Tag: business

5 Tips I Wish I Knew Before Starting My Business

When I started my business six years ago, I didn’t know where to start. Here’s what I learned that can help other aspiring entrepreneurs.

At the very beginning of my entrepreneurial career, I remember wondering how to begin and what steps to take in order to kickstart my business. My niche was, and still is, software development and WordPress — while I had plenty of skills and knowledge in the field, I figured out I had to upgrade my business establishment education.

Now, six years into business ownership, I decided it’s time for me to share some useful tips on starting a small-to-medium enterprise. I hope this enlightens an aspiring entrepreneur’s path, making the whole process of running a business smoother and a lot less turbulent.

Establishing a business can be a lot trickier than you expect

Once we feel confident enough in our skills and expertise in any given business niche, it’s quite normal for the entrepreneurial planning to hit in:

  • What if I manage to deliver dazzling services and products for the customers?
  • What if I succeed at establishing a company that will quickly create a name for itself in the industry?
  • How hard can it be exactly?

Those are all common questions the majority of aspiring entrepreneurs have at the very beginning of their exciting yet challenging business journey. My job here is not to discourage you by stating that owning a business is tricky — quite the opposite, actually. The tricky part of the process makes it even more enticing and worth your time and energy. It all comes to having the proper mindset and a good plan, to begin with.

We must have in mind that sometimes the excitement can blur our judgment for a moment and make us underestimate the business establishment process. And while I believe the trial-and-error approach to things is quite valuable since we learn from our mistakes, I also think that having the fundamentals in mind can help us improve from the get-go and kickstart our company in the best way possible.

I often hear a rather peculiar misconception: A small business is easier to be maintained than a big one. But that’s not the case.

A business is a business, regardless of its employees or subdivisions count. You’d still have clients, interviews, projects, need for finding the perfect leadership style, meetings, workshops, workload distribution, etc. My advice would be not to fall victim to the idea that a small company does not require a lot of work — it does and, more often than not, it requires even more.

So, without further ado, let’s discuss five smart business tips that would help you establish your enterprise successfully.

1. Craft your name, purpose and mission first

Come up with a great business identity first. You’d want to start working on your brand’s credibility right from the start — that’s important so that clients would soon link your company directly to professionalism and success.

But in order for you to do so, you need to be very clear about what your company represents. So take a moment (or months) and come up with a detailed vision of your future company. Does its name tell the potential customer what this business is all about? Or is it short, precise and easy to remember? What your business’s message to the people would be? Have you thought about a logo? How would you communicate your brand’s identity with your potential customers?

Those are all questions you absolutely need to find the answer to prior to starting your business. It’s called business strategy.

2. Think in advance about your digital presence

Nowadays, almost every business establishes a place for itself online. Don’t miss your chance to receive all those likes, shares and mentions. Besides, the majority of clients these days look up a business online first — buy a domain, find an expert to build your website and hire marketing professionals to come up with a great social media plan.

3. Pay attention to your initial investments

Don’t forget that a business always requires investing: money, effort and energy. When we refer to the financial aspect of this, it’s important for you to prepare in advance — engage in thorough research so you know the money you’ll be needing, at least in the very beginning.

Source: https://www.entrepreneur.com/starting-a-business/5-tips-i-wish-i-knew-before-starting-my-business/435287

WORK WAYS I’m an etiquette expert – tacky things you should never say, do or wear at work & some are pretty common

THE time has come when many of us are returning to our cubicles and retiring our home offices.

With communal office spaces comes a certain expectation of behaviors.

etiquette expert Jacqueline Whitmore
Jacqueline Whitmore specializes in business etiquetteCredit: Amalie Orrange
Jacqueline Whitmore
She said to never send an email when you’re upset or worked upCredit: Getty

Etiquette expert and author Jacqueline Whitmore—who founded the business etiquette consulting firm The Protocol School of Palm Beach—spoke to The Sun about proper office conduct and what’s considered tacky.

EMAILS
In the workforce, the primary form of communication is via email.

Employees, especially young ones, often second guess their email writing skills and wonder whether they’re being too casual or too formal.

As for etiquette, Whitmore says the first email should always have a greeting like “Hello,” “Dear,” or “Good morning.”

“And 99.9% of the time, it’s ok to use the first name only,” Whitmore adds.

“Here in the US specifically, it’s much more casual and everyone is on a first-name basis with their bosses even.

“So, unless someone addresses you by Mr. or Ms. in their first email—which might mean there is a level of formality that should be maintained until you get to know one another—it’s fairly safe to say that you can use their first name.”

She says you can also pick up on certain cues—like if someone signs off their emails by including their last name, that’s a sign to address them by their surname.

Another email etiquette tip to remember: Never send an email when you’re angry.

“Don’t send off a hot email. You need to simmer down, think about what you’re writing, read it, reread it, print it out. Let it sit and maybe have someone else look it over first.”

She adds that it’s in poor taste to not return an email or neglect following up after you said you would.

CUBICLE TALK
Because most offices involve cubicles or open floor plans, your coworkers are privy to much of what you’re doing at your desk.

Whitmore says there are a few guidelines to follow.

Don’t eat smelly foods at your desk.

Don’t put people on speakerphone, even if it is a work call.

“And I know personal calls can’t be avoided all the time, but try to keep them to a minimum and don’t speak so loudly when on these calls because no one wants to hear your business.”

She also says she’s received complaints about employees removing their shoes at their desk. Don’t be that person.

Source: https://www.the-sun.com/lifestyle/5411809/etiquette-expert-tacky-never-say-do-work-common/

Exploring the Ten Habits of Being a Successful Entrepreneur

Winning as an entrepreneur depends on embracing certain best practices.

The sports world is full of examples of athletes who credit their success to winning habits. They might be the first one to practice and the last to leave, for example. Or they might have a specific athletic trainer they work with in the off-season.

Personal success can also benefit from winning habits as Steven Covey illustrated in his monster best-seller, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.

Successful Entrepreneur

The same certainly holds true in the world of entrepreneurs. Those who establish and maintain good habits will enjoy boundless success. I recently thought about the habits that have led to my success as well the success of other entrepreneurs and sought to put pen to paper. Here they are:

Take action: I’m sure no one is surprised that this is my opening salvo on the list, given my affection for the mantra of “Ready, Fire, Aim.” Nothing gets done or goes anywhere unless one acts. Make this a daily practice, not only when it comes to starting a business, but also in your daily execution – selling to prospects, identifying partners and expanding into new markets.

Use Google Docs or some other file-sharing service: Gathering all material from every imaginable source and placing it all in a Google Docs folder is a successful habit. This keeps one’s project(s) at “top of mind” and allows easy access to all pertinent material and info on one’s project(s). This is true collaboration at its finest.

Wake up early: Even if you don’t go to the office, assemble your thoughts in as peaceful an environment as possible over your morning coffee (or tea) and let your mind decide what your priorities should be for that day and beyond. If you can, partake in some morning sun before you go to work. Studies are increasingly showing that it can promote restful sleep later that night.

Prioritize: There are some tasks we are excited about and some we are not. It’s human nature. That’s why it is important to list them in order of priority, and go down the list in that order. It’s the perfect way to make your business a priority and not let unfounded fears or ego interrupt that success.

Be willing to listen and learn from others: This is especially true if they have experience in your industry or an area that you want to expand into. Too often, we reside in a bubble, thinking we have all the answers. We don’t. Everyone has something to offer, and we cannot remain isolated in our thinking. What’s more, I recommend that with everyone you meet by chance, consider what you might learn from them. This is a great practice that will serve you well down the road.

Read everything related to your industry: Whether it is The Wall Street Journal, or Entrepreneur, there is something for you to take from every issue that is relevant to your business. This doesn’t stop with traditional media, either. Track posts on LinkedIn and your competitors’ blogs, too. Get your hands on relevant information, so you can make the best possible decision.

Set up calls with other entrepreneurs you respect and can learn from, even if they are not in your business: You never know when one of their successful habits might work for you and make you a more polished entrepreneur. Act like you are a reporter, and ask them what has been the secret to their success.

Be nice to yourself: Spoil yourself with a walk in nature, or get a deep tissue massage or maybe a leisurely brunch. You work hard. If you don’t take care of your body and soul, no one else is going to do it for you. Take time to recharge your batteries. This is a great way to stay on track and take your business to the next level.

Bring your valued employees and contractors to you: As the pandemic has shown us, we can work remotely and execute as needed. But there is no substitute for bringing your team together every now and then. Some of the best ideas will emerge in face-to-face communications at the office, and even better, at a leisurely dinner. This also holds true for customers and clients. Create a gathering for them, and learn what makes them tick, so you can take those learnings and attract more such customers.

Use other people’s money, if you can: What I have found, is that you will run out of your own money long before you run out of great ideas that need capital. Money is cheaper than ever if you are willing to go the unconventional route or embrace the alternative funding community. Be open to it.

Source: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/423658

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