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Easy Steps to Kick-Start Your Business … Practical Tips for Success!

 

yvonne

You’ve been thinking about it, but something keeps stopping you from starting your business? And by now you’ve most likely come across many articles such as this on ‘How to …’. If the truth be told, giving advice is sometimes easier said than done. I myself can testify to that. However, here are a couple of practical tips you can easily implement today to help you raise finances and kick-start your business.

Do your research. Research simply put is knowing your market and customers. How do you know your market? Read trade magazines and newspaper, visit industry seminars or conferences, check online or take a drive round your business geographic area and see what similar services and products exist, sample some of these services or products, ask suppliers about the market, and ask potential customers who they currently patronise. All these and more will help you build a broad picture of the market before you entering.

How do you know your customers? If they will want your products or services and what exactly it is they want? As many people as you come into contact with and see as potential customers, ask them questions. When you go to an event, take the opportunity ask people pertinent questions in a conversation-like manner. Develop a questionnaire, and email to all your family, friends, colleagues and former colleagues, ask them to email to their network of people, and voila! you have conducted your research. However, do bear in mind that the bigger your investment risk and the more complex your business model, the more structured your research should be.

For more information on business research check this article Business Research Demystified

Raising finance. The usual advice is personal savings; loans from family, friends or the bank; government funding; grants; venture capitalists etc. But what if these sources don’t quite cut it for you? You don’t have the savings, you can’t get a loan, or you fall outside the qualifying criteria for grants and funding. Here are some additional avenues and tips;

  1. Trade by barter. Offer your services, products or skills in exchange for goods or services that will help build your business i.e. you need to develop your website, and you are a marketing consultant, why not offer some free consultancy to the web designer in exchange for your website development
  2. Cut down on your personal overheads, which may include; downgrading your car or moving back to live at home saving on the monthly rent, reduce your spend on social outings such as cinemas, suspend club memberships (except of course it is required for effective business networking purposes)
  3. Start your business with incremental steps such as piloting your business idea, or starting with one product or service, and as the business starts bringing in returns, you can then consider expanding and implementing more plans and ideas
  4. Consider alternatives to reduce your start-up cost  If you are low on capital. This includes working from home without needing to lease office space, converting your garage, shared office space, virtual assistants, start with offering your services and products online etc.
  5. Consider crowd funding or sourcing capital from customers or suppliers. With some services pr products you could actually seek to get upfront payments or deposits from clients, which could then be used for your initial capital requirements. A successful example is that of a hosting company who offered potential clients a lifetime hosting package if they would pay a certain amount upfront to help fund the start-up of the business.

These tips are not all-encompassing, and there are many things that go into having a successful business such as a business plan. There is no running away from it either now or later in your business life cycle.  If you need help with your business plan, also read Business Plan Demystified, Writing Your Business Plan Once And For All.

Get a free eBook to get started on your goals: http://eepurl.com/xeDrf

Yvonne is a Change Consultant, Coach and Speaker who is passionate about working with Individuals, Entrepreneurs and Organisations to implement change, drive results and achieve their goals.   She can be reached at:   www.facebook.com/oliveblueinc,www.twitter.com/oliveblueinc, www.oliveblue.com

Taking The Leap Into The World Of Business?

yvonne

Are you thinking of starting your business? If so, join the millions of people who at one point or the other in their lives have considered whether or not to start a business. The thought of having a successful business, being your boss or doing something you are really passionate about sounds very appealing, right? And these, amongst other reasons are why people leave their jobs and decide to start their own thing. The familiar question is; do I take the leap? And if so, when and how do I take the leap?

One of the greatest challenges for some people in starting a business is the challenge of leaving the security of a paid job. For some it is the issue of choosing the right idea to turn into a successful business. Well, these two challenges can be easily overcome.

First and foremost before venturing into you own business, undertake some research on how viable the business idea(s) is. Are there potential customers? And what is the potential ROI (return on investment)? I’m sure you’d agree with me that it is not very wise to invest your time and money into a business that doesn’t seem viable on paper, or give up your job to start a business based on a whim. However, many people do.

Secondly, an approach to starting a business without giving up your Job is to actually undertake a pilot while still working. And believe me, doing this will require the skill of being able to multitask. To undertake a pilot means doing some test marketing in order to test the market or gauge how responsive people are to your product /service. This will enable you make better decisions on the idea and what to do next. I’ve got to warn you though that this could prove to be hard work juggling a business with your fulltime job, most especially if you have a family to take care of. It requires time management, focus, perseverance and more. These are only some of the requirements you will need both in the short and long run if you want to have your own business. So, as opposed to immediately taking a leap, consider taking long steady strides.

Having looked at your business idea and undertaken some research, you may decide the business idea is viable and you’d like to take that leap into the business world. There are a few basic things that you’d need to do in order to take off. I very much believe in building solid foundations that will allow one to build much taller and weatherproof buildings. And to build a solid foundation you need to get either some business advice or coaching and write a plan.

The word ‘Business Plan’ seems to be such a dreaded word, many people think of it as long-winded and unnecessary. However, I promise you that it is one thing that will need doing either now or later for a more successful business, better now than later I say. Planning and building the concept in your head is not enough, pen it down on paper. The saying goes, “Write the vision and make it plain, that those who is it may run with it” and that includes you, your potential business partner or financiers. Writing the plan takes you through the process of developing and refining your idea, it is also very much needed if you plan on raising capital externally. Please note that it is not enough to just write a business plan for the intention of raising capital, you should also use it as a blueprint for successfully managing your business.

Another challenge often faced in starting a business is Capital. Sometimes, the bigger the idea, the bigger the capital required. Don’t let this hinder you if raising capital seems to be your own challenge. Instead, think out-of-the box in identifying ways to raise the capital required. Look for avenues to cut back on the initial capital required, some ways of cutting back on capital includes; offering trade by batter or buying second-hand instead of new.

The following options are available to you and all except for personal savings will require a sound Business Plan; Personal savings, Friends & Family, Bank loan, Government Initiatives, Private Investors and Venture Capitalists.

Having researched the idea, written a ‘Plan’ and raised the required finance, you are all set to take off. Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained. Take the leap if you feel very strongly about it, but plan and prepare for it.

Please refer to past articles on fundamentals such as ‘Research’, ‘Writing a Business Plan’ and ‘Raising Finance’ that will help you prepare for starting your business. http://www.oliveblue.com/category/blog/

 

Yvonne is a High Performance Consultant, Coach and Speaker focused on working with Individuals, Entrepreneurs and Organisations to execute and achieve their goals.   She can be reached at:   www.facebook.com/oliveblueinc,www.twitter.com/oliveblueinc

How Do You Raise Finance for your Business?

yvonne

You have done the required research, and written the business plan, now how do raise the funds required to kick-off your business? Assuming you carried an initial research, you should have identified some potential sources of finances. If not, you can do this research easily on the internet by using the right keywords, checking what banks have to offer, and visiting your local business centres and libraries.

Also, while writing your business plan, you should have determined how much you need and what you need the money for, this will be important information when approaching potential sources. When raising finance from external sources, it is often helpful to show that you have personally raised or invested some money towards the business. This shows that you are willing to take a personal risk yourself, making financiers more willing to want to take the risk with you.

Sources of finance can vary, the easiest and most stress-free source is your savings. No one asks you questions, and you are not accountable to anyone but yourself. This is assuming you have saved some money before venturing out to set up your business. If you haven’t, don’t lose hope, there are still other means though not as easy.

A popular source that first comes to the mind of most people first is the bank. Should you choose this line or an external funding organisation, it is imperative that your business plan is sound. Sound, meaning it is well written, clearly defines the business idea, demonstrates potential, and return on investment. Simply put, your business plan is your written sales pitch in convincing an investor to lend you money. More important is having a relationship with the bank, having a guarantor who can stand for you, or assets as collateral. You can either apply for a loan or request an overdraft. Ensure you compare the interest rates and repayment terms offered by the various banks. Should you to consider borrowing money against your home, seriously consider this option and weigh the odds, as this could be risky.

You also have the Private Investors and Venture Capitalists. This is where things get more intricate and not as straightforward as getting a loan from the banks. However, Private Investors are willing to invest in more risky ventures but most times in return for shares in your company.

Venture capital funds are funds put up by investment trusts, pension funds, banks, insurance companies, private individuals and industrial corporations. These funds look to invest in companies that can reach significant profits in order to regain their money.

A popular source of finance these days is ‘Crowdsourcing’. This allows you to raise money from the public and interested for your business idea, and usually on the internet platform. In return, you are often required to give something back such a percentage stake in your company or profits. For more information, search the word crowdsourcing on the internet, and you will also fin websites who offer these services.

Another source of finance is family and friends who believe in the business concept and are willing to invest or lend to you the money with or without interest. An option also worth considering is ‘lay-by’ where a group of people come together to contribute money monthly, and the monthly lump sum is taken by an agreed contributor in turns.

Consider soliciting professional help when looking to raise large amounts of funds for your business. All in all, before investing funds into the business, ensure you are working with a financial forecast and plan you should have written as part of your business plan.

Yvonne is a High Performance Consultant, Coach and Speaker focused on working with Individuals, Entrepreneurs and Organisations to execute and achieve their goals.   She can be reached at:  www.facebook.com/oliveblueinc,www.twitter.com/oliveblueinc

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