As a talented engineer, all you want is ownership over your own projects. You want to be able to come to work every day and create things that actually excite and impassion you. Unfortunately, if you work for a large firm, this probably isn’t going to be the case. Your work will still be exciting, interesting, and fulfilling upon occasion, but you’ll never truly be able to be the engineer that you want to be if you continue to work for somebody else.
It is for this reason why you should seriously consider starting your own engineering business. Better yet, you should seek to make a real success of this venture by putting the advice found below into practice.
Here’s what you need to do to run your own successful engineering business:
Become a better businessperson
Chances are, having not run your own company before, your practical business acumen leaves a lot to be desired. If you’re to truly make a success of your engineering firm, however, you can’t just rely on your expertise as an engineer. You also have to be well versed when it comes to skills like leading your employees, sealing important deals, and providing excellent customer service. Regardless of the quality of products that you produce, if you fail when it comes to these important business-related tasks, your firm will be likely to collapse sooner rather than later.
The best thing that you can do to improve your skills as a businessperson is to take a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) course. In this type of program, you will learn about management, marketing, and sustainability in your quest to develop a strong foundation in business. The best thing of all? By taking this type of course at an educational establishment such as Walsh University, you won’t even have to worry about your studies interrupting your day-to-day job as an engineering business owner. The online courses provided by this establishment are perfect for working professionals like yourself, as they offer you the chance to study in your own time and at your own pace.
By enrolling in such a course, then you will be able to improve your business acumen while still being able to devote the majority of your time and effort to the running of your company.
Source the right tools
Knowing about stud welding and tensile strength is all good and well, but you actually need the right tools by your side if you’re to actually bring your projects to life.
A few of the tools that you are going to need on your worksite at all times include:
- Computer modeling software
- 3D printer
- Set of wrenches (box-end, open-end, combination, adjustable, ratchet, allen, etc.)
- Jigsaw
- Jumper cables
- Safety equipment (eye protection, hardhat, dust mask, earmuffs, etc.)
- Vice
- Power drills and drill bits
- Calipers
- Air compressor
Forge fruitful connections
In order to source your materials and ship your products, you’re going to need a vast network of vendors, shippers, and sellers working by your side at all times. To strike up partnerships with these all-important external forces, you’re first going to have to make a conscious effort to forge fruitful connections with them. Whether you’re particularly outgoing or not, this is something that simply must be done if you’re to give your company the best chance possible of thriving in its market.
In your attempt to forge fruitful connections with vendors, shippers, and sellers, your first port of call should be to join a professional trade association. Once you join this type of group, you will find it much easier to connect with others in your field simply because you’ll be invited to more industry meet-ups. At the events, meetings, and workshops that you attend, you should be sure to connect with all manner of people. Better still, you should be sure to hand your business card to every professional that you connect with. By doing so, you could very well strike up a partnership that proves itself to be incredibly profitable for years to come.
Something else that you should do to extend your network is creating a LinkedIn profile. On this platform, you will be able to connect with others in your field and share industry insights with them.
You’ve got the project ideas, you’ve got the passion, and you’ve got the industry know-how — now all you’ve got to do is turn your dream of owning an engineering business into a reality. To attain this goal, you’re going to have to become a better businessperson, source the right equipment, and forge fruitful connections.