Free daily tips, information, advice and ideas
to help you better manage your small business.
Small business should never be static. Either you're growing or you're in danger of falling behind. Treading water is not a good option.
The business environment, like the weather, is always changing. What worked last year might not work as well this year. Keep your ear to the ground and try new things.
Example: Dale is trained and certified in acupuncture. He set up a place and has a growing list of clients. To grow more, he set aside a large room where several people can lie down, relax in a communal setting. These are short, inexpensive, stress-reducing sessions. It's quiet and no electronics of any kind are allowed. Individuals pay $20 for a short session. To attract more attention, Dale offers discounts to those who bring along a friend. He posts pictures on Facebook and short explanations on LinkedIn. Many of his clients are corporate types looking to relieve the stresses of their work. They spread the word and more referrals come in. Best of all, it's working to bring in more private clients with problems that require longer sessions.
Example: Cheryl runs a fitness center. She tried joining several networking groups with limited results. She knew she could do better. She went on MeetUp.com and formed her own networking group for people looking to lose weight, get in better shape, and deal with post-surgery problems. Her monthly sessions have become a popular community gathering. Regulars look forward to interacting with others, and they bring new attendees. Cheryl spreads the word on Facebook, LinkedIn and MeetUp. The result has been a great deal of publicity for her fitness center, and she has signed up additional private clients.
Example: Vicky runs a small neighborhood restaurant. She serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. She knows that her reputation is spreading because new people are showing up. To speed up the process, Vicky had coupons printed offering one dollar off any meal. These are printed to suggest the size and color of real money. (You cannot print a dollar bill unless you want a visit from the Treasury people.) Vicky hands out these coupons every time someone pays their bill, encouraging everyone to take a couple extra to hand out to friends. Her regulars gladly promote Vicky's restaurant. One dollar coupons work much better than percentage off coupons.
Inexpensive promotional ideas are everywhere. Try something and build on it. Notice that these examples cost the business owner little to put in place. But the results are real.
Promoting your business is an on-going activity. And promoting can take many forms. I frequently write about promotions that any small business can use--see previous write-ups.
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Starting up
Free daily tips, information, advice and ideas
to help you better manage your small business.
Hobbies and interests can point to starting up, or expanding, a small business. It's a matter of figuring out who you are and then targeting the marketplace.
Example: As he was growing up, Bill worked in his father's auto repair shop. When his father retired, Bill took over the shop. But Bill's interests extended beyond replacing alternators and exhaust pipes. He began taking on collision repair jobs, establishing a body and paint shop on the grounds next to the repair shop. This got Bill into a much bigger market. Gradually, he grew even more by taking on restoration jobs--returning an aging muscle car built in the 1970s to its former glory. Today, Bill still handles repairs and collision work, but muscle car restorations are the main thrust of the business. This market extends far and wide--well beyond the area where his business is located.
Example: Dawn loved jigsaw puzzles and board games, and she hated her corporate job. She had collected hundreds of these over the years, and her husband encouraged her to open a small shop. They found a place on a side street in an up-and-coming town and rented it. He built shelves and the two of them painted the place. They found a large farm table, fitted it with a glass top, and surrounded it with chairs from thrift shops. Dawn searched yard sales for more jigsaw puzzles, board games, and video games. Soon the shop was filled with things that attracted customers. Two nights each week, Dawn convenes a community event around the big table--generating interest and bringing in referrals. She generates more interest using social media and by selling on eBay. It's taken some time, but Dawn now equals her paycheck at her former corporate job--and she is happy running her own operation.
Example: Bob was a CPA working in the tax department of a large company. He often wondered how he came to be stuck in his position. His interests were in gardening--in his spare time, he raised many vegetables in the big yard behind the family's home. He decided to make a change--with a transitioning time. He built raised beds in the yard, covering them with plastic, and planting several types of lettuce. When the lettuce was ready, Bob gathered several bundles and went calling on local restaurants to see if there was interest in farm-fresh, organically-raised greens. What he found surprised him--every bundle was sold in an hour or so. Bob came home with more orders in hand. He is now in the process of expanding his raised beds to cover the back yard, and he is looking forward to the day when he can do what he loves and leave the company job behind.
Many people in corporate America have exchanged their hearts and souls for a regular paycheck doing something they don't like to do. Many are also discovering the joys of being their own boss by setting up a small business.
Making the transition is not easy, but it is possible. Working hard in your own business is much more satisfying than working hard for someone else.
Do a personal inventory. What interest of yours can form the basis for a small business? Remember, if you're interested, others are as well--and they are your target market.
Keep in mind that several giants in computing technology never finished college and they started out tinkering in their garage. Your interests might not revolutionize technology, but a small business can support you and your family, and it might grow into something larger.
to help you better manage your small business.
Hobbies and interests can point to starting up, or expanding, a small business. It's a matter of figuring out who you are and then targeting the marketplace.
Example: As he was growing up, Bill worked in his father's auto repair shop. When his father retired, Bill took over the shop. But Bill's interests extended beyond replacing alternators and exhaust pipes. He began taking on collision repair jobs, establishing a body and paint shop on the grounds next to the repair shop. This got Bill into a much bigger market. Gradually, he grew even more by taking on restoration jobs--returning an aging muscle car built in the 1970s to its former glory. Today, Bill still handles repairs and collision work, but muscle car restorations are the main thrust of the business. This market extends far and wide--well beyond the area where his business is located.
Example: Dawn loved jigsaw puzzles and board games, and she hated her corporate job. She had collected hundreds of these over the years, and her husband encouraged her to open a small shop. They found a place on a side street in an up-and-coming town and rented it. He built shelves and the two of them painted the place. They found a large farm table, fitted it with a glass top, and surrounded it with chairs from thrift shops. Dawn searched yard sales for more jigsaw puzzles, board games, and video games. Soon the shop was filled with things that attracted customers. Two nights each week, Dawn convenes a community event around the big table--generating interest and bringing in referrals. She generates more interest using social media and by selling on eBay. It's taken some time, but Dawn now equals her paycheck at her former corporate job--and she is happy running her own operation.
Example: Bob was a CPA working in the tax department of a large company. He often wondered how he came to be stuck in his position. His interests were in gardening--in his spare time, he raised many vegetables in the big yard behind the family's home. He decided to make a change--with a transitioning time. He built raised beds in the yard, covering them with plastic, and planting several types of lettuce. When the lettuce was ready, Bob gathered several bundles and went calling on local restaurants to see if there was interest in farm-fresh, organically-raised greens. What he found surprised him--every bundle was sold in an hour or so. Bob came home with more orders in hand. He is now in the process of expanding his raised beds to cover the back yard, and he is looking forward to the day when he can do what he loves and leave the company job behind.
Many people in corporate America have exchanged their hearts and souls for a regular paycheck doing something they don't like to do. Many are also discovering the joys of being their own boss by setting up a small business.
Making the transition is not easy, but it is possible. Working hard in your own business is much more satisfying than working hard for someone else.
Do a personal inventory. What interest of yours can form the basis for a small business? Remember, if you're interested, others are as well--and they are your target market.
Keep in mind that several giants in computing technology never finished college and they started out tinkering in their garage. Your interests might not revolutionize technology, but a small business can support you and your family, and it might grow into something larger.
Friday, April 24, 2015
Paths to growth
Free daily tips, information, advice and ideas
to help you better manage your small business.
There are two ways to grow a small business. One is slow, the other is quick.
Growing slowly means you can expand at the rate your business generates excess cash. You can plow the money back into the business--buying equipment, hiring an employee, or renting a bigger space.
Growing quickly means you might need to borrow the money to grow on. Or find another way to get where you want to go.
Example: Bill is a massage therapist. He got his training, license, and certification and began to build a client base. He worked alone, and that suited him. He networked and offered free demonstrations at events to attract more clients. Soon, he was giving massages full time. His was a single operator business, limited by his own efforts. To grow, he had to increase his prices--finding clients willing to pay more.
Example: Ed is also a massage therapist--trained, licensed and certified. He wanted to get established and then grow into a larger operation. His long-term plan was to operate a wellness center offering massage and other holistic therapies to a wider client base. To this end, Ed began bringing in other single-operator therapists--nutritionists, yoga specialists, hypnotists specializing in pain management and eating habits. He rented a larger space and brought the specialists with him. Today, Ed is operating a growing wellness center--with plans to purchase the building.
Example: Judy, too, is a massage therapist. She also began by working alone, but she had ideas to expand. Using her client base developed over several years, Judy began contacting other wellness specialists, gradually putting together a group of single operators on call for their particular specialty. This resulted in an organization of certified experts in various wellness fields. Then she provided these services to medical doctors, wellness centers, spas, corporate health centers, and others. With only a website, social media and a home office, Judy now manages a growing group of specialists--on call to provide their services. She has grown with very little money outlays.
Working alone in your small business, you are ultimately limited by what you alone can do. Time puts the damper on expansion. You can alleviate this to some extent by targeting high income clients and charging more. But, ultimately, that, too, will limit your growth and income.
Pathways to growth, however, are open to you. And growth does not necessarily mean an input of funds from a loan. Patience, ingenuity and creativity can help you find your own road ahead.
To find pathways to growing your own small business, consider all the alternatives. It's a matter of deciding where you want to be and then working out the map to get you there.
to help you better manage your small business.
There are two ways to grow a small business. One is slow, the other is quick.
Growing slowly means you can expand at the rate your business generates excess cash. You can plow the money back into the business--buying equipment, hiring an employee, or renting a bigger space.
Growing quickly means you might need to borrow the money to grow on. Or find another way to get where you want to go.
Example: Bill is a massage therapist. He got his training, license, and certification and began to build a client base. He worked alone, and that suited him. He networked and offered free demonstrations at events to attract more clients. Soon, he was giving massages full time. His was a single operator business, limited by his own efforts. To grow, he had to increase his prices--finding clients willing to pay more.
Example: Ed is also a massage therapist--trained, licensed and certified. He wanted to get established and then grow into a larger operation. His long-term plan was to operate a wellness center offering massage and other holistic therapies to a wider client base. To this end, Ed began bringing in other single-operator therapists--nutritionists, yoga specialists, hypnotists specializing in pain management and eating habits. He rented a larger space and brought the specialists with him. Today, Ed is operating a growing wellness center--with plans to purchase the building.
Example: Judy, too, is a massage therapist. She also began by working alone, but she had ideas to expand. Using her client base developed over several years, Judy began contacting other wellness specialists, gradually putting together a group of single operators on call for their particular specialty. This resulted in an organization of certified experts in various wellness fields. Then she provided these services to medical doctors, wellness centers, spas, corporate health centers, and others. With only a website, social media and a home office, Judy now manages a growing group of specialists--on call to provide their services. She has grown with very little money outlays.
Working alone in your small business, you are ultimately limited by what you alone can do. Time puts the damper on expansion. You can alleviate this to some extent by targeting high income clients and charging more. But, ultimately, that, too, will limit your growth and income.
Pathways to growth, however, are open to you. And growth does not necessarily mean an input of funds from a loan. Patience, ingenuity and creativity can help you find your own road ahead.
To find pathways to growing your own small business, consider all the alternatives. It's a matter of deciding where you want to be and then working out the map to get you there.
Thursday, April 23, 2015
Managing money
Free daily tips, information, advice and ideas
to help you better manage your small business.
Managing a small business means managing money. If all your expenses and payments add up to less than income, you can point to a healthy bottom line.
Even so, there is never enough money to do all the things you want to do. It comes down to a juggling process--matching income with expenses. This is like a juggler juggling only two balls.
Good business people juggle three balls. That third ball is the money that's left over after all the bills are paid. That third ball is growth capital. It's the excess dollars you can use to expand your business.
Example: Nancy runs a flower shop. Income exceeds expenses, but there is little left over after all the bills were paid. She decided to make a big push for Mother's Day since it represented the biggest day of the year for flower orders. She blasted out emails to current and former customers. She took dozens of pictures and posted them on Facebook, Pinterest, and LinkedIn. She reminded people of Mother's Day on Twitter. With little expense, Nancy put her flower shop in front of hundreds of people in the area. Orders began arriving and Nancy had to hire several part time helpers to handle the work. With the excess bottom line dollars generated by Mother's Day sales, Nancy planned to add a big new line of silk flowers and arrangements. This would expand her business to include corporate offices, banks, and other organizations looking for revolving flower arrangements to beautify their establishments.
Example: Alex runs a home improvements business. Projects typically run $5,000 to $25,000. He requires 1/3 at contract signing, 1/3 when an agreed-upon milestone is reached, and 1/3 at the completion of the project. The projects are therefore almost self-financing. Alex is careful to separate the accounting for each project, and he is very much aware that the bottom line excess, or profit, is in that last payment--not upfront. This money management scheme has allowed Alex to grow confidently--those last payments have funded his addition of new equipment and workers.
Example: Judy is a certified Pilates specialist. She used her personal credit cards to get into business--paying for training and equipment. It took many clients, both private and group sessions, to pay off the bills Judy had run up on her credit cards. Using credit cards means borrowing money, and that means paying interest charges. It's a higher rate of interest than you might get with a bank loan, but sometimes, it's the only way out. Do this only with your eyes wide open, and when there is no other way. Judy has a long term plan to eventually establish her own wellness center. It will take many months to pay back all the credit card borrowings, but with self discipline, Judy will eventually be able to realize her dream.
The general public, politicians, and all your friends and neighbors believe that owners of small businesses are millionaires. Of course, they have no idea what it means to run a business, having never done it themselves. They know little of business or economics.
In business, you learn to manage money or you won't survive. You understand cash flow. It's the acid burn in your gut when there's not enough money to pay the bills. It's also the good feeling you get when there's money left over after all the bills are paid every month. That's the money you can use to grow and expand.
Managing money in small business takes ingenuity, creativity, and a willingness to take risk. Taking a risk is not like rolling the dice. Taking a risk is seeing a likely path forward--no matter the obstacles.
to help you better manage your small business.
Managing a small business means managing money. If all your expenses and payments add up to less than income, you can point to a healthy bottom line.
Even so, there is never enough money to do all the things you want to do. It comes down to a juggling process--matching income with expenses. This is like a juggler juggling only two balls.
Good business people juggle three balls. That third ball is the money that's left over after all the bills are paid. That third ball is growth capital. It's the excess dollars you can use to expand your business.
Example: Nancy runs a flower shop. Income exceeds expenses, but there is little left over after all the bills were paid. She decided to make a big push for Mother's Day since it represented the biggest day of the year for flower orders. She blasted out emails to current and former customers. She took dozens of pictures and posted them on Facebook, Pinterest, and LinkedIn. She reminded people of Mother's Day on Twitter. With little expense, Nancy put her flower shop in front of hundreds of people in the area. Orders began arriving and Nancy had to hire several part time helpers to handle the work. With the excess bottom line dollars generated by Mother's Day sales, Nancy planned to add a big new line of silk flowers and arrangements. This would expand her business to include corporate offices, banks, and other organizations looking for revolving flower arrangements to beautify their establishments.
Example: Alex runs a home improvements business. Projects typically run $5,000 to $25,000. He requires 1/3 at contract signing, 1/3 when an agreed-upon milestone is reached, and 1/3 at the completion of the project. The projects are therefore almost self-financing. Alex is careful to separate the accounting for each project, and he is very much aware that the bottom line excess, or profit, is in that last payment--not upfront. This money management scheme has allowed Alex to grow confidently--those last payments have funded his addition of new equipment and workers.
Example: Judy is a certified Pilates specialist. She used her personal credit cards to get into business--paying for training and equipment. It took many clients, both private and group sessions, to pay off the bills Judy had run up on her credit cards. Using credit cards means borrowing money, and that means paying interest charges. It's a higher rate of interest than you might get with a bank loan, but sometimes, it's the only way out. Do this only with your eyes wide open, and when there is no other way. Judy has a long term plan to eventually establish her own wellness center. It will take many months to pay back all the credit card borrowings, but with self discipline, Judy will eventually be able to realize her dream.
The general public, politicians, and all your friends and neighbors believe that owners of small businesses are millionaires. Of course, they have no idea what it means to run a business, having never done it themselves. They know little of business or economics.
In business, you learn to manage money or you won't survive. You understand cash flow. It's the acid burn in your gut when there's not enough money to pay the bills. It's also the good feeling you get when there's money left over after all the bills are paid every month. That's the money you can use to grow and expand.
Managing money in small business takes ingenuity, creativity, and a willingness to take risk. Taking a risk is not like rolling the dice. Taking a risk is seeing a likely path forward--no matter the obstacles.
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Using catalogs
Free daily tips, information, advice and ideas
to help you better manage your small business.
Catalogs have a long and colorful history. For more than a century, catalogs brought the world to the mailboxes of Americans everywhere. In the past, you could order an automobile or a whole house from a catalog.
Times change. Today, you are more likely to find a catalog in your email inbox than in your mailbox. The basic idea of the catalog has moved with technology.
Example: Oscar has been running a garden center for years. He expanded by putting up greenhouses and growing annuals and perennials, herbs and vegetables--serving the local retail and wholesale markets. When competition became too stiff, Oscar made a change. Today, he has eliminated the former items and concentrates on unusual plants in the greenhouses. In the fields, he grows many types of hostas and daylilies. His catalogs are online, accessed through his website, and he ships anywhere in the country. He uses social media (Facebook, etc.) to point people to the catalogs.
Example: Mary has an upscale gift shop. She makes jewelry herself--one of a kind pieces that appeal to her regular customers. To expand her reach, Mary decided on two approaches. (1) She invited a select group of artists to consign handmade items in her gift shop. This gave the shop a broader appeal. In addition to the jewelry, she now offers selections of fiber art, paintings, photographs, glass pieces, and woodworking. (2) She established her gift shop on Etsy.com. Viewers far and near can browse through her catalog of items online and place their orders. The catalog is easy to update and maintain.
Catalogs can be useful in many businesses. Products can include women's fashion, gifts, trendy housewares, furniture, unusual plants, cigars, chocolates, coffee, teas, and more. In addition there are catalogs offering courses of instruction in various subjects.
You can catalog your items on your own website or you can use sites like Etsy to offer your goods to a wide audience.
Printed catalogs are expensive to produce and mail. But you can avoid this by using today's social media combined with your own website, or one that reaches a wider audience.
to help you better manage your small business.
Catalogs have a long and colorful history. For more than a century, catalogs brought the world to the mailboxes of Americans everywhere. In the past, you could order an automobile or a whole house from a catalog.
Times change. Today, you are more likely to find a catalog in your email inbox than in your mailbox. The basic idea of the catalog has moved with technology.
Example: Oscar has been running a garden center for years. He expanded by putting up greenhouses and growing annuals and perennials, herbs and vegetables--serving the local retail and wholesale markets. When competition became too stiff, Oscar made a change. Today, he has eliminated the former items and concentrates on unusual plants in the greenhouses. In the fields, he grows many types of hostas and daylilies. His catalogs are online, accessed through his website, and he ships anywhere in the country. He uses social media (Facebook, etc.) to point people to the catalogs.
Example: Mary has an upscale gift shop. She makes jewelry herself--one of a kind pieces that appeal to her regular customers. To expand her reach, Mary decided on two approaches. (1) She invited a select group of artists to consign handmade items in her gift shop. This gave the shop a broader appeal. In addition to the jewelry, she now offers selections of fiber art, paintings, photographs, glass pieces, and woodworking. (2) She established her gift shop on Etsy.com. Viewers far and near can browse through her catalog of items online and place their orders. The catalog is easy to update and maintain.
Catalogs can be useful in many businesses. Products can include women's fashion, gifts, trendy housewares, furniture, unusual plants, cigars, chocolates, coffee, teas, and more. In addition there are catalogs offering courses of instruction in various subjects.
You can catalog your items on your own website or you can use sites like Etsy to offer your goods to a wide audience.
Printed catalogs are expensive to produce and mail. But you can avoid this by using today's social media combined with your own website, or one that reaches a wider audience.
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
Health expansions
Free daily tips, information, advice and ideas
to help you better manage your small business.
Pathways to better health offer good business opportunities. After all, everyone is looking to improve their health.
The medical field is wide open today. People are looking beyond the pill popping solutions of the recent past, and they are eyeing alternative methods to feeling better, living longer, and tackling ills. Healthy living has taken center stage.
Specialists of many types have entered the health arena. Chiropractors, nutritionists, herbalists, wellness and holistic practitioners and more are rushing in to fill the void. Small businesses are being structured around life coaching, aromatherapy, hypnotherapy, acupuncture, massage, yoga, and many more possibilities.
Traditional medical establishments, clinics, and others in the fields of health are taking note. Integrative medical offices today regularly bring in experts in various wellness modalities to offer patients a wider range of healthy alternatives.
Example: Cheryl is a chiropractor. She opened her office and immediately began looking around to expand. Networking her way through the holistic and alternative health communities, she homed in on several specialists--experts in massage, nutrition, yoga and the use of hypnosis to help people lose weight or stop smoking. Separately, these small businesses struggle as independents. Together, Cheryl convinced them that they could form a wellness center that would appeal to a wider public. It has been a successful expansion, and she is now adding a licensed acupuncturist to the group. The new wellness center's website is comprehensive but easy to navigate. And a social media presence brings in referrals.
Example: Massage therapists, nutritionists, hypnotherapists and holistic practitioners can benefit by coming together in a shared location. Justin offers various types of massage. He brought together several different therapists in a single location. Each of the experts has a private office in a building that was formerly a dentist's offices. They share the common areas (restrooms, receptionist, waiting room and utilities) and the expenses of the building, including the monthly rent. The arrangement amounts to a wellness center operating as a cooperative, and it offers each of the specialists more than each might be able to afford acting alone. They regularly hold talks and demonstrations, free and open to the general public. This, along with social media, brings in more and more people concerned with their health.
Example: A local medical center is run privately by the medical doctors who see patients there. They regularly bring in alternative practitioners--acupuncturists, Pilates experts, nutritionists, hypnotherapists, experts in Chinese medicine, and others. These additional specialists can be particularly helpful with post-surgery patients, pain management, exercise and healthy eating habits. It is working out well for both the traditional medical establishment and the newer alternative medical specialists. Events and seminars attract a public thirsty for information.
Health concerns by everyday people are driving an expansion in the medical field. No specialist will ever be on call to remove your appendix on your kitchen table. But delivering babies at home? It's already being done.
What's old is new again. I was myself delivered in my mother's bedroom--assisted by a neighboring farm wife acting as midwife. And every spring I gather dandelion leaves and cook up a pot of greens as a seasonal tonic.
It's foolish to leave behind everything that worked in the past. Some things have been tested through trial and error over generations. Re-examine? Yes! Discard? No! And that's what's happening in medicine today.
Business opportunities for therapists and other alternative medical specialists are opening up at a fast pace. Step outside your specialty, and look around with your business eye.
to help you better manage your small business.
Pathways to better health offer good business opportunities. After all, everyone is looking to improve their health.
The medical field is wide open today. People are looking beyond the pill popping solutions of the recent past, and they are eyeing alternative methods to feeling better, living longer, and tackling ills. Healthy living has taken center stage.
Specialists of many types have entered the health arena. Chiropractors, nutritionists, herbalists, wellness and holistic practitioners and more are rushing in to fill the void. Small businesses are being structured around life coaching, aromatherapy, hypnotherapy, acupuncture, massage, yoga, and many more possibilities.
Traditional medical establishments, clinics, and others in the fields of health are taking note. Integrative medical offices today regularly bring in experts in various wellness modalities to offer patients a wider range of healthy alternatives.
Example: Cheryl is a chiropractor. She opened her office and immediately began looking around to expand. Networking her way through the holistic and alternative health communities, she homed in on several specialists--experts in massage, nutrition, yoga and the use of hypnosis to help people lose weight or stop smoking. Separately, these small businesses struggle as independents. Together, Cheryl convinced them that they could form a wellness center that would appeal to a wider public. It has been a successful expansion, and she is now adding a licensed acupuncturist to the group. The new wellness center's website is comprehensive but easy to navigate. And a social media presence brings in referrals.
Example: Massage therapists, nutritionists, hypnotherapists and holistic practitioners can benefit by coming together in a shared location. Justin offers various types of massage. He brought together several different therapists in a single location. Each of the experts has a private office in a building that was formerly a dentist's offices. They share the common areas (restrooms, receptionist, waiting room and utilities) and the expenses of the building, including the monthly rent. The arrangement amounts to a wellness center operating as a cooperative, and it offers each of the specialists more than each might be able to afford acting alone. They regularly hold talks and demonstrations, free and open to the general public. This, along with social media, brings in more and more people concerned with their health.
Example: A local medical center is run privately by the medical doctors who see patients there. They regularly bring in alternative practitioners--acupuncturists, Pilates experts, nutritionists, hypnotherapists, experts in Chinese medicine, and others. These additional specialists can be particularly helpful with post-surgery patients, pain management, exercise and healthy eating habits. It is working out well for both the traditional medical establishment and the newer alternative medical specialists. Events and seminars attract a public thirsty for information.
Health concerns by everyday people are driving an expansion in the medical field. No specialist will ever be on call to remove your appendix on your kitchen table. But delivering babies at home? It's already being done.
What's old is new again. I was myself delivered in my mother's bedroom--assisted by a neighboring farm wife acting as midwife. And every spring I gather dandelion leaves and cook up a pot of greens as a seasonal tonic.
It's foolish to leave behind everything that worked in the past. Some things have been tested through trial and error over generations. Re-examine? Yes! Discard? No! And that's what's happening in medicine today.
Business opportunities for therapists and other alternative medical specialists are opening up at a fast pace. Step outside your specialty, and look around with your business eye.
Monday, April 20, 2015
Starting decisions
Free daily tips, information, advice and ideas
to help you better manage your small business.
Deciding what business to go into is a perplexing problem for many. It need not be. If you are sorting through several possibilities, you need to step back and take a fresh look at yourself.
You have several interests that you are passionate about. For some, it's physical fitness. For others, it's gardening or video games or music or dozens of other pursuits.
So you begin with yourself. Among your interests, is there one that can be made into a business? The answer is yes. Any interest can be turned into a business.
Next question. Can the business be grown into a size that I will be comfortable managing? Now, this is when the difficulty begins. Be honest with yourself. Do you want to work alone as a one-person business? Or do you want to grow into a multi-employee business?
These questions must be answered before you begin your new business.
Example: Jesse began playing guitar as a youngster. In high school he was a member of a band. That was 10 years ago. He decided to turn his interest in guitar into a small business built around music. He began teaching guitar to others and built up a following. He decided to open a small music shop where he sells and repairs guitars. Today, he is still a one-person business, supporting his family. He still plays in local bands.
Example: Matt loved sailing. Whenever he had time away from his corporate position, he was at the local lake. Deciding he would make a transition, Matt began offering informal sailing lessons to others. His reputation spread. He got himself certified as an instructor in water safety. He began giving group as well as private lessons. When he was ready, he quit his corporate job and set up a small sail shop at the lake. Today, he sells sailing gear and supplies and sailboats. It took several years to make the transition, but today Matt is happy.
Example: The arts and crafts field offers many opportunities to establish a small business. Artists and artisans today offer painting and pottery, fibers and wools, beads and beading, wood turning, basketry, quilting, glass, metal work and many others. They can work alone or ban together to work with others--the choice is theirs. They set up websites and are on social media, attracting widespread attention. Some are members of co-ops which attract more attention from the buying public than single studios. Others offer their creations through gift shops--or they establish a high end gift shop themselves. But all of them turn their passion into a business.
Deciding where to start can be frustrating. The answers to starting decisions are inside you. Start with what you know and what you are interested in. Then you build.
Deciding what business to go into is similar to the young person's complaint--I don't have the experience to get the job I want, but I can't get the experience without having the job. This is a lame excuse at best. Just do it.
to help you better manage your small business.
Deciding what business to go into is a perplexing problem for many. It need not be. If you are sorting through several possibilities, you need to step back and take a fresh look at yourself.
You have several interests that you are passionate about. For some, it's physical fitness. For others, it's gardening or video games or music or dozens of other pursuits.
So you begin with yourself. Among your interests, is there one that can be made into a business? The answer is yes. Any interest can be turned into a business.
Next question. Can the business be grown into a size that I will be comfortable managing? Now, this is when the difficulty begins. Be honest with yourself. Do you want to work alone as a one-person business? Or do you want to grow into a multi-employee business?
These questions must be answered before you begin your new business.
Example: Jesse began playing guitar as a youngster. In high school he was a member of a band. That was 10 years ago. He decided to turn his interest in guitar into a small business built around music. He began teaching guitar to others and built up a following. He decided to open a small music shop where he sells and repairs guitars. Today, he is still a one-person business, supporting his family. He still plays in local bands.
Example: Matt loved sailing. Whenever he had time away from his corporate position, he was at the local lake. Deciding he would make a transition, Matt began offering informal sailing lessons to others. His reputation spread. He got himself certified as an instructor in water safety. He began giving group as well as private lessons. When he was ready, he quit his corporate job and set up a small sail shop at the lake. Today, he sells sailing gear and supplies and sailboats. It took several years to make the transition, but today Matt is happy.
Example: The arts and crafts field offers many opportunities to establish a small business. Artists and artisans today offer painting and pottery, fibers and wools, beads and beading, wood turning, basketry, quilting, glass, metal work and many others. They can work alone or ban together to work with others--the choice is theirs. They set up websites and are on social media, attracting widespread attention. Some are members of co-ops which attract more attention from the buying public than single studios. Others offer their creations through gift shops--or they establish a high end gift shop themselves. But all of them turn their passion into a business.
Deciding where to start can be frustrating. The answers to starting decisions are inside you. Start with what you know and what you are interested in. Then you build.
Deciding what business to go into is similar to the young person's complaint--I don't have the experience to get the job I want, but I can't get the experience without having the job. This is a lame excuse at best. Just do it.
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