tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51268443668973739782024-03-04T21:31:48.430-08:00BG BlogBaker Graphicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12701771698232545161noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126844366897373978.post-43422821563120710302018-05-08T13:46:00.000-07:002018-05-08T13:47:20.382-07:00First 5 Things To Do After Starting a Business<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Starting a business requires tenacity, creativity, healthy risk-taking,
passion and insight. Now that you’ve taken that big step of starting your new business,
what now? Here are 5 important steps to take once you’ve started your business.
Flawless management, creativity and planning go a long way in your quest to run
a successful business.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_EliVaovGSeT17EuhGHlzM58gv39TKiTDlxwIxpunZs9GftCFditx21tblDaqTM-4zm8vC-d5J1T6N9uBzSr4c4CaB8qq_JlUkBLImwTZOY8z6PbdxN_ipfphgE-2Ly8mxmQMGcNBZ63D/s1600/baby-godfather.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1336" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_EliVaovGSeT17EuhGHlzM58gv39TKiTDlxwIxpunZs9GftCFditx21tblDaqTM-4zm8vC-d5J1T6N9uBzSr4c4CaB8qq_JlUkBLImwTZOY8z6PbdxN_ipfphgE-2Ly8mxmQMGcNBZ63D/s400/baby-godfather.jpg" width="333" /></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">First 5 Things To Do After Starting a Bu</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">siness<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;"><b>1) </b> </span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Create your brand identity.</span></b></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #444444;">Now it’s time to get
your name and your business out there. You will need a professional logo, an
engaging website, signage and possibly even business cards and apparel to match
your brand. It’s important that your brand identity is professional, clear and provides
a great message and mission statement to show what your business is offering. One
common mistake new business owners make is creating a quick logo and slapping
it on a business card and calling it a day. It’s vital to the success of your business
to have a cohesive and creative brand identity from the logo to the website, to
your business cards and storefront.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: helvetica neue, arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2)<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></span></b></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Set a marketing budget.</span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Many businesses don’t
spend enough money on marketing, or even worse, they spend it haphazardly
without a clear plan. Beesley (2013) states a general rule that small
businesses with less than $5 million in revenue should allocate 7-8% of their revenues
to marketing. </span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #444444;">If you’re business is not
generating much to start, it’s still important to allocate funds to marketing.
Be smart and plan accordingly. Never use just the money you have leftover after
paying other expenses, marketing expenses should be a top priority.</span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>3) Define your marketing goals.</b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #444444;">Now that you have a
marketing budget, how will people find out about your business? You can’t just
rely on word of mouth to get started. You need to build up a reputation before
people will start spreading the word for you. It’s important to have a strong
marketing plan to advertise your business. You’ll need to know your target
audience and where to find them. Are they on social media? According to Smith
and Anderson (2018), roughly two-thirds (68%) of U.S. adults are on Facebook. Social
media marketing is a great way to start acquiring new customers. You may also utilize
direct mail, permission-based email, print advertising and even loyalty
programs for new customers. Talk to a marketing manager and get a clear plan in
action.</span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>4) Consult or hire a professional.</b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #444444;">Your business is
not going to run itself, and you may not be an expert in all areas. You may
have started a business because of a passion, but do you know how to market on
Facebook? If not, hire a marketing or design professional to help you out. Consulting
with professionals in areas that you are not confident in can make a huge
difference in the success of your business. There are marketing and advertising
professionals out there, as well as accountants and bookkeepers. You don’t have
to do it all on your own.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">5) </span>Learn
how to lead.</b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you want to run a successful business, you must be able to
lead. Growing your business means growing and nurturing relationships. Every
successful business is built on relationships – relationships with customers,
employees, contractors and other business professionals you will be working
with. Learn how to communicate and delegate properly so you are not wasting
precious time and money. Your business depends on your ability to hire, inspire
and lead others.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Remember, your first impression is a lasting
impression. A professional business identity, marketing and budget plan are a
must to the lasting success of your business. </span></span>Baker Graphicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12701771698232545161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126844366897373978.post-38564762225490485322018-04-14T16:51:00.000-07:002018-04-14T18:51:50.553-07:00Top 10 Business Tips<br />
<br />
<br />
<figure class="comp figure--fancy figure" id="figure--fancy_3-0" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; float: left; font-family: Rubik, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; margin: -0.625rem 1rem 0.625rem -0.625rem; max-width: 50%; min-width: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwxXcmBe_F6B70jD8LJ76BCigpwbmavfGU3qHAim_bVjrZsRA3PoUtCVt51CV-5ldMh-ga1LDaI6VPmAIAEE9ZM5yVlh0_85NoUeFmHbjqmT8Z2VMwG8-gi_rYfgV902LoydI1DtcqKpEO/s1600/open.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="184" data-original-width="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwxXcmBe_F6B70jD8LJ76BCigpwbmavfGU3qHAim_bVjrZsRA3PoUtCVt51CV-5ldMh-ga1LDaI6VPmAIAEE9ZM5yVlh0_85NoUeFmHbjqmT8Z2VMwG8-gi_rYfgV902LoydI1DtcqKpEO/s1600/open.jpg" /></a></div>
<figcaption class="comp figure-caption" id="figure-caption_3-0" style="background: rgba(60, 75, 90, 0.8); bottom: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #8cafd3; font-size: 0.75rem; left: 27px; line-height: 1.25; padding: 0px 0.3rem; position: absolute;"><span class="figure-caption__pre-hover" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-size: 0.875rem; font-weight: 600; left: 1px; letter-spacing: 2px; position: relative;">•••</span></figcaption></figure><br />
<div class="comp article-meta mntl-block" data-tracking-container="true" id="article-meta_1-0" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Rubik, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<div class="comp byline" id="byline_1-0" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: grey; display: inline-block; font-size: 0.75rem; font-weight: 600; letter-spacing: 0.07rem; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-transform: uppercase;">
BY <span class="byline__name" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222;"><a class="byline__link" href="https://www.thebalance.com/susan-ward-2946932" style="box-shadow: rgb(28, 213, 189) 0px -1.5px 0px inset; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; outline: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; transition: all 0.15s ease-in-out;">m</a>elanie garberich</span></div>
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: rubik, arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.875rem; margin-top: 0.875rem; padding: 0px;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Starting a business for the first time and wonder where to begin? Give your new venture the best chance of success with these top 10 business tips! These tips are the best advice I've collected from other entrepreneurs and developed from my own experience of more than 25 years of having "been there and done that" as a small business owner.</div>
</div>
<h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 1.25rem; line-height: 1.3; margin: 2rem 0px 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"> Top 10 Business Tips</span></h3>
<h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Publico, Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.25rem; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.3; margin: 2rem 0px 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="color: #222222;">1) </span><span style="color: blue;">Be passionate about what you do.</span></h3>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Rubik, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 0.875rem; margin-top: 0.875rem; padding: 0px;">
I always tell young adults when deciding what they want to do for a career, to think about the things they are passionate about and go into that field. Don't over anyalize if it is the perfect job or not, just do what you feel is right in your heart. Having a passion for your job, makes life much easier to get up and do it everyday! </div>
<div class="comp billboard1-sticky billboard-sticky is-lockable" data-height="1050" id="billboard1-sticky_1-0" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Rubik, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; height: 1050px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: -312px; top: 140px;">
<div class="spacer" style="box-sizing: border-box; float: none; height: 303.2px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static; vertical-align: baseline; width: 300px;">
<div class="comp billboard1 mntl-gpt-adunit gpt billboard" data-ad-height="250" data-ad-width="300" id="billboard1_1-0" style="bottom: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; max-width: none; min-height: 250px; min-width: 300px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; text-align: center; width: 300px;">
<div class="wrapper" data-google-query-id="CMbIw4PBm9oCFVeraQodpCENOg" id="billboard" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; width: 300px;">
<div id="google_ads_iframe_/479/thebalance/bal_small-business-info/billboard_0__container__" style="border: 0pt none; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; height: 250px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 300px;">
<iframe data-is-safeframe="true" frameborder="0" height="250" id="google_ads_iframe_/479/thebalance/bal_small-business-info/billboard_0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" name="" sandbox="allow-forms allow-pointer-lock allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation" scrolling="no" src="https://tpc.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-17/html/container.html" style="border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" title="3rd party ad content" width="300"></iframe></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="html-slice" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Rubik, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 0.875rem; margin-top: 0.875rem; padding: 0px;">
You're going to devote a lot of time and energy to starting a business and building it into a successful enterprise, so it's really important that you truly deeply enjoy what you do, whether it be in real estate, design or providing financial advice. </div>
<h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Publico, Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.25rem; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.3; margin: 2rem 0px 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="color: #222222;">2) </span><span style="color: blue;">Start your business while you're still employed.</span></h3>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Rubik, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 0.875rem; margin-top: 0.875rem; padding: 0px;">
How long can most people live without money? Not long. And it may be a long time before your new business actually makes any profits. Being employed while you're starting a business means money in your pocket while you're going through the start up process. </div>
<h3 style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Publico, Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.25rem; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.3; margin: 2rem 0px 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222;">3) </span><span style="color: blue;">Don't do it alone.</span></span></h3>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Rubik, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 0.875rem; margin-top: 0.875rem; padding: 0px;">
You <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">need</strong> a support system while you're starting a business (and afterwards). A family member or friend that you can bounce ideas off and who will listen sympathetically to the latest business start up crisis is invaluable.</div>
<div class="comp native-placeholder mntl-block" id="native-placeholder_1-0" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Rubik, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
</div>
<div class="html-slice" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Rubik, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 0.875rem; margin-top: 0.875rem; padding: 0px;">
Even better, find a mentor, or if you qualify, apply for a business start up program. When you're starting a business experienced guidance is the best support system of all.</div>
<h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Publico, Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.25rem; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.3; margin: 2rem 0px 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="color: #222222;">4) </span><span style="color: blue;">Get clients or customers first.</span></h3>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Rubik, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 0.875rem; margin-top: 0.875rem; padding: 0px;">
Don't wait until you've officially started your business to line these up, because your business can't survive without them.</div>
<div class="comp billboard2-sticky billboard-sticky is-lockable" data-height="600" data-parent="" id="billboard2-sticky_1-0" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Rubik, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; height: 600px; margin: 1145px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: -312px; top: 140px;">
<div class="spacer" style="box-sizing: border-box; float: none; height: 303.2px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static; vertical-align: baseline; width: 300px;">
<div class="comp billboard2-dynamic mntl-gpt-dynamic-adunit mntl-gpt-adunit gpt billboard dynamic is-requested" data-ad-height="250" data-ad-width="300" data-index="2" id="billboard2-dynamic_1-0" style="bottom: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; max-width: none; min-height: 250px; min-width: 300px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; text-align: center; width: 300px;">
<div class="wrapper" data-google-query-id="CKja4IPBm9oCFUSVAQodcswHvw" data-pos="btf1" data-priority="3" data-rtb="true" data-sizes="[[300, 250], [300, 600], [300, 601], [160, 600], [300, 251], [2, 1], 'fluid']" data-targeting="{}" data-type="billboard" id="billboard2" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; width: 300px;">
<div id="google_ads_iframe_/479/thebalance/bal_small-business-info/billboard2_0__container__" style="border: 0pt none; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; height: 250px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 300px;">
<iframe data-is-safeframe="true" frameborder="0" height="250" id="google_ads_iframe_/479/thebalance/bal_small-business-info/billboard2_0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" name="" sandbox="allow-forms allow-pointer-lock allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation" scrolling="no" src="https://tpc.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-17/html/container.html" style="border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" title="3rd party ad content" width="300"></iframe></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="html-slice" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Rubik, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 0.875rem; margin-top: 0.875rem; padding: 0px;">
Do the networking. Make the contacts. Sell or even give away your products or services. It would also be a good idea to start a business facebook page to network with individuals prior to actually starting the business. You can't start marketing too soon! </div>
<h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Publico, Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.25rem; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.3; margin: 2rem 0px 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="color: #222222;">5) </span><span style="color: blue;">Write a Business Plan.</span></h3>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Rubik, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 0.875rem; margin-top: 0.875rem; padding: 0px;">
The main reason for doing a business plan first when you're thinking of starting a business is that it can help you avoid sinking your time and money into starting a business that will <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">not</strong> succeed.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Rubik, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 0.875rem; margin-top: 0.875rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="color: #222222;">Remember, you don't have to work through a full scale business plan for each new business idea you come up with; ask these </span><span style="color: blue;">5 questions</span><span style="color: #222222;">:</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Rubik, Arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.875rem; margin-top: 0.875rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box;">1. Is there a market for it?</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Rubik, Arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.875rem; margin-top: 0.875rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box;">2. What’s the profit potential of this business?</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Rubik, Arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.875rem; margin-top: 0.875rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box;">3. Is the market saturated?</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Rubik, Arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.875rem; margin-top: 0.875rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">4. What are the obstacles to my business plan and are they surmountable?</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Rubik, Arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.875rem; margin-top: 0.875rem; padding: 0px;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box;">5. Do I have t</span></span>he committment, time and resources I need to see this through?</div>
<h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Publico, Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.25rem; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.3; margin: 2rem 0px 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="color: #222222;">6) </span><span style="color: blue;">Do the research.</span></h3>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Rubik, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 0.875rem; margin-top: 0.875rem; padding: 0px;">
You'll do a lot of research writing a business plan, but that's just a start. When you're starting a business, you need to become an expert on your industry, products and services if you're not already. Joining related industry or professional associations before you start your business is a great idea.</div>
<h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Publico, Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.25rem; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.3; margin: 2rem 0px 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="color: #222222;">7) </span><span style="color: blue;">Get professional help.</span></h3>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Rubik, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 0.875rem; margin-top: 0.875rem; padding: 0px;">
On the other hand, just because you're starting a business, doesn't mean you have to be an expert on everything. I cannot stress enough, how important it is to make sure you only do the things you are good at, and hire others do the things you are not qualified to do. If you're not an accountant or bookkeeper, hire one (or both). If you are not good at marketing your business or setting up a facebook page, hire someone qualified to do so. You will waste more time and possibly money in the long run, trying to do things yourself that you are not qualified to do. In addition to wasting time and money, you risk the possiblilty of creating an appearance for your business that may not appear as professional as it should. Remember, first impression is critical in business, so you want to appear professional right from the start.</div>
<div class="comp billboard3-sticky billboard-sticky is-lockable" data-height="600" data-parent="" id="billboard3-sticky_1-0" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Rubik, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; height: 600px; margin: 1840px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; right: -312px; top: 140px;">
<div class="spacer" style="box-sizing: border-box; float: none; height: 303.2px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static; vertical-align: baseline; width: 300px;">
<div class="comp billboard3-dynamic mntl-gpt-dynamic-adunit mntl-gpt-adunit gpt billboard dynamic is-requested" data-ad-height="250" data-ad-width="300" data-index="3" id="billboard3-dynamic_1-0" style="bottom: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; max-width: none; min-height: 250px; min-width: 300px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; text-align: center; width: 300px;">
<div class="wrapper" data-google-query-id="CI23-oPBm9oCFQdfXgodz9QPrQ" data-pos="btf2" data-priority="5" data-rtb="true" data-sizes="[[300, 250], [300, 252], [3, 1], 'fluid']" data-targeting="{}" data-type="billboard" id="billboard3" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; width: 300px;">
<div id="google_ads_iframe_/479/thebalance/bal_small-business-info/billboard3_0__container__" style="border: 0pt none; box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; height: 250px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; width: 300px;">
<iframe data-is-safeframe="true" frameborder="0" height="250" id="google_ads_iframe_/479/thebalance/bal_small-business-info/billboard3_0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" name="" sandbox="allow-forms allow-pointer-lock allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation" scrolling="no" src="https://tpc.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-17/html/container.html" style="border-style: initial; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" title="3rd party ad content" width="300"></iframe></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Publico, Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.25rem; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.3; margin: 2rem 0px 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="color: #222222;">8) </span><span style="color: blue;">Get the money lined up. </span></h3>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Rubik, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 0.875rem; margin-top: 0.875rem; padding: 0px;">
Save up if you have to. Approach potential investors and lenders. Figure our your financial fall-back plan. Don't expect to start a business and then walk into a bank and get money. Traditional lenders don't like new ideas and don't like businesses without proven track records. Look at creative ways to raise money for your business. </div>
<h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Publico, Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.25rem; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.3; margin: 2rem 0px 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="color: #222222;">9) </span><span style="color: blue;">Be professional from the get-go.</span></h3>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Rubik, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 0.875rem; margin-top: 0.875rem; padding: 0px;">
Everything about you and the way you do business needs to let people know that you are a professional running a serious business.</div>
<div class="html-slice" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Rubik, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 0.875rem; margin-top: 0.875rem; padding: 0px;">
That means getting all the marketing materials such as a logo, sign, professional business cards, a business phone, business website, along with a business email address, social media pages, and treating people in a professional and courteous manner. </div>
<h3 style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Publico, Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.25rem; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.3; margin: 2rem 0px 0px; padding: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="color: #222222;">10) </span><span style="color: blue;">Get the legal and tax issues right the first time.</span></h3>
<div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Rubik, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 17px; margin-bottom: 0.875rem; margin-top: 0.875rem; padding: 0px;">
It's much more difficult and expensive to unsnarl a mess afterwards. Have you registered your business name? Will you have to have Worker's Compensation Insurance or deal with payroll taxes ? How will the business ownership affect your income tax situation? Learn what your legal and tax responsibilities are before you start your business and operate accordingly.</div>
Baker Graphicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12701771698232545161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5126844366897373978.post-1286412370164653252018-04-14T16:44:00.000-07:002018-04-14T16:44:23.276-07:00Why is a Mission Statement important for a new Business?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH8moMtoU9pgE-wSSBugzr8kYRNlDY0-wdXMSLyMOWcsTRbCDLcL8WGWmyWl7lDAlBoqhDMKILxQUulmm5Wiwr0BY0eUf7bJZOHwcbRrV1nyGhe8dM6umlyDq3r8tVWpgu5d0UcNsG6Bth/s1600/mission.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH8moMtoU9pgE-wSSBugzr8kYRNlDY0-wdXMSLyMOWcsTRbCDLcL8WGWmyWl7lDAlBoqhDMKILxQUulmm5Wiwr0BY0eUf7bJZOHwcbRrV1nyGhe8dM6umlyDq3r8tVWpgu5d0UcNsG6Bth/s320/mission.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #5e5e5e;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The mission statement serves as a “Guiding Star” that keeps everyone clear on the direction of the organization. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Business owners should use this statement to remind their teams why their company exists because this is what makes the company successful.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And as Andy Stanley says, “It’s your direction, not your intention, that determines your destination.” </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Every entrepreneur should write a mission statement early on because they provide you and your employees with the framework and purpose. </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you don’t have one, you need to get one. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An effective mission statement must be a clear, concise declaration about your business strategy. </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here are four essential questions your company’s mission statement must answer:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What do we do?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How do we do it?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Whom do we do it for?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What value are we bringing?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you have a mission statement, make sure it can answer these questions. It makes all the difference.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As an entrepreneur, your company’s mission statement should be concise and specific so your customers understand your purpose and how you provide value to them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As a quick exercise, check out this list of Fortune 500 mission statements to see which ones answer the questions that we are talking about and which ones don’t.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here is an example of our mission statement:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Our mission is to help businesses grow and succeed through our knowledge, experience and design talents, </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">while creating long-lasting relationships</span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s clear and concise. The mission statement is focused on what the company does for its customers and keeps my employees focused on our objectives.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Your mission statement doesn’t have to look a certain way. Figure out what’s important to you and your clients and write it accordingly.</span>Baker Graphicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12701771698232545161noreply@blogger.com