Start that small business!

     Free daily tips, information, advice and ideas
     to help you better manage your small business

     No road map exists to start a business. You find your own way to begin by providing goods and services that other people will pay for. 

     If you are young, you have little experience in business. But what you have is a passion about something. And if you have a passion, others have the same passion. They are your market.

     In you are in corporate America, you have little appreciation for the world of small business. But you have years of experience doing something. It might be part of your present job, or it might be something you enjoy doing in your off hours. Either one of these can form the basis for a small business.

     Example: Jane was a customer service representative in a large company. She had a book of accounts and handled their problems. Exhausted at the end of long days in the office, Jane came home to relax with her jigsaw puzzles. She looked forward to this quiet time, sitting at her dining room table fitting pieces together. Usually, she had 4 or 5 going at once. One day, Jane screwed up her courage, gave her employer notice, rented a small store front, and began filling shelves with jigsaw puzzles. Her grand opening attracted some interest, but when she put pictures on social media, she pulled in many buyers. She sold puzzles and board games on her website and on eBay. It took some time to get her business off the ground, but it worked. Today, Jane's shop is the go-to place for people interested in her products. And she is happy.

     Example: Ben worked summers and after classes in high school for a construction outfit. He learned how to install siding, power wash decks, build steps, mount gutters and downspouts, paint and pour concrete. He saved his earnings. When he graduated high school, Ben made a choice. He could start up his own renovation and repair business, but he had bigger ideas. With his savings, he made a down payment on a three-family building that needed work. He put the place in tip top shape, rented the apartments to tenants, and then he looked around for another property. He still takes on renovation and repair jobs for others, but his main business is acquiring and managing rental properties of his own. 

     Example: Sheena was fascinated with the law. She got her law degree and passed the bar exam with flying colors. Then she found herself stuck in a large law firm where someone else made all the decisions. Sheena wanted to be her own boss, so she decided to build her own law practice. She structured a series of presentations on various aspects of legal matters and began offering them to organizations, churches, senior centers, and other groups. These events brought Sheena clients who needed legal help in buying and selling real estate, writing wills, dealing with law suits, handling traffic accidents, and other matters where the law was concerned. It took some time, but Sheena is now doing what she loves as her own boss. 

     Getting into business is a matter of knowing your own interests and kicking it up to the next level. It takes attitude and determination and persistence. Commit to what you love and begin. 

     Any interest you have can be turned into a small business. It might never grow into the next Microsoft, or it might. But you will never know until you get it established and start to work with the market that is out there.