Our Friend Nairobi Paul has given me an idea, with his post Biz idea.
Heather had a great idea of starting an import-export business between Kenya and the US. We’d fill up a shipping container with this artist’s furniture and sell it through an exclusive group of stores in appropriate shopping areas in the States. (Denver – think Cherry Creek.)
Shoot, if shipping wasn’t so expensive, we’d send a bunch back for our own use!
One huge problem is just figuring out all the problems. One small example – the beautiful wood is probably banned from export. (Can you say “governmental laws to prevent deforestation”?)
By the way, this is another example of a “jua kali” (hot sun) artisan. The storeroom floor is indeed dirt and grass. (Hey – it’s pretty low overhead.)
Now, my idea is not for an import/export business, but for an article on how to go from the raw idea, like this one, to a concrete action. What are your thoughts? What would you do first? What specific steps, and what general lessons can you and I dream up together?
Yes, I mean you! You, personally! Please, share your thoughts in a comment or an email.
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Becky started Small Biz Survival in 2006 to share rural business and community building stories and ideas with other small town business people. She and her husband have a small cattle ranch and are lifelong entrepreneurs. Becky is an international speaker on small business and rural topics.
Hi,
We have starting a business step by step broken down into exactly 35 steps, starting with researching your options and ending with launching the business.
The whole point of it is to make each step easy, and small enough that no one step is too daunting.
Currently the list, and our personal consulting, is only available to our members, but we do have lots of free startup resources, articles and information available as well.
I would be happy to answer any specific questions, however, anyone wanted to post here.
Thanks,
Matt Remuzzi
Founder, CapForge.com
Matt, thanks for taking time to share! Your advice to break it down into smaller steps is a great starting point.
Looks like your group at CapForge offers a very broad support system, too. Glad you dropped by today!
Becky:
I’m on my way back home but found a very interesting store in New Zealand called Trade Aid (www.tradeaid.org.nz) which started about 15 years ago to source and help people in less developed countries sell goods like this. They have grown to 35 stores and had quite an impressive story to tell. Perhaps it is something we could do in the USA. I’ll be bloggin more on it next week.
jack
Thanks, Jack. I’m searching for and finding some other interesting resources as well. This should prove to be an interesting online conversation!
Thanks for the tips, all.
Thanks for what you’re doing, too, Small Biz Survival!