A friend with two college degrees and 12
years service in the military was recently unemployed for over 8 months
because he didn’t want to settle for minimum wage or factory work. It’s
rough out there. If you’re in same boat, why not try your hand at
starting your own business? Here are some tips to get you started.
Myths about starting your own business
• You need a lot of money to start a
business. False! Depending on the type of business you choose, you may
be able to get started with no upfront investment. Work with what you
have and upgrade as your finances allow. You don’t always have to go
into debt to start a business.
• You don’t have what it takes to start
and run your own business. False! The majority of people have some set
of profitable skills that can be turned into a business. If you’re
crafty, sell handmade greeting cards and invitations. Got mad grammar
skills? Try tutoring kids or editing term papers for college students.
Love to paint? Offer your services to
those who are remodeling or approach your local church about getting
paid to paint the homes of elderly parishioners. Like to read? Write
book reviews for a publishing company. Got a computer? Try out freelance
work as a virtual assistant. Clean houses. Pull weeds. Type reports.
Sell stuff on eBay. Find something you know how to do, then work on
getting paid for doing it. There are many ways to earn more money.
• I need to invest my time in looking
for work, not starting a business. FALSE! You can still look for a day
job while you work for yourself. You’ll be bringing in enough money to
get by until a day job comes through, or you might just find you like
being your own boss better. Freelance instead of going all out. Partner
with others in a similar field to help balance your workload when your
schedule needs a lighter load. It can be done.
• I have health problems and can’t work a
business. FALSE! If you have a sufficient IQ (i.e. if you’re reading
this) you can work. I once had a patient whose body was so severely
deformed; she could only move her head. She lived with severe pain every
day and needed assistance to care for herself, but she still went to
work every day! She earned two college degrees online, and worked as a
customer service rep with the help of a headset and motorized
wheelchair. If she can work, you have no excuse. You don’t have to sit
at home and feel useless.
How to start a business
While there is a wealth of information available about starting a business, my advice is to start small.
Look into the tax implications,
government regulations, and safety considerations for your chosen field.
Making sure your business is legal and vital. Next, learn as much as
you can about your industry. Network with others, visit websites and
blogs, and the local library.
Find out what community resources are
available to help you in starting and running your business. Lastly,
learn about basic marketing. Marketing applies to nearly everything in
life, and learning how to effectively present ideas, products, and
services to the public is a must if your business is to succeed.
Everything else can come later, as time and money allows.
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