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Are You An Entrepreneur? With all the buzz about everybody being an entrepreneur these days wouldn't it be nice if you could really find out if you have what it takes? An Entrepreneur and a Life To Be Remembered I was reminded of my own mortality today. I guess you can say I had a near death experience, though the death I experienced was not my own. My Nemisis Living in the twilight zone has its advantages. In the early days of starting my business, I found the limitations of living in a rural area to be restrictive. However, later I realized that those limitations were not an obstacle that could stop me; they were only a challenge that would strengthen me. Since my business would be smaller, I would have the advantage of fewer employees and less strife in the processes of doing business. Six Degrees of Separation Through just five or six intermediaries, you could be linked to millions of others. It is the notion behind what has been dubbed the small world effect. 10 Secrets of Successful Entrepreneurs Running a one-person business is a creative, flexible and challenging way to become your own boss and chart your own future. It is about creating a life, as it is about making a living. It takes courage, determination and foresight to decide to become an entrepreneur. From the relatively safe cocoon of the corporate world, where paychecks arrive regularly, you will be venturing into the unchartered territories of business. Walt Disneys Failures Could Inspire Entrepreneurs You are a struggling entrepreneur and sometimes it feels like you are pushing a 3 ton boulder up a steep hill. Costs keep mounting and you are considering giving up. Well before you do, check out these 10 setbacks that Walt Disney had, some were financial nightmares that put him millions of dollars in the red: Create Your Entrepreneur Dream Team I hear it all the time. "What should I do about . . .?" As a business owner you're faced with the daunting task of making all the decisions that affect your business. Should I remain a sole proprietor, become an LLC or is an S Corp better? Should I start using an electronic PDA or stick with my trusty, but out-dated, Day Runner? In what direction should I take my marketing? Is the color right on this logo? PC or Mac? Paper or plastic? Aargh! Big decisions. Little decisions. It can be overwhelming, especially when you consider how each decision has a bearing on the success of your business. Answering Why You, Why Now Critical in a Winning Business Plan Business plans continue to be an essential element of the capital-raising process. They must convince investors to take notice ? investors that are shrewder today due to the ups-and-downs they have experienced over the past few years. Mobile Car Washing Long Term Opportunities in the Market The long-term outlook for the Mobile Car Washing industry is positive. It is ripe for savvy company to develop regionally or nationally to dominate the market. Currently in the mobile car wash industry there is no well-known companies as is the case with other service businesses such as Domino's Pizza, Midas Muffler, Thrifty Rent-A-Car, and Jiffy Lube. These companies will be able to develop revenues and market share sufficient to sustain franchisees as local leaders in their fields. The Mobile Car Washing Industry awaits a company, which can standardize the industry and allow for consumers to know what to expect. Solo Mojo for Solo Entrepreneurs --- Where?s Your Juice? I recently read a magazine article about Andrew, a 42-year old businessman. He gave up a demanding law practice in the Northeast, moved South to launch a new furniture and interior-design store, and wrote his first fiction novel in the midst of that transition. He persevered with his passion for writing, buoyed by the love and support of his family, by drafting ten pages daily for two years. Since the completion of his novel, he started a new advertising business and is co-authoring a non-fiction tale on top of his other interests. Prescription for the Future and Technological Revolutions The world sure has changed in the last two-decades hasn't it? When I started out in business, there were no cell phones, fax machines, computers, etc. And I am not that old, having just retired at age 40. Indeed, in the better part of two-decades everything changed. And it is still changing and moving along. What will the next two-decades bring? You can probably figure it out with a little thought and watching the trends, new discoveries and think of what kinds of things the military, health care, entertainment and government industries will want. I recommend this book which foretold much of what we see now about a decade before we had it: The Deal is in the Details What Startups Need to Get a Business Loan, Part 2 Outcomes - Thats What You Need to Focus On Successful business owners and managers need to be very clear about what outcomes they want. Whether you call them goals, objectives or targets, these are the factors that you're ultimately judged on. Outcomes determine whether your business is a success or a failure. The Heroic Entrepreneur: Profiting from Your Brilliance If you look up the definition of hero in Webster's, you'll find a definition something like, 'A person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life: soldiers and nurses who were heroes in an unpopular war'. Some heroes in our lives have earned that badge of honor by doing something everyone feels is heroic as defined in the traditional sense, whether it's running into a burning building to rescue a child, pulling an injured woman from a car accident, or fighting the enemy in the time of war. Business Development: The Basic Ingredients Cooking isn't much different than building a business. You have the basic ingredients all laid out on the counter and if you put them together in the right way - you have a nice meal to nourish your heart, body, and soul - and the pocket too. With a little creativity, it even comes out looking pretty too. Oil Change Guys History; Part IV One trait of franchisors and something you will find in all their biographies both; official and unofficial is their competitiveness and refusal to give up. Now onto Part IV of our saga: Business Planning Overview The successful entrepreneur is generally more inclined, once a business idea is selected, to sharpen the concept by a detailed planning process. The result of this step is a comprehensive business plan, with its major components being the marketing "mix," the strategic plan, operational and logistical structures, and the financial proposal. The purpose of the business plan is to recognize and define a business opportunity, describe how that opportunity will be seized by the management team, and to demonstrate that the business is feasible and worth the effort. Why Every Student Should Start a Business With the economic downturn, students in all the major business schools have been dropping out of their entrepreneurship classes and transferring back to classes where they think they have a secure future. Students and professionals who were once planning to start businesses now have decided to go back to their cushy jobs. Everything is going back to normal. Or at least that is how it looks. Below are nine reasons why any student should start a business:You gain experience. Owning and running your own business is an incredible way to gain experience and credentials regardless of whether you decide to stay in business once you graduate. Jaime Gonzalez of Oklahoma State University received the highest job offer in his entire graduating class. Now, there are two kickers: First, he was the founder of an IT consulting company, and second, he had a 2.4 GPA. Hmmm...I wonder if starting a business helps in getting a better job when you graduate? You have nothing to lose. I think it's safe to say that most students dip into their parents' checkbook when it comes time to pay the bills. In general, students aren't paying child support, rent, utilities and many other expenses. The worst thing that could happen if your business fails is that you get a job, have an incredible credential on your resume, and have experience that will increase your chances of success in the future. The best thing that can happen is that you'll become the next Microsoft. I don't know about you, but I think that is better than choosing between no job and jobs that you're in just for the money. Two-thirds of millionaires are entrepreneurs, according to Thomas Stanley and William Dank, authors of The Millionaire Mind. If it's the money you want, then consider entrepreneurship. You receive not only a salary, but also a lot of money if you're lucky enough to sell your company or take it public. Michael Furdyk, a successful young entrepreneur, was able to sell his business, MyDesktop.com, for $1 million when he was 16 years old! You develop networking skills. You've likely heard that your network increases your net worth. Consider the fact that by running a business and constantly being in a business community, you will develop excellent contacts. If you choose to get a job after you graduate, you will have a great pool of people who will be more than happy to hire you or send your resume to somebody who wants to. You increase your value. Put simply, starting a business in college increases the value of "the brand called you" and gives you more options. For example, an entrepreneur with a large brand value can publish a book, star in a documentary movie (i.e., Startup.com), or go straight to the top of another company. I recently met one of the founders of Diversity Planet, a job site for minorities. He spent a year working very hard on the company and has since left to take a reporting job with Dateline NBC at the ripe age of 20! People don't often don't get an opportunity like that until they are much older. Operating a profitable business in the long term is less risky than being an employee in the long term. For example, just look at the recent economic downturn. Tens of thousands of people have been laid off. I can guarantee the owners of profitable businesses are still with the business. They will be the last people to go down with a ship. Business owners can have multiple streams of incomes from different customers. If you're an employee, you only have one stream of income and therefore are bearing more risk. You will learn more about yourself and what they don't teach or prepare you for in school. Furthermore, entrepreneurship is the combination of all the disciplines of business. It includes knowledge of marketing, accounting, management and operations. Already having knowledge of these topics before you take classes on them allows you to see more clearly how everything applies. Also, you will be able to learn early-on what subjects you like so you can make better decisions on what to major in and what industries to target. It is yours. You make the rules, create your own hours, work from wherever you want and choose who you want to work with. You can also pick what interests you the most in the world and then start a business that is related to that topic in some way. If you like art, you can start a design business. If you like marketing, you can create or choose a product and then market it. If you like writing, you can write a book and do your own public relations and marketing. If you like the Internet, you can start a Web development business. You'll grow. I personally have grown a lot from owning a business. I used to be terrified to speak in front of others. Now I look forward to it. Before owning a business, I had probably read a total of five books outside of school, and I only read them because my mom made me. Since starting my business, I've probably read more than 100 books. The business has also allowed me to learn more about myself. I know that I will be an entrepreneur forever in some way, shape or form! The Risks of Entrepreneurship The "spark" for many entrepreneurs is seeing an opportunity that doesn't yet exist. Ted Turner, for example, launched CNN because he perceived that people wanted more television news than they were being offered. It took a lot of patience on Turner's part to realize the vision, but he had read the market in a way that few "experts" did at the time. Boundary Setting 101 for Solo Entrepreneurs Select the best response to the statement below:
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