5 Personal Benefits to Be an Entrepreneur

by Kevin on August 24, 2010

Life is full of regrets–what we could, should and would have done. The average person spends 70% of his or her life working full-time, raising family and wondering if the next paycheck is really worth it in the end.

In today’s world, new technology, the Internet and the ever growing need for innovation has created a boom for the self-made person. More people are beginning to realize they do not have to work for “the man”; they can work for themselves.

But one might think, can I do it? Am I too old or too young to start my own business? There are five reasons why some should make the leap and become an entrepreneur.

1. Live Your Dream Through Your Business
People start businesses for two big reasons: visions of riches or unaccomplished dreams. It’s never too late to discover and pursue one’s passions in life. Entrepreneurship gives one a great excuse to live the dream.

2. Retain Your Youthful Vitality
“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty,” Henry Ford said. It’s just as boring to do nothing, as it is to do something one does not love. Whether in his or her early thirties and stuck in a 9 to 5 or a 60-year-old approaching retirement, a business can make life fun and fulfilling at any age.

3. Make Your Own Money
The money earned is the business owner’s money. People work tirelessly for others only to see a very small fraction of their struggle in a weekly or bi-weekly paycheck. With a business, one has the satisfaction of making money for him or her-self.

4. Be Your Own Boss
Along the same lines of earning one’s own money, business owners can set their own hours, work from wherever they choose and create their own policies.

5. Something to Leave Behind
Starting a business is a great way to provide more opportunities not only for other people, but also for one’s own children. Entrepreneur’s leave behind a heritage or legacy, something one’s family and friends can be proud of.

Making the leap to start your own business is a very risky thing, but it could turn out to make your life that much better and have more meaning. In the end, it’s up to you to decide.

Post to Twitter Tweet This Post

{ 0 comments }

The Best Entrepreneurs Are Marketers

by Kevin on June 22, 2010

What’s the most important quality an entrepreneur needs? Is there a special mixture of traits that the most successful entrepreneurs have?

People talk about a plethora of qualities that entrepreneurs need to succeed. Perseverance, passion, and risk-taking just to name a few. But what really makes businesses succeed? What quality can really bring out the most in a business, making it the best it can be?

That quality my friends, is MARKETING.

As an entrepreneur, the best skill you can have is marketing abilities. And if you’re able to combine your passion with your marketing skills, well that’s quite a potent mix there.

When it comes to things such as business development, anyone can do that with a little perseverance and will to set up all the licenses and such. So why handle that yourself? Find a partner to help with that side of things, allowing you to focus on what really matters: giving your business increased exposure and making it grow 100+ percent.

You Know Your Business the Best
Being the person who built the business means that you understand the in’s and out’s of how everything works. You know your products and how to use them. This gives you all the knowledge you need to promote your business. Making guides and teaching people how to use your service or product is one of the best ways to spread the word about it.

The Others
I know some people are going to say, but I don’t have a degree in marketing. I’ve never marketed anything in my life. What should I do then?

To these people I answer: stop whining and start doing. The easiest and best way to learn how to market is to just start doing whatever you feel is right. While your at it, start reading books by people who have really been there and succeed before. Oftentimes, this leads to many great ideas you can use in your business.

And if you still don’t get the hang of it, try bringing in a person or company how specializes in marketing. Companies like GrowthPartner.com excel in online marketing. Try to find companies that are really good at one thing and use them to make up for any weaknesses of your own.

Remember, there’s no shame in asking for help when starting a business, you may just have to dish out some money in this case.

For small business owners in California, surety bonds can garner more customers and projects. These bonds, which are often overlooked by
busy entrepreneurs, act as risk-mitigation tools that help startup businesses land more one-time contracts or get licensed.

Surety bonds are three-party agreements between a customer, business and surety or insurance company. Basically the surety acts as a third party that holds the customer and the hired business—often contractors—to contractual agreements, laws and regulations. If either party fails to uphold said agreements, the respective party must fulfill them.

There are several types of surety bonds, but performance bonds are commonly purchased. Companies in the technology field often purchase performance bonds to give customers some peace of mind.

Here’s a simple example. Let’s say an IT company gets a <a href=”http://www.suretybonds.com/states/california.html”>surety bond in California</a> for a contracted project. The hiring customer—in this case a building owner—wants a local area network set up. By having the bond, the IT company guarantees that the building owner cannot lose any money. If the IT company bails on the project or fails to meet specifics agreed upon in the contract, then the company must repay its customer. In the rare case that the company cannot afford to do so, the surety company reimburses the customer.

Getting bonded makes it easier to pick up more one-time contracts. But completing those projects will likely develop customer loyalty, advertise by word of mouth and establish a company’s brand even in a large market like California.

Sometimes surety bonds aren’t an option—they’re a necessity. Certain businesses, such as health clubs, construction companies and auto dealers, must be bonded before they are licensed to operate. Laws and regulations vary, but it’s best for entrepreneurs to find out what’s required to receive a business license.

Regardless, being listed and advertised as a bonded business will attract more customers. There’s no better way to tell clients that they’re a priority then offering financial security through a surety bond.

Post to Twitter Tweet This Post

{ 1 comment }

Entrepreneurs Cannot Be Perfectionists

June 10, 2010

Perfectionists, you know, always trying to be perfect!! Examining every single detail and not able to move on unless there are no flaws, even a speck of dust. I’m sure you know of someone like this, or maybe you are this person. Fear not, being a perfectionist doesn’t mean you’re a bad person, maybe just [...]

Read the full article →

7 Ways to Promote Your Startup Offline

May 3, 2010

“Market offline?  Seriously?  Do you think I’m a freakin’ cave man or something?!” Slow your roll faithful readers.  We know, we know, talk of marketing offline is kind of heresy online.  But, how do you think businesses were built pre-1990′s?  (If you answered inefficiently we wouldn’t completely disagree ) All web entrepreneurs (or at least [...]

Read the full article →

No Mistakes = Big Problem

March 8, 2010

If you don’t make mistakes, you’re not working on hard enough problems.  And that’s a big mistake! This was a quote a friend passed on to me recently and it makes good sense when you relate it to being an entrepreneur. Building a business, especially your first one, is a monumental feat. One that comes [...]

Read the full article →

Why You Need To Ask For Help When Starting Your Business

January 5, 2010

As I’m in the process of bringing my first viable business opportunity (not a 10 yard lawn company or small ebay store that is run part-time out of your mother’s basement) to light, I find that being an entrepreneur does not mean that you should be alone. Many times I think that I have to [...]

Read the full article →

New Business Model (The Teaching Startup)

December 28, 2009

With the dawn of the internet, new exciting things are happening that your parents would have never dreamed of. The internet has made it possible for anyone to follow their passion with only hard work and sweat. One of the best business models that the internet caters to is teaching/information. People are searching for answers [...]

Read the full article →

95% of Businesses Fail inside of 2 years (actual stats may vary)

December 23, 2009

But that shouldn’t stop you from starting your own. What if you’re in the 5% (or whatever number it is) that actually does succeed. There’s always more room for startups. And if you’re smart and have the determination to keep fighting then there’s a good chance you could wind up doing what you love doing. [...]

Read the full article →

Welcome to New Entreprenuership

December 4, 2009

Welcome to the inaugural post for Startupbizblog. My name is Kevin, and I started this blog as a resource and community forum for existing and aspiring entrepreneurs alike. One of the keys to success for many long-time entrepreneurs is that they remain, in essence, students of all things small business. From trends and developments to [...]

Read the full article →