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Business on a Budget
by Tina Shaw
Many entrepreneurs believe that you need hundreds or even thousands of dollars to get a start in small business. The truth of the matter is that you need not much more than a good idea and lots of contacts and resources.
First things first though, let’s get down to basics:
• Know what you want to do – stepping blindly into the business arena without a plan is suicide. Formulate your idea, research, look at statistics and know exactly where you want your business to go and grow into.
• Be passionate – if you don’t LOVE what you are doing, then everything (meaning family) will fall in a heap around you. Balancing your work life with your family is an amazing juggling act worthy of a 3 ring Circus – but if you are passionate about your work, you will be able to integrate it into your life much easier.
• Shamelessly self promote – I harp on about this endlessly, but there it is… If you don’t get out there and promote your business through every means possible, then you are doing yourself a disservice. Promote through passive marketing (flyers on noticeboards), networking (online groups and in person) and to the media. Start off locally and then spread your wings to the national and even international arena. Please note: make your story sound newsworthy and not like an advertisement, or you will be sent advertising rates and that is definitely NOT what you want.
• Get yourself a Mentor – someone who can cheer you on when things are going great and hold your hand when the going gets tough. I can’t stress enough how important it is to have someone in your life (who has been there and done that) who can help you in your business journey. Just having a person you admire and respect to run things by and talk to, is worth its wait in gold.
Now what you need to do is get out there, work hard and believe in yourself. You can achieve amazing things in the business world – after all, you have soldiered through child birth – you can do anything.
Go get ‘em!
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