In a recent conference call by the Orton Family Foundation, one of the listeners asked a great practical question: What are 3 actions most effective at starting a local company? —Jay B., KS My answer was: Try 3 small scale tests. That’s how you’ll build knowledge of what works, build an initial following…
The day is nearly here for you to open the doors of your new business. What a great feeling! Have you thought about who might be your first customer? Might I suggest that the first person should be your worst critic, or might I even say nightmare? That comment probably dampened your enthusiasm. Why start…
Admit it. You want to own your own business. Saying this is OK. Many people feel the same as you do. Owning a business is a goal many of us have, just like we want to own our own house. Yet turning that wish into reality is the hurdle where many people stop. It’s scary….
Going into business for yourself is always a scary idea, especially for the first-time business owner. You seem to have so much to do and so little time to get it done. The first-time business owner faces even more uncertainty because every step is a completely new experience. Running a business is a daunting task….
As you probably know, if you are going into business, the odds your business will be around in five years are not good. But they aren’t as bad as you may think, either. Approximately one-third of businesses close within two years. At the five-year mark, about one-half of all businesses have closed. We don’t approach…
People starting a business plan on being successful. Achieving success, though, is much easier said than done. When starting, one of the first tasks facing the business owner is letting people know you exist. Your story can be one good element to use in this phase. Stories are engaging. People can relate to stories. Stories…
One of the most common requests I get is to help people access “free money” to help them start their business. Regretfully, my response is there is little, if any, free money available. Instead business owners need to depend on their own personal funds, family and friends, or good bootstrapping. At some point though, most…
A great deal of information about starting a business is available. Some of the information is accurate and helpful. Other information is best called a myth, although it may hold a grain of truth. Probably the biggest myth is that of “free money” available for starting a business. The reality is that there is little…
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