Showing posts with label Managing Startups. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Managing Startups. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

How to Start a Business and Make Money Within a Week.


As you might or not know, doing business is no easy task. For example, if you want to start a Deli business, you will need a lot of planning, which includes market analysis for your area, a location, a number of employees and of course a great deal of equipment in order to operate.

All of these essentials will translate into a heavy investment and a great risk of things not going exactly as planned, and not because you did not do your homework, but because that is just the way businesses are.

Of course the more attention you pay to detail and the more thorough your planning, the more chances you will succeed. But in any case, a traditional business like that will burden you with lot of expenses that will prevent you from seeing a dime in profits for at least one year.

Therefore, as much as the entrepreneurial way is the way to go, the fact is that you can go all the way building and running a successful business, from which you can make a lot of money to live comfortably, without having to go through all the stress of having thousands of dollars at stake for months or even years.

So what is the answer to your entrepreneurial call if you do not have the money or you do not want to risk too much of it and still you want top make money fast?

Start doing business online, which is far more than simply selling at eBay or at Amazon. Indeed, an etail business can be rewarding, I know this for a fact, but after several years making a living online I must say that my preference goes for more time and cost efficient options, which offer greater potential for both short term and long term growth, starting with very small investments.

A clear example -not the only one- of this kind of option is internet marketing, where you can actually create a lasting business capable of generating thousands of dollars in revenue per month without risking thousands of dollars.

Certainly, internet marketing is more about knowing rather than investing, so whereas a traditional business is 60% capital investment and 40% know-how, an online business built around internet marketing will be 5% capital investment (mostly in educational resources) and 95% know-how.

This means that when you do business online through internet marketing or any other option that allows you to execute your whole business operation online, you will be risking time and effort rather than money.

This does not mean that you can afford to be wasteful because your time and effort is also valuable (remember, time is money). What it does mean is that even with little or no money you, right now, have what it takes to do business and be successful, with the peace of mind that you have nothing to lose other than some of your energy, which thankfully is a renewable resource.

Therefore, if you start any business online you will have room for some trial and error without the fear of losing a fortune, and the distinctive advantage that many online business options like internet marketing, forex trading or stock trading offer, which is the ability to deliver actual results within days of having started, provided or course that you have the right tools and resources by your side.

Reference:
Alex Cadens

Entrepreneurs - Boost Productivity and Manage Stress With These 5 Strategies


Manage Stress With These 5 Strategies

As a solo business owner, would you like to be more peaceful and productive? Do you sometimes feel like it takes too much time to complete a project because you're forever fending off interruptions and distractions? Does the notion of being both productive AND peaceful seem laughable or even impossible?

There was certainly a time in my life when I was stressed to the limit and less than productive. But over the years, I've learned how to de-stress and become more efficient with my time, so I can be more successful as a coach and writer.

Listed below are some strategies I've used over the years to help me become more peaceful and productive. Feel free to try these suggestions, or better yet, find some solutions that are a better fit for you:
  • Avoid multitasking --For years, we were told that multi-tasking was the answer to our crazy busy lifestyle. Then, a couple years ago, some studies suggested that it was actually a symptom of our cultural craziness, and that multitasking, in fact, increases our stress levels and causes us to be less focused and efficient. So, instead of sending a frenzied email to a client while you're listening to a voicemail message, focus on one task at a time. You'll be more focused and attentive, which is never a bad thing when it comes to customer relations and building rapport with employees.
  • Unplug to minimize electronic distractions -- If you're working on a project that requires serious concentration, the last thing you need is a slew of distractions. So turn off your cell phone. And if you're working on your computer, close down the software programs you don't need open, including your email. When I'm able to focus on the task at hand, without watching the email messages pile up in my inbox, I'm far less distracted.
  • Stick to your schedule -- This strategy may sound obvious, but many of my clients find it challenging. My point is this: if you block off an hour for a project, move onto the next project at the appointed time. Because if you don't set limits, you'll suddenly notice that it's taken you two hours to complete a blog post, when you had only allotted half that time. If you're really having trouble staying focused, consider setting a timer to keep you on task.
  • Set boundaries and enforce them -- If you work at home, you may need to remind your family that your office is off limits during certain hours of the day, or when you are trying to concentrate on a project. If you work in an office outside your home, you may need to close your door sometimes so you can meet a deadline or work intensely on a particular project. Keep in mind that it t may take awhile for your family and colleagues to get used to your new rules and you may need to remind them, in the beginning, of your new boundaries.
  • Focus on the process not the product - Sometimes, we become so focused on the destination, that we forget to enjoy the journey. And when that happens, we twist ourselves into knots, worried that whatever we are working on may not measure up to our clients' standards or even our own. Of course, life flows more freely and easily when we relax and do our best without worrying about the future. And the best part is that when we focus on the process rather than the product, life is much more enjoyable.

If you choose to adopt one or more of these strategies, chances are good that you'll be more focused, peaceful and productive. Please let me know how it goes!

Reference:
Ellen H. Brown is a certified professional coach and the owner of Wellness Journeys, where she takes a holistic approach to coaching, helping solo business owners and busy professionals become more productive, profitable, and peaceful. She has also written about health and wellness for the past 15 years. As a result of working with Ellen, clients learn how to run successful businesses and lead more healthy, balanced lives. Because she strongly believes that you don't have to sacrifice your personal life for your business.

Monday, July 13, 2009

Does Starting Your Own Business Seem a Bit Daunting?

No Looking Back

The idea of starting your own business can be daunting. Especially if you have never done it before. It can seem like the "risky" thing to do.

But millions of people around the world have started their own home based business, and haven't looked back. And more and more people are realising that it's the smart way to go, especially in today's economy.

Times have changed. The Internet is here, and it's not going away -- but job security is.

But fear not, because...

Change is the thing that brings massive opportunity!

And the only thing that may be stopping you from taking advantage of that change is your past conditioning. Let me explain...

The Way Of The Past

A hundred plus years ago, your ancestors were entrepreneurs, not employees. They owned their own businesses. They enjoyed their own freedom and did not concern themselves with this thing called "job security."

Then along came the Industrial Age and the need for employees skyrocketed. Large industrial concerns promoted the need for "educational reform" in order to create more employees for a rapidly expanding industry.

So in stepped the government and took over the task of mass education, and adopted the Prussian system. A system designed to produce soldiers and employees -- people who would follow orders and do what they are told.

You can see how beneficial this kind of system is to the corporate world today.

And the corporate world has lured people in by offering "job security." But these days it is becoming very apparent that job security is a thing of the past. Not only may your job not be there in a couple of years, but your employer may not be.

Why Does It Matter?

"So what's the big deal about job security?" you may ask. Well...

Firstly, it isn't there anymore.
And secondly and more importantly, it comes at the expense of something very precious -- your freedom.

The price of security is freedom. And over time, people have been unwittingly trading their freedom for security.

(If you are battling to relate to this concept, think about a maximum security prison. The people there have the highest security, but no freedom.)

Today millions of people are risking having very little freedom, and little security.

So, clinging to "job security" may be costing you dearly: The life you really want to live.

And putting on the façade of driving a nice car, living in a nice home, wearing nice clothing, and doing all the nice middle-class things (all provided by credit) is not cutting it. No amount of "looking good" is going to give you or me true peace of mind. That means...

It's time to focus and "mind your own business" instead of someone else's (your employer's and your banker's).

Just like your ancestors, choose the path of freedom. Live a life of self-autonomy. Because it's worth it.

The only thing that stops us is fear. Not lack of ability. And we only fear the unknown.

So, if you have fear about starting your own business, it's because of your conditioning (education). Think about it...

You have probably spent years in a "Prussian" school system. You were taught that you have to have all the right answers or else all hell will break loose.

That may be great within the corridors of "formal education," but it's doesn't reflect reality.

How We Learn

Remember learning to ride a bike? Did you first spend months learning all the theory so that when you first got on you were sure not to fall off? To "not make a mistake?" I doubt it.

What happened is, you got on. Fell off. Learnt and made corrections. Got on. Fell off. Learnt and made corrections... And so on, until you were riding around everywhere on your back wheel!

That is how we are designed to learn. It's natural. The "formal education" way is what's unnatural in learning how to thrive in life.

We have been so conditioned to fear making mistakes. To get all the answers right. No wonder this paralyses us unless we can somehow overcome all this conditioning. Therefore, let's not attach too much significance to the word "failure." I once read a good quote that went, "Failure is an event, not a person."

So, do you need all the right answers? Bill Gates didn't. He brought a product to market, that brought value to the market, and the market embraced it in a big way. And Microsoft Windows is still not "perfect."

Henry Ford said, "Thank God for my customers. They buy my products before they are perfected."

And yep, you too have value to add! So stop waiting to be perfect and worrying about "getting it all right" and just start offering it! Believe it or not, but there are people who will relate to you and want what you can offer them.

Just Start

Start that business. It you don't, who else will? That's what I did, in spite of being "educated" otherwise.

Entrepreneurs know that they don't have to know all the right answers. They just need to know where to find the answers when necessary. Even very successful entrepreneurs are always learning. For them there is no such thing as being "educated" (past-tense). It is an ongoing process.

All persons are hypnotised from infancy by the culture in which they grow up. The prime task of adult life is dehypnotisation, enlightenment. -- Willis Harman and Howard Rheingold

So go for it. Do something bigger and more meaningful with your life.

If you don't make a difference in the world, you will be more inclined to just complain about the problems in the world. And that has never helped anybody.

It has never been easier or cheaper to start a home based business. It can even be done part-time. All thanks to the Internet.

And being non-technical doesn't have to stop you either. Technology has brought with it its own solutions to its shortcomings. It doesn't matter if you're a Generation-Y or a Pre-baby-boomer.

With the advent of the Internet and Web 2.0, and all the coaching available out there for starting a successful home business, there is practically no risk.

The risk is in sitting there watching the "old economy" melt before your eyes.

And job security is part of that old economy.

Rather make your own security -- like your ancestors did.

Because you can...

Reference:
About the Author:
Tony Kennard is a work-at-home entrepreneur. He promotes the idea of financial freedom and self-autonomy through personal business ownership.He teaches Attraction Marketing as the best method to attract people to your business (traditional or MLM), and have it flourish.

3 Tips to Help Avoid Overwhelm If You're an Entrepreneur With a Business to Run.


Most entrepreneurs feel overwhelmed at one point or another. In fact, staying focused can be one of the biggest daily challenges.

This can prevent your business moving forward as quickly as you'd like... and leads to that feeling of there never being enough hours in the day.

Here are some tips to put yourself back on track:

1. Focus on 'results' rather than 'goals'
Goals differ from results. You might have a goal to complete a new sales page by the end of the month and get it online. You may even have a series of mini-deadlines to help you achieve this goal. But what is the RESULT you want to achieve? The result you want is to land new clients. The sales page is just part of the puzzle to achieve this. Always focus on the outcome, rather than getting bogged down by short-term goals.

2. Be specific
Results need to be specific to be effective. "Increasing sales" is not specific, for example. "Get 10 new sales in the next 30 days" is a very specific outcome. As is: "Get 20 targeted leads before the end of this week." This is a much better way of monitoring your progress.

3. Prioritize
It's easy to get overwhelmed by the seemingly 'urgent' tasks and lose sight of the truly important ones. Supposing you want to increase your online sales by a specific amount this quarter. But maybe your website isn't set up to achieve this outcome. Your first priority would therefore be to get the revisions done and put online. That result would allow you to move on to your next goal of driving traffic to your website. If you do things in the right order, it makes it so much easier to achieve results.

Using these tips will help give you clarity and focus, so that you can build your business faster and with less frustration. Once you get into the habit of using them, you'll find staying on track much easier.

Starting a New Business - Uncover Remarkable Ways to Impact Starting a Business.


Nowadays with the strained economy in America and perhaps the world, there are many people that are starting their own business. Because you are already a business owner, you can share your expertise and earn high profits as a business coach. Continue reading this article and uncover remarkable ways to impact starting a new business.

1. People with little experience in business skills would benefit greatly as you show them how to start a new business. It's important for people to understand that by having a plan they can follow a roadmap to success. If you will share your expertise with them they can avoid a lot of errors that will save them a lot of money as they are developing their new business. Of course people will pay for this expertise and that is how you can make a lot of money.

2. Create business materials in a way that are simple and easy to use for your customers. Provide answers to their questions as they use your materials. When they find your materials easy to use and very profitable for them, they will continue to come back to you to hire you again and again for your business expertise. This can greatly impact your business and their business as well.

3. Since you have already experienced starting a new business, you can share with your clients past business mistakes you've made. This can save them a lot of money and frustration. Reduced frustration and increased success motivates a person to keep moving forward to achieve their business goals.

Starting Your Own Business - Discover 7 Profitable Methods to Energize the Start of Your Business.

Nowadays people are learning the value and freedom of starting their own business. You can create enthusiasm and excitement for starting a business by promoting the success of your own business to beginning entrepreneurs. Keep reading to discover 7 profitable methods to energize starting your own business.

1. Before you decide to start your own business, make sure you check and see that there is a market with money willing to pay for products you create for that market. This is a sure way to run a successful business.

2. Make sure you feel supported in the business that you operate. However you can get that support either by going to the library or by attending networking meetings or talking with other business colleagues, make sure you feel supported in your business.

3. It makes a lot of sense to hire a business coach. By using quality business coaching services, you can customize business applications to your business.

4. Learn from your mistakes and feel comfortable about making mistakes. Making mistakes is part of the way that you learn how to succeed.

5. Focus on acting professional in your business. When you focus on acting professional, people will know that you know quality business. It will be very appealing to them and help you get customers.

6. Treat yourself and your many customers respectfully. They will appreciate that and see that you are the preferred businessperson they choose to do business with.

7. Provide superior customer service. This will help you improve profits because customer service is king in business.

Start a Business - The 4 Latest Popular Ways to Accelerate Starting a Business.


With your business expertise, now is a great time for you to increase your profits by helping people learn how to start a business and run that business successfully. Continue reading to learn the latest 4 popular ways to accelerate starting a business.

1. Take advantage of the many business resources available to help you start a business. You can hire a business coach and that makes a lot of sense. That way you can customize the training to your business. Go to the library, do online research, visit the Small Business Administration, and perhaps even the business department in your local college.

2. Check to make sure that there is a market for your business before you start creating products and developing services. You're looking for people who are looking for answers to a very pressing problem. You can look on the Internet and see what problems people are experiencing. You might want to focus on people who are still employed because we know they already have money to invest in a business of their own.

3. Remember the reason that you go into business is to serve a market. Use your expertise in a particular niche to enjoy serving that market by solving the problems of that market.

4. In your sales technique develop a short, friendly and efficient way of encouraging people to improve their lives. After all, that is what they are doing in starting their business. You are asking people to improve their lives by doing something differently from their current way of doing things.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

For Entrepreneurs: Getting The Timing Right

Essentials in Entrepreneurship.

Q. We are a team of two looking to enter the KPO business. I am a medical doctor with a postgraduate degree in hospital administration, with seven years work experience in healthcare management. Currently, I am working as a healthcare analyst. My partner is a software engineer with three years experience in developing various business applications. Both of us come from a middle income background. With my expertise in the healthcare space and my partner’s in the IT space, together we are looking to start a healthcare KPO in either Bangalore or Gurgaon. Since both of us are sole breadwinners in our families, we would like to have your guidance about how to move out of our current jobs slowly and go about our venture? Is it advisable to work part-time? Also, we are also worried about the capital investment needed for this space, since we both earn a salaried income, how do we go about convincing investors to invest in a completely new company? 

Ans. Your intention of starting a KPO business is noble and I would encourage you and your partner to actualise your thinking. I would, however, suggest you take a relook at the order and the timing of what you want to do and when. Any business revolves around fulfilling customer needs and, to state the obvious, the objective is to generate sufficient revenues to cover costs and be profitable. Whether it is a KPO or any other business the principle remains the same. Everything in the business needs to be architected to meet the needs of the customer. The competencies and capabilities of the management are necessary but not sufficient conditions. 

The customer needs (and thus the product proposition) are typically complex and need more than just the capabilities of the entrepreneur or the management. What you need to answer is, what is the product proposition that you have for your customers and what do you need (in addition to you and your friend) to be able to deliver it? How is this product proposition that you are (or will) construct compare with what is already available in the market to the customer and how is your proposition different or superior? In cases where the product proposition is not different or superior, how do you intend to compete with the competition and is the market large to have your offerings in addition to what is available today? Are your price points acceptable to the customer and sufficient to allow you to make a profit to meet your personal objectives? As you prepare a plan to answer these questions the answers to what all has to be done and when it has to be done typically starts to emerge? Let me explain. Look at creating a business like cooking an exotic dish. You first need to have some idea of the end result of what the exotic dish is going to be. Then you need the various ingredients for the dish like meats and vegetables of various types, spices and condiments of various types, other garnishing and sauces etc. 

An expert chef will add different quantities of the ingredients at different times depending on need and what end result is needed. The chef may decide to make a particular dish as he/she has some ingredients available... but he/she still needs to get the balance items based on the needs of the dish. In the same way, for a business you need a combination of skill sets, capabilities and competencies packaged together as a product proposition for the customer who will pay a price for the ‘product’ or ‘service’. From what you state, between you and your partner you have the domain knowledge and capabilities in the healthcare and IT arena. You need to ask what else is needed to create a value proposition for your target customers. Obviously, you and your partner will use your competencies and your knowledge of your areas of expertise and your understanding of the needs of the customer to create this ‘proposition’. You then need to validate the proposition and answer some basic questions. Based on the answers you will modify or fine tune the product proposition. Once you have a somewhat realistic product proposition you will ‘flesh’ it out or ‘explode’ the proposition to determine what all is required in addition to the skills you and your partner bring as also the timing of the needs of all the inputs needed. 

This will form the first business plan for your offerings. The essential content of this plan will be the timing that you and your partner need to follow to join the new venture, the funding needs and the timing of the funding. Some realities: Competency in a particular domain (healthcare and IT in your case) alone do not guarantee a product proposition that will be attractive to the customers and be profitable. A good product proposition alone does not mean it is a business plan. A business plan does not guarantee funding. Funding does not guarantee success. All these are necessary steps... some of these steps are sequential and some can be done in parallel. Your questions of whether to work part-time or full-time and how to tie up the funding comes as an out come of this planning process. The product proposition and the business plan can be conceptualised part time or full time. If the planning process is robust then the answer will leap out at you from the business plan itself. The business plan discussed with potential investors will also tie up funding and once the funding is tied up you and your partner will be able to determine if it is worth taking the risk of leaving the jobs and tying up the other ingredients of the product proposition. There are three constituents to a business: customer, employee, and investor. 

The business plan has to address all three. If you can cater to all these three constituents then you have a good business. I have seen meticulous and detailed plans that lay out week by week what will happen and I have seen “cowboy” shoot from the hip attitude that says ‘we will figure it out’. Both can succeed... The only common element that I have seen is that all successful business have customers that are willing to pay for the services/products. In the end that is all that matters. 

Answered by: Raman Roy 
Chairman & Managing Director, Quatrro 

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Entrepreneur Startup: Starting Up a Restaurant.


Starting up a restaurant is a lot like having children. Everyone tells you how much work and dedication it will be, but you are still so excited. The excitement may cause something in the back of your head tells you it might just be a lot of fun and not so much work.

Don't believe it. Running a restaurant entails wearing a lot of hats and putting in a lot of time, but it can all be worth it if you do your research and a well thought out, organized plan is set in place.

After deciding that you are ready to own a restaurant, a concept needs to be developed. Keep in mind what type of restaurant (family, fast food, upscale, etc.) you want to own. Do you want to buy into a franchise, or create your own establishment?

These are questions that need to have clear and concise answers so that when you enter into writing the business plan, you have it done.

Preparing the business plan is one of the most crucial parts of starting a restaurant. Not only does it help to secure funding, but it organizes information like target market, market demographics, competition studies, and financial projection. The business plan holds all of the necessary information in one clean document.

Secure financing for the restaurant. Make sure you have enough money for the location, design and furnishing the interior, exterior signage, initial advertising cost, and maybe a little cushion in case of a slow start.

Get all of your professionals in place. Hire a lawyer and accountant to take care of their respective matters while you are preparing for opening day.

Prior to the grand opening many things need to get done:

• Hire a good staff 
• Furnish the restaurant 
• Create a menu 
• Contact local vendors and negotiate pricing 
• Begin advertising

A good way to create buzz about the restaurant is to have a pre-grand opening party. Send out invites to friends, family and local business people to come to the venue and experience the restaurant before anybody else does. Allow each person to bring a guest to increase exposure.

Serve a limited menu, with only the best items available.

Introduce yourself and your staff and then run the event as though it is opening day. Make comment cards available so the guests can give some suggestions for you to look at before the doors open to the public.

Above all, prepare for spending a lot of time with the business. No business can survive if the owner does not have a hand in it. It will be a lot of work, but since you have already decided it is work you'll love then it will all be worth it.

Check on the web, two good places with useful info good folks have shared at HubPages and Squidoo booth have good actionable resources at your fingertips including information A to Z.

Garen Garson is a restaurateur with a passion for Restaurant Business,done right. Check out a special page he's put up at: How To Start a Restaurant Business and Get useful, actionable information including restaurant marketing know-how... 

You are invited; Starting a Small Restaurant