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24 October 2012

Starting Your Own Small Business For New Owners

By Lucile Jacobs


For many people running a company is a dream. If you are planning on starting your own small business and you have never run such an establishment before you will, however, need some tips. Here are a few pointers for getting yourself off the ground with the new enterprise.

If you have never been in this position before you will probably have heard a lot about the importance of the business plan but not actually know much about what it should look like. In truth there is no single right way to draw one up. There should, however, be a solid financial projection, some detailed information about marketing and a statement on your ambitions as an executive. Do also look up some templates to check on form and structure which can be found on the internet.

If you have no training in this field it is advisable that you seek some out, either informal or formal, before you begin running a venture. The nature of the training you take depends on how much time and money you have to spend. The cheapest option is to get a few books from the library. The most expensive is to take a diploma course. The options are there and the one you choose will be dependent on your own situation.

Location is crucial to a successful company. The place you operate from influences your customers' ability to access the product as well as their perception of the brand. You also need to think about health and safety and how the chosen location may alter the way in which your employees do their work. Do not rush into a decision on the building from which you do business.

Raising the capital for this venture is going to be one of the first things for you to deal with. If you have the financial clout to cover all expenses yourself take some time to think about whether you want to commit so much to the enterprise before you sign off. Most new owners will require some outside input either in the form of a loan or a third party investment.

Choose carefully who you go into business with. Starting a new enterprise with close friends might sound like an ideal situation - after all you probably feel you can trust a friend better than an acquaintance when it comes to things like money. This might be true but friendships which become business relationships can turn sour when tough decisions need to be made. Think about whether a personal relationship is likely to help or hinder you further down the line.

You'll also have done some thinking about how to market the product that you are selling. Once again your main conclusions will be down to what the business itself is about and who the customer is. The main piece of advice is to try and think outside of the box. Hiring a marketing company might be quite effective but it might also be a waste of money. If you can come up with something smart in house it could save you a bundle.

Whatever you decide to do, starting your own small business will not be easy. It takes time, planning and effort. As long as you're prepared to put those in, however, you should be able to get your company off the ground.




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