The 9-to-5 grind can make you feel like a just another cog in the corporate machine, constantly punching the clock for someone else's vision. One day, while dreaming of the world outside the cubicle, you have your big "Eureka!" moment-you've come across an idea so perfect that you need to start your own business around it.
Coming up with the idea is the easy part. Now, you're thrown into an entrepreneurial world where even the experience businessperson can feel overwhelmed by all the details.
It's hard to know where to even begin. So here are some tips to starting your own business:
- Craft a primitive budget: do you have enough capital to get this idea rolling? First things first, figure out roughly how much it'll cost you including all expenses, and where that money will be coming from. Call in favors from everyone you've even leant money to in the past in need be.
- Does the business world need you?: is there a large enough demand for your product? Ask around before even attempting to start your business-check with similar businesses in the area, or around the country. Find out how they started, and what kinds of clients they target, to get an idea of where you'll fit in the market.
- Create a strong management team: your team members should share your vision of the business, and a certain amount of proficiency and credibility. Rely on your connections to find the perfect people for the jobs that will bring their expertise to the business. Remember that you will eventually have to set aside your ego and let them control certain aspects of the company, so your have to feel comfortable around your management team.
- Start small: instead of immediately trying to market your product to 5,000 companies at once, focus on a few dozen specialized local companies to network with. This way you can call them each personally, mail them your marketing materials, and then arrange a meeting.
- Quality matters: you want to be able to set your self apart from all the other businesses similar to yours. Having an eye-catching yet simple to navigate web site and presentation material is key to succeeding in the modern business world. Creating quality marketing tools doesn't have to cost you a fortune either; consider hiring a design art or marketing student from a nearby university to help out. You never know, you could even meet your next Junior Executive.
- Come up with a good business plan: keep it less than 25 pages, and include information about your management team, who your customers as, and most importantly, why the world needs your business. At this stage in the game, don't over-focus on the financial side of things yet. A business plan outline can be found at http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/planning/basic.html.
For more tips, including an A-to-Z guide to starting your own business, and 21 ways to draw customers in, go to http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/planning/basic.html.
Jessica Klein is a member of the 'Mount Real Research Team', whose aim is to seek out and distribute business information to the virtual public. She is a freelance writer based in Montreal, Canada who loves writing about anything from accounting to zebras.
For more info about Mount Real, visit http://www.sba.gov/starting_business/planning/basic.html.
Leadership, leadership development and leadership training are "Hot" issues in... Read More
Every event you hold can be extremely successful. Apply these... Read More
You need sales and you wanted them yesterday. Here are... Read More
Are the endless lists of Top-7's and Top-10's taxing your... Read More
Clarity is an absolutely essential ingredient for you to achieve... Read More
Here are a few ideas to get you started, all... Read More
What is a niche business? A niche business is one... Read More
Do you want to be #1-10 on Google and other... Read More
Which one are you? An effective IT project manager, able... Read More
The Internet is a fast growing medium, trancending the personal... Read More
One way to manage your time more effectively is to... Read More
"Vision is the spectacular that inspires us to carry out... Read More
Talk to Your People Often By building a great... Read More
If you are like me, you are living some distance... Read More
If you are thinking of starting a new business, or... Read More
Sometime soon you will be attending some training. It may... Read More
1. Use subheads throughout your ad copy.Subheads are great to... Read More
It has been said you can lift the Rock... Read More
Creating a website is one thing, making it better is... Read More
Do you plan events for the corporate world like product... Read More
Please don't think I am calling you a "moron" to... Read More
Ever lost a sale you thought was in the bag?... Read More
Imagine if you were going to address a stadium full... Read More
Either simply a looker-on or a player in the world... Read More
It is possible for small companies and individual business people... Read More
insured cleaning company Highland Park ..1. Think Big ? In college, Michael Dell said he... Read More
There are so many simple, yet really sure-fire ways of... Read More
1. Admit there is a problem.The very first step in... Read More
If you're a business owner, you know that repeat business... Read More
Which one are you? An effective IT project manager, able... Read More
Seven Questions to Improve Your Business, Your Relationships, and Your... Read More
Looking for a manufacturer or supplier of home furnishings in... Read More
Many businesses lose money yearly because they don't think creatively... Read More
Many people find it really hard to write for business... Read More
A lot of people are insecure about buying something or... Read More
Millions of people start new small businesses in the United... Read More
Ten Tips for Staying ConnectedMany of my business clients tell... Read More
Are you ready for a BASH? Have you ever been... Read More
Your business card is a valuable piece of real estate... Read More
1. Maintain regular working hours and stick to them.2. Get... Read More
From an employee's perspective, management often conducts itself in ways... Read More
Do you want to be #1-10 on Google and other... Read More
Never in history have more entrepreneurs launched more new businesses!... Read More
The 9-to-5 grind can make you feel like a just... Read More
Here are seven excellent ways to earn income from international... Read More
Did you know that there is one critical difference between... Read More
One way links will help you gain better rankings in... Read More
Many new coaches struggle to attract their first client. Often,... Read More
So many people I worked with said they got more... Read More
Although dentistry may appear to be different than other types... Read More
Top Quick Tips |