Starting A Small Construction Business

Being handy with tools can provide more benefits than simply keeping your home in good repair. Using your skills and experience to develop your own construction business can provide a source of income that allows you to be your own boss and set your own hours. Even though your future business is small, it requires careful planning and organization to increase the chances of success. Like other types of small businesses, small construction companies must follow regulations and work hard to earn a customer’s trust.

StrategyDriven Starting Your Business Article | Starting A Small Construction Business

Plan well

Write a plan for your business. Known as a business plan, this written document provides a roadmap to get your business started. Include your goals and outline the methods you will use to achieve those goals. It includes sections that deal with the financial aspects of your business, the intended clientele, the necessary tools, the equipment, and supplies, as well as the advertising plans. Print your business plan on paper to present it formally.

Apply for a loan to obtain any necessary financing for your new company. Take your formal business plan with you to present to the banker. Talk about your reasons for starting a construction business, including why you think you will be successful. Talk about your loan options, including interest rates and terms.

Check regulations

You may need to be part of a union, so look for information on how to acquire a construction license or membership. Look for services in your area, how to apply for a business license, register your business name, and pay licensing and certification fees. Request a company identification number through the Internal Revenue Service. Contact a surety company to request one.

Take an inventory of tools and equipment. Bring any tools or equipment you have to repair, in case they need it. Buy the items you need to complete basic construction tasks, such as ladders, saws, carpenters’ levels, drills, and bits. Do you need any specialist tools and products, such as ptfe tubing or corrugated pipes?

Advertise your new construction company in various media to attract customers. Advertise discounts to your first customers in a business. Notify your friends, neighbors, and family of your new company. Ask them to spread the word to their friends and co-workers. Personal recommendations can encourage homeowners to go inside their homes for construction work. It would help if you came up with a strategy on how to advertise your construction company. You may want to start a website that contains information about your company and how different they are from other contractors. You can also use traditional advertising methods such as printing business cards, flyers, and brochures – make sure you include a reference to your website.

Starting a construction business can be profitable and exciting, but it does take work. The risk of failure can be carefully minimized by considering a). where you will receive funds b). what you will do when accidents occur c). who you will hire to help you d). how you will bid on projects, and e) how to find your customers.

How To Start Your Own Business Online?

StrategyDriven Starting Your Business Article |Start Your Business Online|How To Start Your Own Business Online?The phrase “online” can be a bit misleading. Just because a process/work has virtual or online in it doesn’t mean it is any simpler. The only difference between a traditional and an online business is the work environment. It all boils down to having an exclusive office building or just a strong internet connection and a computer system.

But the amount of planning, organization, hard work that goes into building either of them is the same.

In this article we will see a brief overview of what all constitutes to get your business
Up and running and ready to raid the internet world.

So, are you all geared up to start your own business?

1.Find a Niche: There are so many opportunities out there that you can grab on to. Each consumer need can be turned into a thriving business of its own. So, all you need to do is find what is that the consumer needs and what can you provide or do differently to resolve or fulfill their needs. What you need to keep in mind is – the market demand of your business idea. Analyze the market and then make an informed decision about your niche.

Here are a few business ideas that you can plan on setting your foot in.

  • Drop shipping Business: To begin with, you can start with a drop shipping business. This business is all about providing buyers the products they have ordered for. You are like the book keeper who takes the order and manages the order and shipping virtually. This does not require you to invest in any storage facility or shipping. All you need is a robust online business platform.
  • E-commerce Business: The most thriving of all multi-vendor marketplace businesses. You can be the next Amazon or Alibaba. These are nothing but virtual platforms where buyers and sellers purchase and sell goods at the convenience of their own environment. You can choose to cater to one or many types of products.
  • Online Rental Business: One of the best online marketplace businesses to be in, this rental option is the new black. With the world being conscious about the climate changes and the automobile industry playing a major role in it, it is the right time to start your own vehicle rental business. There are so many categories you can concentrate on under this niche – furniture rentals, car rentals, bike rentals, etc.
  • In addition to this you can also start a holiday rental business too.
  • There is never a boring time to go on vacations. With the increased sense of stress and tension due to the work life, taking breaks have become mandatory in one’s life in order to unplug, recharge and rejuvenate. This is where an application like Airbnb comes into play. Why not start your own vacation rentals?
  • Online Tutoring Business: At present online tutoring business is gaining tremendous popularity. Especially during the pandemic times and the education industry being one among the worst hit you can choose to develop your very own virtual tutorials. The growing student base and the demand that it requires can be tapped into and a successful coaching class can be started.
  • Online Food Delivery and Grocery Store: In this highly competitive world everyone is concentrating on their careers and hence find no time to cook a healthy meal. However this application will ease out that burden a bit. Just by a click you can avail which ever provision or cooked meal you want from whichever store u like. However, you need to be careful while planning which geographical area you want to target and what kind of cuisine you want to serve.
    and many more.

Though there might be many business ideas, the foundation of implementing them is almost similar to one another except for the nuanced details depending on what you choose as your niche. In the following pointers, we will provide you with information on how to develop and manage these businesses in general.

2. Know your Target Consumer base and Competitors: Once your niche is set, you will have to study your target audience and the current market trends. You can learn a lot by observing your competitors as well. How they go about their operations, maintenance, the technologies they use, etc. Experience is the best teacher there is. You can also try and launch your business through one of the already established marketplace platforms and observe their business and then imply the same once you are ready to go on your own.

Given consumers are the focal point in this business you need to prioritize their views. Research on what the customers are looking out for. This will be your foundation for all your forthcoming steps.

3. Draft a Business and Revenue Plan: Let us now get to the planning phase. This is the most critical phase without which running a business will be challenging.

Your business plan should include-

  1. Summary of your business plan
  2. Market overview
  3. Sales & Marketing plans
  4. Operational strategies
  5. Value proposition of your services
  6. Organization & Management team framework
  7. Financial and Legal aspects

Choosing the right revenue model is equally important. Given all are concentrating on going online, you need to consider the market competition and plan your revenue accordingly. Here are a few revenue models you can try that might suit your business.

  1. Commission model
  2. Subscription/Membership model
  3. Listing fee model
  4. Freemium
  5. Lead fees model
    etc.

4. Launch your Business Online: Having technological knowledge only adds to your expertise and does not necessarily mean that you need to be technically sound in order to run an online business. Based on your financial investment and time and the technical knowledge you have to launch your website you can choose how you want to develop your website. Here are a few methods you can adopt.

  1. Developing from scratch (on our own or by hiring a tech team)
  2. Using SaaS platform
  3. Using turnkey solutions

Our recommendation to you would be to use a turnkey solution as you will be able to launch your business the second you purchase the readymade software. You also have options to customize it according to your needs. Costs comparatively less compared to the other options. And you get the source code of your platform as well.

5. Promote and Market your Business: Directing the right traffic to your website plays a pivotal role in achieving the precise SERPs ranking required to gain attention of the right audience. Here are a few marketing ideas which will help you promote your business globally and gain a huge customer base and hence a successful online business.

  1. Social Media Marketing
  2. Influencer Marketing
  3. Share customer testimonies, reviews and ratings
  4. Content marketing – newsletters, blogging, personalized emails etc
  5. Multimedia marketing etc

As you can see starting a business is not a cake walk. You need to put in that much dedication and hard work as you would for another. It is a continuous process to maintain and be at par with the ever changing and evolving technology. If you need assistance with any aspect of your business, do give us a shout out.

From Planning to Launch: 8 things You’ll Need to Start a Brick and Mortar Business

StrategyDriven Starting Your Business Article |Brick and Mortar Business|From Planning to Launch: 8 things You'll Need to Start a Brick and Mortar BusinessSome people dream of opening their own brick and mortar business for years. They work for others while they plan their own future business and save money to make this dream come true. Too many businesses fail in the first year or two because the owners made mistakes in setting up the business. The loss of a dream and all the start-up money is heartbreaking and financially devastating. Why not get some help to set the business up correctly from the beginning?

Make Sure The New Business is Well-supplied by Dependable Wholesalers

Each business runs on supplies that must be delivered promptly when ordered. This can include office supplies, cleaning supplies, printing and computer supplies, and more depending on the type of business. A company such as Richmond Advantage can help a new brick and mortar business get off on the right foot and continue to have the necessary supplies month after month.

A good supplier can deliver orders promptly and at reasonable prices. The business owner can order via phone, online, fax, or email. The supplier should give the business owner flexible terms and payment types so they can keep their business running smoothly.

The business owner should also find dependable suppliers for their merchandise or equipment to help them perform the service their business supplies. Every kind of business from accounting, to medical, to merchandise, to plumbing, electrical, building contracting, or foodservice needs the right supplies delivered as they are needed.

Planning The Business Correctly

It is of utmost importance to plan the new business very well before even thinking of renting space and opening the doors. Planning is the difference between success and failure. Planning steps include:

  1. Decide what kind of business you want to open and which products you will carry. What services will you offer? Since you will be devoting large amounts of time and money to this business, you should choose a product or service that you love and have the knowledge to back up. Decide what type of things interest you and will make a successful business. Do a little research to find out if the proposed business will attract customers and is practical. Don’t open a brick and mortar business near several other very similar businesses. Your business must offer something unique and needed where you plan on opening it.
  2. You need a detailed business plan to show lenders and others what you plan for the company as time goes on. A business plan is like a roadmap to setting up a company and growing it over time. This plan finalizes the products or services you plan to offer. This plan needs to be in great detail and realistic. The new business person will need to describe the time, expertise, space, and other talents they will bring to the business.
    The business plan will need to list the products to be sold and the supply chain that will be in place to get them. How much will be paid for them and how much will they be sold for at what profit margin. What equipment will be needed to outfit the brick and mortar business location. How much will set up cost and how will those costs be covered. How much money will need to be borrowed and how will it be repaid?
  3. This brings us to business financing which will be based on the above business plan. The Small Business Administration or SBA supports many business loans from a variety of lenders. When the new business person goes for financing, it is important to address all costs so the business is adequately financed to succeed. One main reason for new businesses failing is under financing.
  4. The saying “Location is Everything” is right on target. A business must be in the correct location to succeed. When considering different rental or purchase locations, a person must consider several important factors including the style of the business and building it needs, the zoning and codes, the demographics or being near proposed customers, store visibility, parking and access, competition in the area, is there room to grow, and is the infrastructure of the building going to support the business?
    In addition, the business owner should consider the cost of renovations and setting up the business in each location. The business lease must be negotiated and signed. Study the lease carefully for fairness and terms. How long is the lease for? Can it be broken if the business fails? Get legal help before signing a binding lease.
  5. Check into all the local and state licensing requirements and what the cost will be. There will be employer numbers for taxes, sales licenses, licenses, certifications for services, and more.
  6. Make a complete list of equipment and supplies that will be needed for your particular business. You need to have everything in place that is needed to run the business before you open the doors. This equipment should be in the financing request.
  7. Hiring the necessary staff to run the business is important. Decide on hours to be open and how many people are needed to cover those hours. You may need different people to handle bookkeeping, inventory management, working with customers, scheduling, and managing all the employees. Take time to vet all prospective employees and hire the correct people for each job. Once the staff is all hired, they should be trained to do their jobs properly.
  8. Once the business is set up and ready to open its doors, the owner should plan and execute a good marketing plan and advertise a memorable grand opening.

Once The Business Is Open

Once the business is open, the owner can not relax and rest. The new business needs to be nurtured into success, Very good records should be kept to keep track of business successes, losses, and challenges. New businesses face financial challenges that must be met and conquered to succeed. The new business owner must be creative and willing to learn as the business progresses. Creative solving of problems can help save new businesses.
A new business must stand out from the competition by offering great service, unique products, and a lot of dedication and hard work by the owner. Be open to problem-solving strategies that a knowledgeable person might suggest. The business owners who are willing to sacrifice and work hard to get their dream up and running are more likely to succeed.

What you need to know when starting your business

StrategyDriven Starting Your Business Article |Starting Your Business|What you need to know when starting your businessMany people have viewed entrepreneurship life as being flashy. You get to run your own business and make your own rules. The biggest advantage of it all is the profits all go to you. If you are tired of your 9-5, then this kind of lifestyle can be alluring. The desire to have such a life is what has led to so many people quitting their regular income jobs and setting up businesses. The one thing many people did not put in mind is the work that goes into setting up the business. Running it is another hassle altogether, if you have never run a business before then chances are, you will get overwhelmed. With a few tips from companies with branches in different countries, however, you will be on your way to start and run a successful business.

Have the business registered

While this is a step many people skip when starting, it will come in handy in the long run. As a registered business, you can apply for grants from the government and get considered for them. Many people might feel like it is a lot of work and too many procedures to be taken when registering your company, but the hassle is necessary. Ensure you find out what you need to do in accordance with the law and should you need help then consult professionals over the same. Companies like Merritt USA have years of experience in registering businesses and can offer you sound advice on the same.

Have a business plan

Many people will keep mentioning this, and it might sound a bit cliché, but it is crucial. Your business plan will act as a forecaster over what you into to achieve and help you see the obstacles that you might encounter. It also goes a long way to help your secure business loans or grants before you get started on the business journey. Starting a business without a plan often means you are planning to fail.

Have a budget set for your business

Many people get into business thinking that it will bring them profits very fast. The opposite of this, however, is true. If you are not careful, you will end up spending money meant for your personal use in the business and vice versa. Many at times, businesses fail because people do not have business money set aside. One way to ensure that this happens is having a separate bank account for your business and ensuring that the business money does not mix with your own money.

Ensure you are tax compliant

One of the things that cause a lot of trouble for business is when they are not tax compliant. A business needs to ensure that it keeps up with the law, including paying its taxes. Please find out how you are supposed to do it and ensure you file your returns each year. In doing so, you avoid getting on the wrong side of the law which can get ugly.

4 Signs You’re Ready to Start Your Own Company

StrategyDriven Starting Your Business Article |Start your own company|4 Signs You’re Ready to Start Your Own CompanyA lot of people are now choosing to start their own businesses, either as a small side venture to make some extra money from, or with a view to running their new companies full time and escaping from employment. Technology makes it easier than ever for people to bring their ideas to market, and to find customers and clients for your new business. If you are someone who likes the idea of becoming your own boss and starting a business, then you may be wondering how you will know if the time is right to take the plunge. Here are four signs that you’re in a good position to start making things happen as an entrepreneur:

1 – You Have a Good Idea

An idea for a new business doesn’t have to be revolutionary to be viable. You don’t necessarily need to be bringing an entirely unique idea to the marketplace. However, you do need to be clear on a business that will provide either products or services that you are in a good position to offer. If you have an idea that you can see good market potential for, or you have skills that you currently use working for another company that you could start up on your own with, then you are in a good position to begin planning how to formally set up your new business and begin looking for your first customers.

2 – You’ve Researched the Practical Side

Starting any kind of commercial venture will require you to understand the tax and regulatory aspects relevant to your location and industry. If you are planning to do business online, particularly internationally, you’ll also need to know how laws around the world such as GDPR will affect how you do things. If you are serious about starting up and have begun to find out what you need to know, then this will stand you in good stead.

You should also know what you need to do to set up an LLC, or incorporated company, and which type of formal business registration is most appropriate to your plans. Starting your company doesn’t need to be difficult, and there are plenty of online resources to help you find out what you need to do, but having taken the step of doing that research is a good sign that you’re ready to move forward with your idea.

3 – The People in Your Life are on Board

If you have a family or other people you support, then it is important that they are supportive of you making moves to start your new venture. Starting a business can be intense, especially if you are going to be keeping your current job while you are first starting up, and so having people around you who believe in what you are trying to do will be a big boon.

4 – You Know the Current Market in the Industry You’re Entering

We live in very unusual times, and so business ideas that may have been excellent just 18 months ago may be poor ideas now – businesses focused around live events or tourism are a good example. If you have kept up with the news in the industry you want to join and are able to tell whether now is a good or bad time to enter, then this shows that you’ll be committed to keeping on top of trends and shifts once you’re in business. You can’t predict everything, but having your ear to the ground and basing your decisions on the best and most recent information already is a good sign that you’re ready to begin operating in a given market.

Are these all things you are already doing? If so, then you could well be ready to begin actioning your plans for your new venture. If not, then it may be a good time to think about starting to lay some more of the groundwork and doing more of the research.