The Ultimate Checklist for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
Are you an aspiring entrepreneur? Have you had a dream for years but fear acting on it? I recently started my own business and had a fantastic experience, so if you want to know the tips I learned along the way, keep reading!
Establish Your WHY
First, ask yourself why you want to start this business. How will you make money? Who is your target audience? What value will you bring to customers?
BEGIN!
START TODAY! If you let the fears and doubts stop you from trying, you’ll never start. Remember the words of Tom Hanks’ character in A League of Their Own, “If it were easy, everyone would do it”.
Even if you are in school, working full-time, taking care of kids, taking care of aging parents, (insert the never-ending excuses that are stopping you here)......it’s POSSIBLE! Stop putting it off! Spend a couple of hours each day and don’t give up. It took me 10 months to launch my business, and for the first 4 months, I woke up everyday thinking it would never work, and on most days, I wanted to quit. Yet, somehow, I found the determination to keep going.
Experience & Certifications
This is the not-so-fun part, but it is extremely crucial. Get the education and certifications that make you stand out from competitors. Get the experience you need, and get a mentor or work under someone that offers what you strive to do.
Tell People!
This may seem like a silly point, but actually going out and telling people about your business idea is easier said than done. To all you perfectionists out there, stop keeping it a secret and trying to make it perfect. Be willing to make yourself vulnerable and make those much-needed connections by sharing your ideas. You will come to find that people in your community understand what’s in demand. They will help you know what to sell and teach you how to advertise yourself. Be willing to listen to the ideas of people in your community- you will learn so much! And who knows, you might even get a customer or two by word of mouth (this actually happened to me)!
Get Connected With An Entrepreneur Center
I immediately began attending start-up workshops at my local entrepreneur center, The Biz Foundry. I had no idea what to expect– I had never done anything like it before. I can truly attest that this was the smartest thing I did during my time of starting a business. The people at the Biz foundry sat down with me, listened to my business idea, but most importantly, they challenged me to find my purpose, my plan, and my audience.
Find Clients
For so long, I was worried about the technical stuff- business license, website, insurance, etc. During my first workshop at The Biz Foundry, I will never forget what the workshop leader mentioned- focus on finding clients first and start getting income. Attend networking events, share on social media, and do everything you can to get those first couple of clients. All of the other little details will soon fall into place!
Ask Questions
I mentioned before to get a mentor or experience working under someone that offers what you strive to do. Funny story- I searched the word “bookkeeping” on Instagram and found InLine Accounting, owned by Adrienne Zimbro in Upland, California. I was impressed with her web and social media presence, so I messaged her with a couple of questions about my new business, telling her how much I admired her page. It turns out, she was needing some additional help with her clients and asked me if I was interested in working for her. I now provide virtual services for 9 clients located in California through her business, and that work experience informed my own personal business.
Launch Your Business
Now it’s time for the technical part! Launching your business can be done in 7 simple steps.
1 - Pick your business name.
2 - Form a legal entity (Sole Proprietorship, LLC, etc)- I recommend hiring a lawyer for this!
3 - Get your business license and permits.
4 - Open a business checking account.
5 - Setup a payment method (Stripe, PayPal, etc).
6 - Setup your own bookkeeping and hire a CPA.
7 - Get insurance.
Branding
This part of the business is important. Branding is how you market your business to your potential and existing clients. This includes your business fonts, colors, logo, website, graphics, and much more. Branding is crucial because you are sending an overall feeling and message to your audience. Let me just say, I am NOT skilled in branding. I hired a fantastic, local team, Foxtrot Branding, to create my branding and website. I can honestly say that it was worth every penny. One of my favorite parts of working with Foxtrot Branding was when they challenged me to think of objections or fears potential clients might have, which they brilliantly turned into a frequently asked question section on my website. I would have never thought of this on my own! Take my advice- hire a professional for branding. It’s extremely rewarding and completely worth it.
You Don’t Have to Be Perfect From the Start
I tend to be a perfectionist and found myself wanting everything instantly, and perfect of course! My head would spin a million miles an hour every day, thinking of all the things I wanted to accomplish. My advice? Slow down, take a deep breath, and focus on one thing at a time, one day at a time. I find it essential to make weekly goals for my business. There are so many little details that waste your time and attention. Weekly goals will help you focus on the most important things. DON’T GIVE UP! I’ll be in the wings, cheering for you!