When a good family friend considered expanding his business out of Scottsdale, Arizona to Mesa, Arizona, he imagined his clientele expanding and his money growing. Unfortunately, his investment in office space in Mesa ended up failing – he was unable to attract clients in that location and had to close the office not long after. He and his family nearly lost everything after this failure – they considered selling their house and feared they might have to close the business entirely. But he knew he was passionate about his business, and felt determined to keep going. Eventually, his Scottsdale location continued to grow and he was able to open up a new, successful location in Phoenix. So many entrepreneurs are afraid of taking a big step forward – like expanding your company to a new location, for example – and that prevents them from succeeding in the future. Those fears are absolutely valid because we see it happen time and time again. So how do we push through those fears and decide whether or not to take the risk? Here are four questions you should ask yourself before moving forward: How’s my team?  Many business owners become overzealous with moving forward that they don’t stop to consider whether or not their team is ready for it. If you have reliable employees who are passionate and enthusiastic about your mission statement, you can count on them to help you move forward. If strengthening your team feels like it should be your priority right now, trust your instincts. How’s my customer loyalty?  No matter how great your business may be, establishing loyal clientele can take some time. Wherever it is you’re taking your company in this next step, be aware that you’re asking your customers to follow you. Make sure you have their support. After all, a business is nothing without its supporters. What’s my budget?  We all know running a business requires money – a lot of it. If you’re having to sell an arm and a leg to move forward with your business, you might want to reconsider. But that being said, you have to decide what’s worth it to you. What’s worth losing for something like this? Is the risk of loss worth the chance of success? Where do I want this to take me?  This past month, we’ve discussed fears that entrepreneurs face and what might be holding us all back. So when you make the scary choice to move forward, ask yourself why you’re doing this in the first place. What will the decisions you make today for your company do for you five years from now? Wherever it is that it’s taking you, make sure the choices you make for your business are taking you where you want to be – not just for now, but in the long run. Whether you’re moving forward in leaps and bounds or with baby steps, any change can be scary. Whatever it is you’re risking, ask yourself what it’s worth to you. In some cases, your business is worth everything. Just make sure that when you say that, you truly mean it.