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Creating My Own Business

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StrategyDriven Starting Your Business Article |Creating a Business|Creating My Own BusinessStarting your own business means the beginning of an incredible journey. Creating your company can bring joy and satisfaction from many points of view. So, you saved some money, gathered motivation, and you’re ready to take the first steps in creating your own business. Good financial and legal decisions are essential. However, passion and determination are the most important things in the long run. It would be best to realize that you’ll face many problems and hiccups along the way. That’s why the strength of character is fundamental in pushing through issues and adapting along the way. The world of business is a dynamic arena in which only the fittest survive.

The following piece will provide you with a basic planning framework to start your firm from scratch:

Research the market and examine your competition

First of all, you’ll have to understand your target market. Ask yourself a couple of questions:

  • Who are my clients? What’s their age, gender, social status, etc.?
  • Who’s my competition? What’s their business plan, and what can I learn from them?

Understanding the market is necessary if you want to get straight into business once you open. Consider the level of demand for your product/service. Also, gauge the market size, the location in which you operate, pricing ranges, and other economic indicators such as population income and employment rate. In other words, market research means analyzing the conditions in which you’ll work. It’s a way of observing and adapting to fit the needs of the market.

Create a business plan

The business plan helps you understand your business’s structure, operation, and future needs. This document will also help persuade collaborators and investors into working with you. There are a few free templates and guides available online. Don’t worry if you don’t know how to start. Download the sample that represents your company type the most and start filling it up.

There are two main styles: traditional or lean start-up. The traditional style is more extensive and detailed. On the other hand, the second kind allows a brief summarizing of the vital points.

Invest capital in your company

The next move is to calculate how much money your business needs to take off. This way, you can figure out how much capital you need to raise through personal funds, investments, or bank loans.

Self-funding is everybody’s dream. Unfortunately, that’s not possible in most cases. So, you’ll need to think about a few options:

  • Crowdfunding is an excellent outside-the-box choice that can work wonders for certain types of businesses.
  • Small business loans through banks are classic ways of starting and are safe.
  • Other programs to consider are Small Business Investment (SBA) loans through Lender Match.

Decide on your business location

Location, location, location. The area in which you operate establishes the tax range, zoning laws, and business regulations. You’ll have to analyze various states, cities, and even neighborhoods. When calculating start-up expenses, make sure to:

  • Include area-specific expenses such as minimum wage, property value, rental value, insurance rate, utilities, and government licenses/fees.
  • Include zoning laws regarding buying, renting, building, and operating out of a physical building.
  • Include local and governmental incentives such as tax cuts, utility cost reductions, urban redevelopment motivations, and technological support.

Choose your firm’s legal structure

Your business’s legal format determines day-to-day activity, license requirements, tax ranges, and personal liability. Selecting the proper structure means efficiency, legal protections, and benefits.

First, you’ll have to review, compare, and understand the main business structures:

  • Sole proprietor;
  • Partnership;
  • Limited liability company (LLC);
  • Corporation;
  • Cooperative.

Next, you must decide if you’re going to combine various structures for tax benefits. Although somewhat uncommon, combining different legal designs can yield tremendous advantages but are generally harder to set up.

Select your brand name

Choosing your company’s name seems the easiest point of the list, but that’s not entirely true. You must decide on a captivating title that echoes your brand spirit. Also, you’ll have to make sure the name isn’t already registered.
Once you’ve done your research, it’s time to register your brand name under:

  • State-level entity names, which offer protection within state borders.
  • Federal-level trademarks, which offer protection within national borders.
  • Doing Business As (DBA); it’s not always required, but some legal structures need it to open a bank account.
  • Website domain name.

Register your company

Once you’ve decided on the business name, it’s time to register it legally. Registration is especially required if you’re conducting business without using your legal name. In this case, you’ll need to register federally and even locally.
Suppose your company plans to conduct business in more than one state. In that case, you’ll need a foreign qualification from the Certificate of Authority.

Obtain federal and state tax ID

Alias Employer Identification Number (EIN), the tax ID works as a private social security number. It allows businesses to pay taxes, pay employees, file tax returns, etc. Once you’ve set up your tax ID, don’t forget to update it in case of changes in names, addresses, ownership, management, or tax status. This IRS digital assistance tool will help you apply for an EIN.

Get your license and permit

To grow your business into a success story, you need to stay legally compliant. Obtaining all the licenses and permits is an obligatory step to remain legally protected and do business. They vary by industry and are slightly different from state to state.

Generally, the more “dangerous” a business is, the more permits it needs to function. For instance, a firearms shop will encounter more scrutiny than a TV company. Likewise, fisheries or agricultural firms need more permits compared to a clothing shop.

Open your business bank account

A company bank account is almost mandatory for most sectors. A checking account helps handle transactions, taxes, and much more. Additionally, it’s a protection method against fraud or other malicious activities. Having a bank account means transparency, professionalism, and purchasing power.

Opening a bank account is pretty easy with the right paperwork. Just make sure you compare different institutions to get maximum benefits for you and your business.

Conclusion

Creating your own business is the ultimate capitalistic dream. Building a company means hard work and personal sacrifices, but the potential rewards are well worth it. Let’s recap the main points of starting a firm:

  1. Market and competition researching;
  2. Creating a business plan;
  3. Gathering and investing money;
  4. Picking a location;
  5. Choosing the legal structure;
  6. Naming your brand;
  7. Registering the company;
  8. Obtaining federal/state tax ID;
  9. Getting licenses and permits;
  10. Opening a bank account.

About the Author

StrategyDriven Expert Contributor | Tiffany HarperTiffany Harper is an experienced corporate sector writer, who sometimes helps as an expert to ninjaessay. She specializes in entrepreneurial development and start-up strategies. If you need essay help or business advice, don’t hesitate to contact her. When Tiffany is not working she is writing her book about self-growth and self-motivation.

Mistakes That Can Trip Up Your Small Business

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StrategyDriven Entrepreneurship Article |Small Business Mistakes|Mistakes That Can Trip Up Your Small BusinessWhen you’re starting a business, it’s easy to start running under your own momentum without really having an opportunity to stop and think things through as well as you should. While having that enthusiasm and energy is crucial for getting things lifted off the ground, you should make sure that you’re not making any of the following mistakes that can trip you up before you even get started.

Forgetting the business plan

You might have a basic plan of what, exactly, you need to do, but a business plan takes things into a lot more depth. It plots out the internal organization of the business, how you carry out work, and what targets you need to reach in order to grow. It can help you set a direction from the business from day one, meaning that decision-making from that point on has a path to follow, making some choices much clearer.

Not separating yourself from your business

You may be the proud owner and operator of your business, including its sole staff member at the start, but you shouldn’t be the business. Look at this Infile LLC Service review and learn about how starting a limited liability company can make sure that you’re both legally and financially protected from any consequences of running your business. Otherwise, you can be found legally liable as an individual in the event of the lawsuit, for instance.

Not knowing your place in the market

Before you start pumping money into marketing and outreach, you need to know where, exactly, in the market your business fits in. This Inbox Insight review can help you find a team that can help you learn more about the market, its availability, and the competition that might be out there waiting for you. As such, if you find a niche that’s uncovered, you can find a place for your business, or you might have to start off more competitive, offering what the others in the market do not.

Not understanding the customer perspective

It’s easy to know what services and products you are selling from your own perspective. However, in order to market and sell it effectively, you also need to see what your customers see in it. As such, you need to think about what basic needs or wants your products and services fulfill, what pain points they hit, and what kind of lifestyle of future they help your customers and clients see, as a result.

Doing everything yourself

At some point, you’re going to need help to deal with the sheer amount of responsibilities you acquire as your business gets up and running and you grow. Employing some team members to work alongside you might be preferable but, if you’re not at the stage of hiring just yet, you might also want to consider outsourcing some of your admin work to a virtual assistant.

Your small business needs every advantage it can get when it first starts off. Consider the potential mistakes above and what you’re doing to combat them, making sure you got your bases covered before you rocket off to stardom and success.

How To Make A Profit As A Small Business

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StrategyDriven Managing Your Finances Article |Small Business|How To Make A Profit As A Small BusinessStarting a small business is a fun and exciting, but an overwhelming, task. It takes a lot of patience and practice to get the business right. From the get-go, you will encounter some mistakes or delays due to lack of understanding or not enough time. For those setting up a new business, one thing that will be on your mind is how to make a profit. In this guide, you will discover the best ways to ensure your small business can make a profit.

Ask For Help

Asking for help as a small business is key to ensure you do not do everything by yourself. You will need the advice to expand your knowledge and facilitate further development of your business. Without help, you may suffer a loss by not being able to meet customer needs or know how to market your business correctly.

There are several businesses out there that focus on helping small businesses accelerate and create revenue, such as Stephen Hourigan of Elevate Ventures. Asking for help and advice is not something to be ashamed of. There are experts out there whose job it is to offer support in order to help businesses secure a financial profit.

Make A Business Plan

Market research is the core of a business plan and a business plan is your best protection against business heartbreak.

Of the many reasons to work through a business plan, the main one is this; when you’re done, you’ll know whether or not your proposed business idea can be turned into a profitable small business. When you get your business idea right and know you can stick to the plan, you will more likely stick to targets and be on track for making a profit.

Track Your Finances Regularly

Once you have systems in place for tracking things like time, expenses, and earnings, you need to keep an eye on those things regularly. Analyzing any changes can help you determine what’s working for your business and what isn’t.

Finance tracking is a startup essential that shouldn’t be overlooked. Without accounting for your incomings and outgoings, you will not know how much your business has made or spent. You will also lose track of how much more you need to earn to make a profit.

Ensure You Offer Good Service

A small business can gain a lot from spending time serving customers and meeting their needs. No matter what type of product or service you offer, providing a great experience to customers should always be a top priority. Doing so can help you build repeat business and even gain referrals, which essentially serve as free marketing.

Do everything in your power to absolutely delight your customer. Going above and beyond to deliver an amazing customer experience increases the chance of repeat bookings, and might inspire your customer to recommend your business. These are both positive levers on the unit economic model of a business.

A Guide for First-Time Entrepreneurs: How to Strengthen Your Startup’s Foundations

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StrategyDriven Starting Your Business Article |First-time Entrepreneurs |A Guide for First-Time Entrepreneurs: How to Strengthen Your Startup's FoundationsThe actions that you take during the initial stages of your startup’s inception will make or break its chances of success going forward. If you want to ensure your maiden business venture’s long-term success, you must go above and beyond to strengthen its foundations.

Here are three things you must do to provide your first company with the best possible start to life:

Make great recruits

Your talent, hard work, and vision will only get you so far in your maiden business voyage. If you are to succeed in your first entrepreneurial endeavor truly, you need to surround yourself with a dedicated support network. Above all else, this means that you must go above and beyond to optimize your hiring process. Once you start making great recruits, you will begin to build a team capable of taking your startup from strength to strength.

As an inexperienced recruiter, you must empower yourself with an expert recruiting enablement platform. With Oleeo’s Recruiting Enablement solution at your disposal, you will be provided with the support you need to pinpoint and expedite the top candidates in your target talent pool. This will save you a lot of time and effort in your attempt to unearth potential employees, which in turn means that you will be able to dedicate more of yourself to the interviewing process.

Become a great leader

No matter how many employees you hire during the initial stages of your startup’s inception, you need to showcase that you are a great leader right from the off. This will aid you in your bid to maximize the day to day efficiency of your workforce, which in turn will have a profound impact on your startup’s capacity to turn over a profit.

To become a better business leader, you must:

  1. Don’t just work over your team — work alongside them as well
  2. Remain humble and grateful at all conceivable points
  3. Understand that nobody is perfect
  4. Commit yourself to continuous learning and professional development
  5. Attain regular feedback on your leadership performance

Build a robust business plan

Building a robust business plan is one of the most important tasks you face as a startup company owner. As well as providing you with some much-needed direction, this strategy will also help to make your organization more appealing in the eyes of investors.

To build an effective business plan that actively grows with your company going forward, you must:

  1. Determine the exact purpose of your plan (guidance, investment, etc.)
  2. Create a company profile
  3. Document the financial aspects of your business (including your prospective fiscal aspirations)
  4. Research your target market and study your competitors
  5. Draw up an executive summary

If you want your startup business to grow from strength to strength over the coming decade, you must fortify its foundations. Performing this crucial task will provide you with the robust platform that you need to scale your market in the future.

Starting Your Own Business

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StrategyDriven Starting Your Business Article |Starting your own business|Starting Your Own BusinessYou’ve had a business idea in your head for some time and you’re just now ready to put it into action. Maybe you have a fresh, new startup plan that you’re ready to build from the ground up. Or, perhaps you plan on buying an established small business. Either way, starting your own business is an exciting, albeit challenging, life journey, that can be very fulfilling.

There are several considerations when it comes to starting your own company. While there are many technical and legal steps you need to complete to open your doors for business, this article is focused on the personal qualities necessary to be a CEO. Here are some suggestions to keep in mind when chasing your entrepreneurial aspirations.

Make sure you’re ready.

Timing matters, but at a certain point, there likely will never be the perfect time to start your own business. For every reason to take the leap, there might be several factors that point to why you should wait. That is why it’s essential to ask yourself if you’re in the right mindset to take on the challenges that come along with owning a company. Are you ready to turn your career into a 24/7 lifestyle? If the answer is yes, then shoot for the stars.

Say goodbye to your 9-5.

Speaking of adopting a 24/7 schedule, understand the limitations of a work/life balance when you become the owner of a business. When you eat, sleep, and breathe your career, time becomes a lot more valuable. You’ll always be on the go, forcing you to adapt your old ways of doing things. To avoid over-scheduling yourself, you’ll want to find time-saving solutions to give yourself more hours in the day. For example, you can use a household delivery service and have your weekly staples brought to you, saving you time otherwise spent at the store. And with a personal assistant app, it’ll be easier to keep track of your daily to-do. Finding little ways to save you even just a few minutes will add up over time.

Set reasonable and realistic goals.

Especially if this is your first venture as an entrepreneur, being realistic about your goals and expectations is fundamental in maintaining your sanity. Optimism is important, but naive optimism can hurt you. Owning your own business has a steep learning curve and every day will have its own lesson. Your company probably won’t outsell your competitors in your first month of business, and that’s okay. Set goals that will encourage you to create the best company possible, and if applicable, be a great leader to your team. Perseverance and patience are key in helping you learn and grow as an entrepreneur, and will pay off in the long run.

Find a mentor.

The only people who will understand the trials and tribulations of starting a new company are other entrepreneurs. Because of this, surrounding yourself with others who have had similar experiences as you can prove to be an excellent resource for you to consult. You can bounce ideas off of them, share goals, and receive constructive feedback, a fundamental component of success and growth. If you don’t know any other business owners in your immediate circle, you can still find people to connect with by other means. Go to networking events, check out your city’s startup incubator, utilize a mentorship network like SCORE, or turn to LinkedIn, Twitter, and other social networking sites to find like-minded individuals. You can find a mentor practically anywhere. It’s up to you to invest in the relationship so that you can benefit from the knowledge and experiences that they have.

Have a stable financial footing.

It should be no surprise that starting a business costs money. While it can pay off tenfold in the future, there is significant financial risk involved. You’re likely leaving a well-paying and stable job when starting this journey, which is already a risky endeavor. Not to mention there are plenty of startup and ongoing costs required to keep your company afloat. You’ll never eliminate the financial risks associated with entrepreneurship, however, you can protect yourself from too much financial harm. Best financial practices are to minimize your personal expenses, reduce or eliminate debt, improve your credit score, and have an emergency fund ready. Additionally, considering the type of business structure you want to implement, such as an LLC or S Corp, can have lasting impacts on your personal liabilities and taxes. Taking the time to determine what structure fits your company best will help ensure that your finances stay in check.

Starting a new company is an exciting and fulfilling journey. However, the challenges that come along with it make it so that it isn’t for the faint of heart. Take the appropriate steps to prepare yourself mentally and financially for this new trajectory in your career.