Work out a good idea

If there’s one lesson to be learned from other startups, it’s that a good business idea is key to success. It needs to be unique, specific, and well-defined, and it has to solve a particular problem or need. In order to find a great business idea, start by researching the market and see whether there are any gaps for products and services that are high in demand but the supply simply doesn’t match. Whether that means developing a helpful app for college students or inventing a new delivery service, finding a good idea is a necessary first step to successfully launching a startup.

Get enough capital

In an effort to build a profitable business, you will need sufficient funding, both in terms of starting and building a company as well as sustaining it until you reach positive cash flow. While you could always decide to self-fund, as long as you have the means, it’s recommended to diversify your capital in the hopes of saving money when launching a startup. This will also allow you to reduce some common business and financial risks. Other forms of funding you could opt for include seeking out investors, crowdfunding, and taking out small business loans.

Consider consulting

When launching a startup, you will have to choose a business model to follow. As this can often be difficult to achieve, especially considering the unique needs of college students, hiring professional consulting services could be a great idea. Such experts will be able to create a more flexible work model for your startup that will put agility at the forefront, allowing you to build a more efficient, successful, and profitable business. Not only will this flexibility benefit your new company, but it might also give you the opportunity to create the perfect balance between your studies and entrepreneurism.

Take a business class

In case your major doesn’t revolve around entrepreneurship, taking an additional business class in college could be of great help. It’s a safe environment where you could experiment and try out different models and ideas without risk, and it’s a great place to gain some necessary knowledge and skills that will prepare you for successful leadership. What’s more, business classes can also be good places for making valuable connections that might come in handy when you decide to grow and expand your startup in the future.

Find a great mentor

At college, you will also be exposed to a wide network of professionals who might be able to help you on your journey. Talk to a professor or an advisor you trust, or even look at alumni referral networks and social media platforms like LinkedIn to find a good mentor. A more skilled and experienced person will offer you the necessary coaching, advice, and new networking opportunities. As a result, you will be equipped with the support, guidance, and practical knowledge needed for reaching success in the industry.

Starting a business is always a challenging task, but it becomes even more so when you venture on this journey while you’re still in college. Thankfully, running a successful startup is still possible, as long as you follow the helpful advice mentioned above.