Archive for the ‘Entrepreneur’ Category

6 Essential Success Tips for Startup Businesses

Friday, April 25th, 2014

Venturing into business is a big move in one’s life, especially in terms of financial, emotional and physical aspects of well-being. You have to dedicate a big chunk of your time in making sure that everything will run smoothly as you go along. Risks and dangers, however, are inevitable but you can learn the lessons not-in-the-hard way.

Here are tips on how to become a successful entrepreneur:

Business Tips

Business Tips

1. Research

Take your time in doing your research on all stages of the business life cycle. It is important to know any possible pitfalls and focus on how you can strengthen your product and improve your business model. As an entrepreneur, it is a wise move to be informed on everything that has to do with the success and failure of your business. You are on a dangerous ground if you don’t know your disposition – your target market, the pain point you are trying to address and how your product can actually solve it.

Research everything about your market – location, local culture, lifestyle, habits, etc. This first step will give you a hint if you’re going to make a good fit or not.

2. Never stop learning

When you run a business, it’s unavoidable that you learn everyday in a really fast and huge pace. Never get tired and never stop learning. It doesn’t mean that you don’t know anything when you want to learn; it’s just that there are things that you didn’t realize fully before. Always allow a space in your head for learning and innovating yourself. That’s for your own good anyway.

3. Stay focused

It is vital to focus on your goals more than anything else. Part of it is because ideas tend to give birth to more ideas that could possibly contradict each other later on, so identify your main focus and stick to it.

When you run a business, you should be able to at least understand every aspect of it – accounting, sales, marketing, customer service, etc. However, learning so many things at once could ruin your focus. So know what you have to do; get ready to hit your goal; execute it and move on to the next. Every now and then, remember to look at the big picture and make sure that all of your tasks and activities are consistent to your main goal.

4. Acknowledge your competitors’ strengths

It also pays to know your competition, if there’s any. Examine numbers; Test competitors’ products and service. Compare what they can offer compared to what you plan. Acknowledge their strengths and learn from their mistakes. But not that you don’t have to follow their business plan to get ahead but exceed what works. Maximize and heighten what your competitor has to offer. Brand your business with its own originality and creativity. A different strategy will surely work wonders for you.

5. Finalize a budget

A budget is surely among one any startup’s biggest concern (if not the biggest) – the blood of any business. If it’s a small business, a personal loan or business loan is considerable to withstand all the expenses.  But, if your startup is aimed to be highly scalable, you will also need a bigger amount to sustain and grow your startup. Learn to effectively communicate your needs with your partners or funders and make sure to only agree to a partnership only if it makes a sound business deal. Put your budget on paper so that any correspondence will be easy soon and if any conflicts arise.

6. Ask for help

A startup business may look like a self-sustaining business, but building good connections could be beneficial. There are Facebook groups, online communities and local startup groups that help one another in building startup businesses. Join conferences, meet new people and ask for their help. You’ll be surprised to find out that there are people who are willing to help and provide you with enough guidance.

Author’s Bio

Cristina Beltran is a writer, blogger and online marketing specialist at MoneyMax, Philippines’ leading financial comparison website.

Freelancing Your Way To A Real Business

Wednesday, April 16th, 2014

When it comes to risk versus reward, freelancing is one of those vocation choices that has the potential of offering plenty of returns without a lot of up-front resources or capital at stake. Given the right opportunities, knowing the right people, and having the right skills can turn a casual hobby into something you can actually get paid for doing.

Here’s how you can take that freelancing gig of yours and turn it into an actual, consistent business. Of course, this isn’t the last word on the subject. Aspiring self-employed types should get as much knowledge and information as possible; especially in topics like how to promote yourself, Financial Management for Freelancers, and how to file taxes as a self-employed entity (spoiler alert: it’s a bloody nightmare).

Freelancing Your Way To A Real BusinessYou can turn your hobby into a business if you have the time, talent, and opportunity

Be Prolific
The best way to get your name out there is to be productive. Whether you’re selling a product (like a craft-related item), or offering a service (such as a writer or website designer), people need to see that you can churn things out that customers want. For instance, if you’re a writer, make sure to get your name out there by writing for magazines, blogs, or anthologies. Start getting that reputation as someone who delivers results. You need to leave your footprints and handprints all over the Internet.

Be Patient
Although it’s exciting when you start getting multiple clients, you really have to pace yourself. Having six clients giving you work at the same time may look good in terms of income, but if you spread yourself too thin, you’ll deliver an inferior product, and make it likely that you won’t get repeat customers. Know your limitations, and build up your customer base slowly. Don’t try to tackle everything at once. Better to start off with three clients that get excellent work from you than ten clients who get barely passable work. This means learning to say “no”.

Be Prepared
One of the most hair-pulling and frustrating things about freelancing is the inconsistency. On any given month, a client may give you four projects or purchase a large amount of the goods you produce. The next, they may barely remember that you even exist. Be ready for the lean times by socking away some money for emergencies, to tide you over when you have a light month. Also, having that reserve will make sure you don’t get desperate, and end up taking a job far outside your area of expertise, something that could have serious repercussions on your overall reputation.

Be Organized
Many freelancers and one-person businesses end up working out of their home. While this is an awesome aspect of the job, make sure you have boundaries separating your personal and professional life. Set up times when you’re “at work”, and when you’re enjoying time off. That requires a level of planning and organization in order to adequately map out your responsibilities and how much time you devote to them. Also, make sure you have a work space that’s separate and dedicated to your job, if for no other reason than making it easier to claim it as a business expense of your income tax return.

Be Visible
Finally, make sure that people know you exist. Since you are self-employed, then shameless self-promotion is key. After all, working for yourself means that you are responsible for every stage of the job and yes, that includes marketing. Make sure you have business cards, a business page on various social media platforms, and an easy way for people to get a hold of you, whether by cell phone or email. If you have a blog, make sure to drop an occasional reference about your business (something which should already reside in the About section of your blogging site). Seriously, you need to let people know you exist and that you can write. Or draw. Or whatever it is you do.

It’s exciting and challenging when you take an avocation and turn it into a vocation. It becomes even more exciting when a part-time freelance gig turns into a full-time job. And there’s a lot of advice out there for budding entrepreneurs, so keep your eyes open.

Byline: John Terra has been a freelance writer since 1985. He’s done the full-time writing thing, but these days he supplements his freelancing with a “regular” job.

Photo Credit: justinmatthew21

8 Points That Could Save a Start-Up from Messing Up

Thursday, February 20th, 2014

This article is built on the experiences of entrepreneurs who had fallen flat on their faces while trying to manage and host their start-up ventures.

We think of a mind-boggling business idea and expect it to spark up as soon as we prepare a proposal. Well, it never works that way. However good or bad an idea is, there are certain steps that need to be followed.

Before putting your idea into a set of plans and procedures on paper, here are a few things that need to be understood.

Business Startup

Business Startup

Is my idea functional?

Before getting caught in the excitement of your brilliant idea, spare a thought: can the idea be put into execution?

The concept needs to be grounded in bigger ideas for you to be able to sell it. Don’t tangle up too many ideas, focus on one at a time, and build different techniques to make them happen.

The objective here is to make sure that your idea can be pinned down to work out for the market.

Scoring funds isn’t easy

Take my word; capital will not come to you effortlessly.

You may have to pitch time and again to win investors to your side. Pitching is extremely significant. The dumbest idea can pass if the pitch is awesome.

Do thorough researches, take your time to prepare each slide to be presented, and propagate how unique your business proposition is.

If you feel it is taking too long to get funds and time is running out, pitch in your investments. It can help your business, and play the credibility factor when pitching to investors at the same time.

Be prepared to touch the highs and lows

The business is not going to flourish as soon as you start. It will take time to accomplish each milestone.

Additionally, it is important for you to be prepared in case the plan doesn’t work. Amend your strategies, be focused and push your organization to reach the targets.

If every move is drawing the results you desired, you can go for that extra mile to make your business better. But don’t be too hard on yourself or your employees.

Hire carefully and appreciate candidly

Only a good team, which believes and backs your idea, can let you take over the market.

Hence, hiring is going to be a challenging job for you. Ideally, your team should have skilled professionals, men and women with industry experience and members who have prior understanding of successfully managing a start-up.

Employees at every level need guidance, assurance and motivation, which are to come from you, the person who leads. A lot of effort is taken to build a start-up, so don’t miss out on appreciating employee efforts.

Work individually, but work more as a team

Needless to say, your team is vital to the success of your business.

The objective of the business can be reached faster and smoother if you are held together as a team. Organizational growth comes through sheer team work, and hence it is important to keep your employees as content as your investors.

Hear out the needs of the employees, provide them with adequate requirements and channelize them to use the limited resources available.

Bring the focus to limelight

With a considerable amount of work being allotted daily, it is easy to get carried away and slip into a whirlpool of confusions and heated exchanges.

It is definitely better to acquaint each team with the other ones, mainly to have them understand where they are heading in the middle of a mission. As a leader, you should take up the responsibility of constantly reminding (of course not nagging) them about the objectives of the business.

Time is precious – start acting!

When you are done with thinking and researching, the next step is to start acting, whichever small way possible.

It takes quite some time to build the brand; the earlier the better. You don’t need to wait for investors to fund in order to start your business. Begin with limited costs and resources.

Build networks and relationships

Bond with everyone – investors, employees, suppliers and stakeholders.

Start-ups usually tend to make mistakes or face hurdles frequently. Be it with resources, technology or monetary issues, it doesn’t matter. Building reliable relationships can actually help your company cope with such setbacks.

Most of these tips might have passed your thoughts, but it’s easy to forget them. To keep it simple, make a journal of everything that you did and things you have to do.

Your start-up can go terribly wrong if you don’t have these pointers on your mind. These are simple steps. Without them, you will end up pushing costs too high and fail to impress.

Author bio:-

Matt Davis a partner at Empire commercial Finance, a firm specializing in business mortgage Chester seeking to serve client of UK with ease.  A company with expert professional commercial finance brokers providing financial support for all start-up business 

Happy New Year 2014

Wednesday, January 1st, 2014

Happy_2014Surely, the year 2013 was indeed a wonderful year for me. Even though I had so much to do offline and I couldn’t blog as much as I would have love to, I wish to sincerely thank all my blog readers. Thank you all for visiting, reading, commenting and sharing my blog posts in social media.

It is my sincere prayer that this year 2014 will bring to each of you glad tidings. God bless you richly. Happy New Year!

Entrepreneurs: Build Your Brand, Build Your Opportunities

Monday, June 17th, 2013

“Business is as old as life,” says author and entrepreneur Ifeanyi Enoch Onuoha, “there is no living being that does not have a business.” Business may be as old as life, but many of us get so caught up perfecting new technology, we forget life’s business basics.

According to the Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA), a whopping 59 percent of us believe that the most credible purchase recommendations come from face-to-face, or voice-to-voice interactions. What does this mean for you? If you’re not armed with tangible brand collateral, confidence and a pitch that resonates, you’re missing invaluable opportunities for success.

Invest in Affordable Tools of the Trade

Whether you’re the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, or you’re trying to get your handmade furniture business off the ground, your business card should be an extension of your hand. Prescott Perez-Fox of Starship design likens your business card to an artifact that everyone you meet can remember you by. A properly designed and distributed card can be the thing that signs your biggest clients. Kyle Laser of Laser printing tells businessinsider.com that he modeled his company’s business card after a Google search result, and he estimates that 10 of his largest clients were signed because of the card alone. The printing business is competitive, and many companies offer unique reasons to print with them: Printing for Less business cards are produced in a tri-certified green way, allowing you to feel good about your mark on the environment.

Be Your Brand: Make an Impression

A study published by “Psychology Today” reveals that more than 80 percent of communication is conveyed through non-verbal means like body language and tone. And, according to businessinsider.com, 55 percent of someone’s opinion of you is based on your overall appearance. What does this mean for your brand and business? You wield the most power in person, so take advantage of it.

  • Clothing: You don’t need to be clad in Gucci from head-to-toe, nor should you be sporting a wrinkled T-shirt from your college water polo days. Conservative clothing diminishes the chance of anyone being turned off.
  • Eye contact and body language: Posture, eye contact and a strong handshake have the ability to poise you as a titan of industry or a nervous wreck. Sit up straight, look your potential clients in the eyes, and you’ve nailed most of their expectations.
  • Tone: Remember that 38 percent of someone’s opinion is based on tone, so find one that resonates. Businessinsider.com recommends you come across as a calm blend of enthusiastic, humble, secure and determined.

Master the Word-of-Mouth Pitch

Face-to-face, or voice recommendations are the most powerful tools for your business, but how do the numbers translate? According to WOMMA, 54 percent (the largest piece of the pie) of purchasing decisions are a direct result of word of mouth. Good-old-fashioned conversation is one of your strongest allies in the business world. In our economy, a good elevator pitch or introduction can seal any deal. An elevator pitch is as much as a science as it is an artform, and if you haven’t perfected yours yet, now is the time. Entrepreneur.com’s Barbara Findlay Schenck breaks down the art and the science of the perfect pitch:

  • Take five words to describe yourself, preferably less
  • Say exactly what you do in one sentence
  • Explain who your target market is
  • Paint a picture of your vision
  • Practice until your voice is horse
  • Now, reduce the whole thing to less than 20 words

Your business might be new, and your online presence might be tailored to perfection, but every business transaction has value. Every new encounter you make has potential. Be ready with the right collateral, poise and pitch, and you can take on the world.