Anyone will tell you that starting a business can be a risky process. Many startups fail and some people have to try several business ideas before finding the one that works. However, there are many potential benefits to starting your own business so taking the risk can be worth it. While there is nothing that can guarantee your startup will be successful, there are a few things you can do to give your startup the best chance to prosper.

1. Follow Your Passion

Growing a startup into a successful company is a challenge in any circumstances, but it’s nearly impossible if you aren’t passionate about what you are doing. Before starting your business, you should ask yourself if the industry is really something that sparks your passion. If the answer is not a resounding “yes” you should take a step back before investing more time and money into something about which you are ambivalent. Nearly every successful entrepreneur will agree that part of the reason for their success was their passion for the company and drive to make it succeed.

While part of making your business work is a being passionate about your idea and industry, the balancing point is being realistic about the market. If your passion isn’t something that you can reasonably monetize, it’s probably not the start of a profitable business. Likewise, if the market is already saturated with companies relatively similar to the one you want to start, you might not be able to garner a large customer base.

2. Form a Partnership

It may be ideal to form a business partnership to help your startup succeed. This could mean a financial partnership with one or several investors, or a creative partnership with someone who shares your passion and brings additional ideas to the table. When forming a professional partnership, it’s important to make sure it’s done in an official way. When your startup takes off, you don’t want to risk arguments over shares or lawsuits over intellectual property. Before any official paperwork on your business is filed, make sure the legal documents regarding your partnership have been drawn up and signed.

You can also consider creating an informal “partnership” with potential investors and clients. Using a funding site such as Kickstarter is a great way to engage your potential customer base and get a head start on advertising your business. Additionally, it allows you to raise funding for your startup costs from a large pool of potential investors. Of course, it’s essential that you understand all the terms and conditions of using a funding site and know what you are agreeing to provide your investors.

3. Be Patient and Persistent

Starting a business and bringing it to fruition is usually a slow process. While there are stories of overnight successes, this is not the way most profitable companies achieved their status. A large part of building a company from the ground up is doing the boring but necessary work of figuring out legal requirements, filing necessary paperwork, creating a financial structure and accounting setup and figuring out your marketing and expansion plans.

Part of being patient involves finances and your own personal investment in the company. In most cases, starting up a company involves a large amount of capital and it can be years before your business is bringing in enough income for you to take a normal salary. You should ensure that you have enough financial stability to survive during the time before your business is consistently turning a profit.

4. Learn From Others’ Success

One of the best ways to prepare and help your startup succeed is to learn from other successful companies. Hampton Creek is a great example of people who followed their passion and persevered to make their business a success. Their ability to build a successful business based on a pea-protein egg substitutes should serve as inspiration and encouragement for you to follow your own passion.

Starting a company can be an exhilarating and frightening endeavor. Before you commit yourself to the risks, be sure you are passionate about your idea. You should also make sure the market is reasonably favorable. Form partnerships if desired. Patience is important, especially financially because it can be years before your company is stable enough to pay you a salary. One of the best places to find encouragement and inspiration for your dream is in the success stories of other companies. You can learn good strategies and see the steps other people took to create a profitable company.