3 Questions Every Entrepreneur Should Ask Before Starting A Business

Jay Magpantay
Nov 7 · 6 min read

I hear starting a business is like becoming a parent.

Businesses need time, attention, and energy, just like babies do. And just as a couple should prep themselves before the birth of a newborn, hustlers should prep themselves before starting a business that’s stays hungry and craves constant attention.

I’m reminded of this topic because I’ve had some extra time since finishing my MBA and instead of channeling all this newly freed up mental space towards work, I paused to evaluate my business.

I needed to be sure that my day-to-day was aligned with my 5–10 year vision as I was about to go into solitude for a few days, I realized that most people won’t take 1 hour (or even 10 minutes) to reflect on whether they’re working towards something or just, working

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The Problem

Most hustlers fail.

That’s the tragedy of business.

Business is a hungry vampire that’s never satisfied. And this blood-thirsty vampire doesn’t feed only feed on hemoglobin, it also chows down on your energy, time, and sometimes sanity.

But the problem isn’t that we lack systems, teams, or ideas…

It’s that we exhaust all of ourselves, bounce from process-to-process, and quit our businesses before we give them a fair shot at turning into giants.

This is a cliche topic that’s no one’s favorite…

But again and again, people making the same mistake:

Before starting a business, hustlers don’t intentionally build it around their purpose.

And it’s because they haven’t figured out if they have one.

Instead, they act on an exciting idea, chase what makes the most money, or go for whatever’s easiest.

It’s fun in the beginning.

But when that vampire gets hungry and you have no direction or purpose to feed it, the dark-side of business starts to take over:

  • You start looking for the next quick fix.
  • You’re debating which direction to move.
  • You lack focus and switch from one idea to the next.
  • Your business traps you like a job instead of frees you like a boss.

Dodge this with some self-reflection…

Discover your life’s purpose and business gets easier because every decision has to be aligned with your purpose.

On the other hand, without a purpose to work towards, it’s like having a navigation system without a destination.

We get on the “Everyday I’m Hustlin” hamster wheel, grindin’ for as long as we can, only to be stuck in the same place.

I know because I’ve been there.

Strategies aren’t the answer, clarity of purpose is what matters the most.

You might be thinking, “boring”, and that you have a purpose already so this doesn’t apply to you.

But you’d also be surprised when you ask business owners about their 10-year, 5-year, 3-year, or even 1-year goals are and they look at you as if you have 2 heads.

That’s because few people design their lives past the weekend.

That’s the difference between those who are getting by and those who are constantly leveling up in their business.

The Solution

The next question you hafta ask about purpose is, “How do you find it?”

There are exercises out there that are more detailed, but ultimately, they all boil down to answering 3 questions:

  1. Who do you want to serve?
  2. What do you want to help them do?
  3. And why do want to help them do that?

Answer these questions before starting a business and if you’re already knee-deep in your hustle, pause to reflect how you answered them.

Did you hesitate? Did you answer clearly?

By the way, this quote from Brian Tracy explains why these questions are based in service to others (it’s not all about you):

“Successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others. Unsuccessful people are always asking, ‘what’s in it for me?”

Brian Tracy

Answer the 3 questions and of all the paths your GPS can take you, your path will shine bright-like-a-diamond because now you’ll know where you’re going.

Quick Examples

Tracy serves middle-income couples to build their retirement because she watched her own parents work until their late 70’s due to a lack of planning.

Reyland chose to be an orthodontist who serves teens because he knows how hurtful high school can be when your teeth are crooked.

Joshua serves athletes through muscular therapy because he knows first-hand how being bed-ridden is the most depressing state an athlete can be in.

See how this works?

In all 3 examples, (A) Who, (B) What, and © Why are all answered.

The Aftermath

Here’s how I answered the 3 questions myself. This might give you clarity on how to answer for yourself:

1. Who do I wanna serve?

The person I wanna serve is the hustler.

The person who decides to start a business in spite of the overwhelming odds and sad stats that say most businesses will fail.

2. What do I want to help them do?

I wanna help hustlers grow their business by educating them on how to get enjoy consistent growth without all the stresses that come from working with the wrong people, applying the wrong systems, or getting sucked into the repetitive hole of failing new thing after new thing.

3. Why do I wanna help them do that?

I wanna help these people specifically because they remind me of myself.

I was in the same place a few years ago where I had no idea what the heck I was doing. I failed in a buncha areas until I found a way that worked without all the stress.

That’s my purpose in a nutshell and since rediscovering this, it’s also why I’ve decided to share advice in mini-chunks like this articles.

Whether it’s from books, mentors, or my own clients, my mission is to share what’s working so that the hustlers on the same journey can get leads, generate revenue, and scale the hustle in a lot less time.

Step 1 is this article.

Find your purpose before starting a business. If you’ve already started, pause to make sure that your hustle is right for you:

  1. Who do you want to serve?
  2. What do you want to help them do?
  3. And why do want to help them do that?

Dig in and add purpose to your life.

Once you do, I have faith in my fellow hustler that nothing will stop you from achieving your greatness.


Jay Magpantay

Written by

Author of the #1 Bestselling Book, The Write Way To Sell, and Founder of The Coaching Forum. Helping experts make a wider impact through publishing.

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