 |
  |
|
Key Terms
Questions
Activities
Questions and Answers on Small BusinessMost people think that you have to be innovative when, in fact, you really have to be imitative. Find people who have already succeeded at doing what you want to do, and imitate them. When you try to be innovative you double your work. As an innovator, you first have to convince people that they need your innovation and then you have to convince them to buy that innovation from you. Use imitation to start and establish your business and you'll have plenty of opportunities to be innovative later, with a lot less risk. You may think that opening a diet center for overweight pets is a good idea, but if you can't find anyone in the history of mankind who has ever succeeded at this business, be careful. The more mainstream your business idea, the easier it will be to find successful businesses to clone and to become successful yourself. Why don't more people go into business for themselves? They listen to the negative advice of others rather than reaching an informed decision of their own. Starting a business involves risk and hard work. Friends and family who haven't researched your business may well advise you to take a more conventional and conservative career path and work for someone else. Be safe. Don't risk. Now, co-workers or others who might be jealous of your career plans might be equally negative and skeptical of your idea. The result is that most people in this circumstance will procrastinate rather than act. The answer is to do the research, get the facts, and act accordingly. If you want to open a gift shop, then take six months to learn everything that there is to know about gift shops. Find the best gift shops in your area, visit them, and spend time with the owners. Volunteer to work for a few days. Build a network. Join the gift shop association. Find the best suppliers and visit them. Talk to everybody you meet about when and how and where they buy gifts. Then, you will be able to meet any and all objections with facts. Or, you might now be smart enough to realize that the objections were valid, and you can turn your attention elsewhere. What's a good business to go into today? There are 5,000 different types of small businesses. You can make a comfortable living, and realize your long term financial objectives, with most of them. The business that you choose doesn't matter. Find people who are already successfully doing what you want to do and model yourself after them. The Chinese have a saying, "Do something that you love and you'll never have to work again." So, why not start looking at business opportunities based on a talent, interest, or skill that you may have, and you may find yourself loving every (work) day. Of course, the opposite is also true. If you can't find people who have ever been successful at doing what it is that you want to do, then be cautious. Make that very, very cautious. Booksby Art Beroff, Inc Entrepreneur Media (1999) (358 pages) In addition to listing dozens of small-business financing solutions (including some that are often overlooked), this easy-to-follow guide takes readers through every step of financing their business, from deciding which financing solutions are best for their business to sure-fire tips and techniques for applying for loans, attracting investors and getting the financing they need. Whiz Teens in Business : Enjoy Yourself While Making Money!: A Simple and Complete Guide for Teenagers to Starting and Managing Their Small Business (1999) (269 pages) This is a book for young entrepreneurs who want to start a small business or who have started their small business and would like more information and tools to help them achieve a higher level of success. It covers technical and managerial aspects of business, from basic skills to management and communication skills, specifically applied to the teenage situation. Winning Communications Strategies : How Small Businesses Master Cutting-Edge Technology to Stay Competitive, Provide Better Service and Make More Money by Jeffrey Kagan (1997) (240 pages) A clearly written guide for small companies that want to improve customer service and employee relations by utilizing fax-on-demand, intranets, video conferencing, and other cutting-edge technologies. By citing examples from the real business world, the book shows how smaller firms can effectively integrate many of today's most advanced telecommunications tools to increase their accessibility and thus boost sales while improving productivity. Discussions on e-commerce and telecommuting are included, as are resources for further information and a glossary of terms. Small Business For Dummies by Eric Tyson, Jim Schell: (1998) (408 pages) From drafting your business plan to managing costs to maintaining the competitive-edge, you'll profit from the hands-on advice and real-world examples covering every aspect of starting, running, and building your own successful business. Anatomy of a Business Plan : A Step-By-Step Guide to Starting Smart, Building the Business and Securing Your Company's Future (3rd Edition) by Linda Pinson, Jerry Jinnett (Contributor): (1996) (224 pages) Packed with resources, sample forms, worksheets, examples, and two fully developed actual plans, you'll find all the tools you need to start and stay on the success track. 10 Commandments of Small-Business Success by Marguerite Kirk: (1999) (187 pages) Kirk has seen a clear pattern in business missteps. And she has taken that knowledge and condensed it into 10 "commandments" every small-business owner must follow. Within these pages, you will learn: Whether self-employment is a prescription for success or failure for you; - The importance of a business plan and how to write one; - How to solve cash-flow troubles; - How to turn business failure into success; - And much, much more! 1001 Ways to Market Yourself and Your Small Business by Lisa Angowski Rogak Shaw: (1997) (256 pages) Will teach you how to advertise and promote effectively, easily and inexpensively - and show you how to custom-tailor a marketing plan that suits your business's specific needs. You will learn the art of advertising on the Internet, creating direct mailings that have an impact, utilizing free or inexpensive marketing tactics, networking effectively, placing long-lasting advertisements, creating dazzling press kits, and making the most of trade shows. 155 Legal Do's (And Dont's) for the Small Business by Paul Adams: (1996) (239 pages) Written by a practicing attorney, this is the small business owner's quick-access guide to 155 major legal do's and don'ts in such areas as forms of business, hiring and firing, financing, intellectual property, computers, litigation, and more. Features a reader-friendly format ideal for the legal layperson. It clearly and thoroughly discusses each potential problem--both in terms of what is legally sound and what is decidedly not. 201 Great Ideas for Your Small Business by Jane Applegate: (1998) (377 pages) Jane Applegate is one of the country's leading authorities and writers on small business. This book puts the subject of small business into perspective and spells out the do's and don'ts...including an extensive resource section. Solid new approaches for managing, organizing, and promoting a more successful enterprise. 
Starting your business
Go to Lesson Two1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6Index
|
|
 |
© Copyright 1994-2008, American Success Institute. The Action Principles® is a registered trademark of the American Success Institute. We are a nonprofit research, publishing, and educational corporation headquartered in Natick, Massachusetts. |
 |