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Starting A Business: The Essential Guide For Entrepreneurs

starting a businessStarting a business can be challenging. In fact it can can feel like sheer madness to leave the security of a full time employed position, a steady wage and excellent career prospects.

However, sometimes you may be struck by pangs of “What if?”

Suddenly you don’t want to be chained to a desk and 9 to 5 schedule. Instead you’re keen to embark on an entrepreneurial adventure.

The essential guide to starting your own business

Launching your own venture doesn’t have to remain a dream.

If you’re curious about how to turn your passion into profit, then you’ll benefit from reading these key steps below.

But before we begin, I wanted to quickly let you know I offer 1-on-1 consulting to help small businesses, authors and entrepreneurs with their branding and marketing.

Here’s a quick 60 second video about me – and my branding philosophies. Below the video you’ll find helpful tools for starting your own business.

If you’re interested in working with me 1-on-1, you can find out more here.

A Quick Guide To Starting Your Own Business

1. Create A Strong Business Plan

starting a business guide to successYou need to start with business plan.

Use this business plan as both…

A buoyant cash flow is vital for any startup to succeed, no matter what the sector.

With a good business plan, you can demonstrate the viability of your business.

As a result, you can hopefully secure a preferential rate on any loan that you are after – or find supportive investors.

Remember…you’ll be more likely to get that initial cash injection if you…

  • Study your business plan and become highly familiar with your gross versus your net (before you pitch your business to your bank manager or investors!)
  • Dress to impress – not only in clothing – but in all the documents you present.
  • Channel your nerves into enthusiasm.

2. Do The Business Research

starting your business motivationJust because you think you have a great idea for a product or a service doesn’t mean that everyone else will think so.

Many products sound good in theory – but they don’t translate to a business proposition.

  • Consider setting up some market research through surveys and focus groups.
  • Get people’s opinions on your product idea.
  • Allow people to see your product in action – so they can experience it fully.
  • Research the right price point.

You could be onto a winner and money maker if your product…

  • solves a problem, need or fear
  • brings something new to the market
  • makes life easier, more efficient or quicker

After researching the market and understanding your product, it’s important to create a story that can sell your product. Brands need storytelling because it helps create a strong emotional connection with their customers. Stories have a special ability to catch people’s attention and keep them engaged. Nowadays, many successful examples of storytelling in sales are available. You can study them to get ideas for crafting your own powerful story.

3. Do Everything You Can To Upskill

Just because you are following a passion, doesn’t mean you don’t need business acumen and strong skillsets to turn it into a reality.

Whether you are heading into the street food sector or the artisan craft sector, it’s a good idea to learn more about financial qualifications and the variety of skills that are needed in today’s competitive business world. In addition, you will need to make sure that you are covering yourself in terms of the appropriate cover. This means thinking about things like liability insurance and ensuring you have legal representation on your side. Help comes in many forms, and as you can help yourself by adding more strings to your bow, you also need to find the skills in other areas. 

marketing team start business

You must be constantly upskilling

If you want your business to expand in the future, you need to be aware of all the various skills required to grow your business. If you don’t know everything – it’s time to upskill! Either study up and learn things yourself. Or hire a strong team who can help you with everything.

And by “everything,” this means you must find people who are savvy in business budgeting and accounting – as well as marketing and branding. After all, you want to be able to make the most informed and effective financial decisions for your startup.

Outsource what you can’t upskill

If you need to add a new marketing branch to your venture, think about outsourcing these skills rather than hiring directly.

Plus you might want to bring me onto your team!

4. Consider alternative options

You don’t have to take on everything yourself, and you don’t have to start from scratch when you start a business. You might even consider starting a franchise, as you save yourself the trouble of building a brand from the ground up. It’s not for everyone, and you don’t have the flexibility that you would if you ran your own business – but it can be a great way to gain some experience.

Hire me as your one-on-one branding and marketing consultant!

When you hire a one-on-one branding consultant, you enjoy more freedom to use these marketing services when you need them – without having to pay out an annual wage.

Plus, of course, it’s a tax write off.

Learn more about my Brand Honey Consulting Program – over here!

Stay Calm While Starting Your Business

Try the relaxing 2 minute meditations in my bestseller Instant Calm

Think happier. Think calmer.

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