10 Small Business Steps

Hey All,

Brandon here.  Sometimes people will ask me “how hard is it to start your own business”?

After some thought I have summarized them for our readers.  For anyone who is starting their own business here are my 10 brief tips:

1. First – register your business correctly.  Get a fictitious name, get a EIN (Employer ID number), get some insurance and look into an LLC status.
2. LLC Status – if you have a business and you have anything of worth to your name, this is something good to look into.  This will help to protect your assets if your business gets sued.  It is America people!  Literally, we have by far more lawyers then any other country.  Everyone has to eat – don’t be the main course!
3. Have a plan!  Now, I am not saying you have to have the best business plan known to man, but have an idea where you are going.  It is your business – OWN IT, Mind Body and Soul
4. Have some type of brochure.  This is basic, but some people don’t.  It is professional, and it truly does impress people.
5. Have business cards.  Equally as important if not more than a brochure is this.  You want to make sure first that you have business cards made and that you are ready to put them EVERYWHERE!  Well, maybe not everywhere, but put them in the fishbowl for a “free” dinner, on the bulletin board and the ma and pop diner and to any friends you have.  What does it hurt?
6. Web presence.  Yes it is 2009 and web presence is important.  Do the little things.  Build a blog (and actually update it periodically), get a facebook and then actually have your own webpage.  You can learn a lot quickly with your webpage and applying the things you learn will help keep you current – I would go deeper, but this could be a whole other post
7. Join a Chamber.
8. Actually go to Chamber functions.  Yes, these had to be different because they are separately important.  Pay the money, join a chamber but then actually participate.  You never know who knows who – 7 degrees of separation to your first big client.
9. Have a mission statement.  You want to have something that summarizes what you do on the daily basis.  This is basic, and I do presentations on it.  More than happy to elaborate at any time.
10. WORK HARD.  Do the extra, make the deal, attend the meetings, make the partnerships and do it all with integrity.  If it is your business no one should work harder than you.  With hard work and some prayer amazing things can happen.

I hope that this helps someone.  Please add your thoughts or your additional tips.

Have a great day, Mind, Body and Soul,

Brandon

Advertisement