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Ways to Make Money – The Small Biz Solution

Are you tired of jumping from job to job and having to continue the search for employment? With the economy as tough as it is and more and more companies having to downsize maybe it’s time you start a small business?  Yes, start your own business and get out of the rat race!

So open up your mind for a few minutes and let’s look at a few of the options available to you.

There are ways to make money online, ways to make money from home and ways to make money through traditional methods and channels. It’s just a matter of doing a little research and then making the decision to follow through and get started.

One of my recommendations is to not go it alone, leave the guess work behind and get your business up and running as soon as possible! That way you can start bringing in income sooner than later and not have to stay out there in the job world. 

So you’ll need to find people who specialize in business startups and can help and assist you with all the questions and answers that you need to get going fast!

Now before you get all excited and jump out of your skin – I need you to calm down, come back down to earth and ask yourself a few questions.

So start typing or grab a pen and paper…

Step #1 – How much do you need to make every month after taxes to pay your bills and cover all your expenses? This figure is very important to know up front so I suggest you write it down and know what it is.

Step #2 – How much money do you have on hand to invest in your new business? Nothing? $500, $1000, $5000? This is one of the most important questions you need to ask because all businesses take money to start up and operate. No matter what you’ve heard from the ‘peanut gallery’, it will take money to cover the costs associated with starting a business. So stop looking for ways to cut corners and figure out how much you are willing to invest in your business.

Step #3 – What do you really enjoy and is there a market out there that is not being served or taken care of that you can fill through a small business? My big tip for you is to do something that you really enjoy or at least have an interest in. Why? Because the last thing you want to do is be in a business that you dislike or have no interest in. So take the time to do the research and be prepared to invest an evening or two to find out what your potential market looks like. This way you’ll be able to see if there are unmet needs that you can fill through your business.

Once you answered all of the above then you should have a better idea about what you are going to provide. Will it be a service? A physical tangible product? Will you sell it online or offline or both? Will it be marketed to consumers or businesses? And the list will inevitably grow.

In closing…

Like I mentioned earlier – there are lots of different ways to make money – but owning a small business is one of the best ways, if you like to call the shots and run your own show.

Always remember – to start a business is one thing…to keep it going is entirely another story. And with that I’ll close for today and let you review the three tips above and get started on your research.

Dave Krygier 
Publisher

PS – If a small business sounds like it’s right up your alley and you need some guidance, check in with the SmallBiz Mechanic and get going in the right direction.

 

The Entrepreneurial Quest

What better way to start Independence Day here in the USA than with a post about Entrepreneurialism and the Entrepreneurial Quest.

I love spending time with other small business owners who have the entrepreneurial spirit. They have that gleem in their eyes, are excited about life and their chosen adventure. There’s never a dull moment and they usually know where they are headed.

Having worked in small business for over 26 years and grown up in a household that was small business oriented I’ve had the entre-bug since I was a little kid. It’s a bug that attached itself when I was eight years old and has been a permanent resident ever since.

It doesn’t matter if you are just looking to start your first business or happen to be in the early stages, the entrepreneurial spirit is one that is hard to squash and it can be addictive.

You either have it or you don’t.

The entrepreneurial quest is one that many have chosen to take, yet there are some who just don’t make the journey and decide to head back to the safety of the corporate blanket or business that provides some sense of comfort and security.

Those that choose the path of The Entrepreneurial Quest may have to pave their own path, Think Outside the Box, beat their own drum and provide food and shelter while weathering multiple storms.

Freedom doesn’t come free and neither does The Entrepreneurial Quest. It is not a journey for all people as some are just not cut out to be in business for themselves.

For those that do choose the road to Independence from the corporate work a day world – The Entrepreneurial Quest might just be the journey worth looking into.

It won’t be easy and they’ll be ups and downs like a roller coaster, but the journey will be one that only you can take and make a difference should you choose to stay the course.

To your entrepreneurial quest, should you choose to venture out and start the journey.

Dave Krygier
“The Small Biz Mechanic”

 

To Start a Business – The Home Based Model

Ever since my first business dealings selling flowers in front of the candy store in New York I’ve always been intrigued with small business. From flowers to pottery to newspapers to yard work to music to game rooms to advertising to rentals to advertising again… And then add in 10 years of sales and consulting to the mix.

Oh and by the way – the sales part started at about 9 years of age and has continued for over 35 years.

As of this writing I say 25 plus years but in reality it goes back 10 or more years to child- hood. You see my Dad always wanted his own business and from the time I can remember  he had something going on the side. He was either underfunded or didn’t have the right product or timing. The only venture that took off was the one he and my Mom started but then they divorced and she kept the business.

Boy have I had one heck of a journey in small business and since 1985 I’ve operated home based businesses side by side with off-site offices, warehouses and store front operations.

This leads to the questions about starting your home based business…

The questions arise – to start a business or not start a business and should you get started out of your home or setup an office or off-site facility somewhere else?

These are questions you really need to ask yourself and any partners who will be involved with you in your new enterprise.

Starting up a new business can be very exciting, emotional and some what of a roller coaster so be prepared, because if you are going to start a business and it’s You Inc, then consider starting it out of your home. This way you will keep your overhead low and be able ramp up without being tied into an office or building lease and all the additional expenses.

To start a business out of your home is much easier than the overhead headache of starting out with an office where you have to rent or lease. You can realize your dream, run your own show and live in the land of the self employed while allowing for flexibility of coming and going without limitations.

The bottom line is that you want to start with low overhead, minimize your expenses and maximum your ROI (return on investment). One of the best ways to do this is through a virtual office and virtual phone number.

In addition make sure that your legal house is in order, finances are in place and your business blueprint is completed before you open the doors. More importantly make sure that you are committed for the long-haul and are willing to do what it takes to get your business off the ground and up and running.

Operating your own business out of the home can make for a great life but you should have rules and guidelines for your home based business. And these rules should allow for flexibility but also maximize your time and productivity.

So now it’s time to get to work on your small business blueprint and remodel that ole bedroom into your world headquarters.

To your small business success,

Dave Krygier
Publisher

SmallBiz Mechanix 

 

Small Business Startup – Time to Move On

At a certain point during your small business start-up you will realize that your plan is working, kind of working or not working at all.

To start a business is one thing. To keep it going and have it succeed, let alone make a profit is entiely another story and that’s what I’m going to dig into today.

Like I mentioned in my earlier post, it’s best to find mentors to guide you along the way, especially if you have never been in business before. Find other seasoned business owners that are willing to help and assist you so you can avoid icebergs, sharks, barracuda, jellyfish and all the other hazards that could sink your new enterprise.

The earlier you find these people the better.

Because a small business startup take time, perseverance and a willingness to do whatever it takes.  But without a plan and guidance, you might find yourself back in a job with the other percentage of folks who didn’t make it.

And now we’ll continue with the startup saga of the Two Jacks and Dave…

This story continues where we left off in part two – Beyond the Startup.

After the initial opening of the business and settling in we leased an office we couldn’t afford. This was a mistake and cost us dearly because we then had to move the office into my partners Mother’s home.  Boy was this humbling and an experience that I will never forget.

Fortunately for me I was very young, flexible and had tons of energy but the agency/management/product business was fledgling, underfunded, unfocused and not going to make it, unless serious changes were made.

Believe it or not this was a really great experience for me. Both the hard lessons learned and connections made were worth it, although at the time I can say it was quite stressful and led me to living in a hallway for $50 a month.

Talk about a hit to the self image. VP of Ad agency living in hallway – that’s what a client wants to know….NOT!

Anyways -we looked and searched for funding, but no takers arrived. I funded some of our dealings with my credit cards and ended up paying these off over a period of years. It’s a nice reminder of your mistakes and misdealings when you go to pay a bill every month for a few years.

Time to Pull The Plug…

At the point where I realized it was time to move on, it was almost too late, but I got out just in time. Instead of sticking it out I decided to move on and start anew, and start anew I did, but in a totally different small-business venture that again included family.

This was painful but proved to be the right move at the time. I needed stability and could not move forward with my existing business partner.

The downside of the split was that Uncle Jack had to pay off the bank and neither of us had enough cash to pay off Uncle Jack. This led to Uncle Jack’s kids coming after Dave and then Dave had to take an advance on a credit card to pay off his distant relatives.

Sound like fun? If not, then avoid the pitfalls and road blocks in your start-up by taking advantage of these points:

1. Have solid partnership agreements in place, even if it’s family. Make sure to have your legal  house in order, no matter what the potential partner says. Because when it comes to money or debt or liabilities, you could end up holding the notes like I did.

2. If you have a vision for your business and the market is ripe… Pursue and stick to your vision like GLUE!  Just like we should have with the ‘On Hold Product’ that we produced.

3. Like I said in the beginning of this post – FIND Mentors and people who will guide and help you along the way. It may take a month or two or three but it will be worth it.

Enjoy the journey…because it’s the only one you have.

Dave Krygier
Publisher

Secrets of the Tiny Store

 

 

 

 

Beyond the Small Business Startup

The story continues as Dave and the two Jacks move forward in their small business start-up. Maybe you missed part one in the continuing saga. If you did – check out my post Start Up a Business Now and you’ll see where the story began.

To bring you up to speed, the agency business was started by the two Jacks and myself. This was back in the late 1980’s, pre-Internet, when the fax was a mainstay for business communication and Motorola brick phones were a big deal for small business guys like us.

I left off with my Uncle coming into review the books the first week, but we had barely finished setting up our little office and the loan money hadn’t been in the checking account
for more than a few days. It was awkward and the other Jack was a night owl who didn’t function well in the morning.

We did have a plan and networked like crazy, but my Uncle Jack(the loan cosigner) didn’t see the ‘big bucks’ rolling in immediately, so he pulled out within months.

The good news was that we started to bring in a few accounts and cash flow picked up, but not enough to sustain both of us and the business.

So what did we do?

Like all determined small business owners starting out ….(well, maybe not all)…we started a management division and started managing musicians.  Oh boy was that a roller coaster and that took our focus off the agency.

Then we developed a marketing product for the telephone. It was one of the earliest ‘on hold marketing programs called ‘Marketing On-Hold’ and this started to take off but we didn’t focus on it.  Clue here for you my friend – if something you are doing starts to take off and grow – WATER AND FERTILIZE!

What’s sad about this story is that the MOH product really had the potential to be a big hit for the fledging little agency and initial testing proved that the product was sound and that there was a market for it. But the partners didn’t agree or focus on it long enough. This along with not doing our legal homework brought a lethal blow to the new product and our future together.

Now I could go on and on about the details – crossing the T’s and dotting the I’s, but know this – the lack of attention to detail cost us dearly.

So pay close attention to the details before, during and after your small business startup and find mentors and coaches who will guide you along the way. I know this sounds elementary but the details and guidance are very important. This way you will minimize the bumps in the road and have less repairs to make along the journey.

Stay tuned for the continuing saga about the Two Jacks and Dave. It’s worth the read.

Dave Krygier
Publisher

Secrets of The Tiny Store 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Startup a Business Now!

Have you got the bug to startup a business now?  Gotta get outa your job and be your own boss? Run your own show and call the shots?

Maybe it’s time you got started on your way and put your dream into motion and live it. First you need to be patient 5 minutes longer and let me share a quick story that starts out like this…

I was a young buck with entrepreneurial blood runnin’ through my veins and I desired to be in business for myself but wasn’t sure what kind of business I would start. So the GM of the business where I was working at decided to go out on a limb and start his own enterprise and asked me to come with him.

And with that we started our very own advertising and marketing agency. And boy was this a leap of faith, because neither of us had any money, never had been involved in an agency and had to bring in my uncle as a partner and co-signer on a loan. Well we got up and running but my uncle wanted to run things, and he even came into work on the books during the first week, when we opened the doors!

Aaaaaaahhhhhh! It was like – what did we do? And how do we change this?

Look – I’m not gonna tell ya all the details in this post (more about this startup story later), but I will share this…

No matter what business you choose, there will be struggles, failures, frustrations along with triumphs and victories. But just because you startup a business doesn’t mean you’ll actually make it.

 It takes persverance. It takes work. It takes time.

Because success is a journey and as long as you are moving forward or as John Maxwell puts it – “Failing Forward” – you can make it.

Back to our topic – “Startup a Business Now” and the phsycological factors that you need to address if you haven’t already done so:

You need to have the ‘mindset’ going into the startup or you’ll quit, retreat, get frustrated and second guess or maybe take the wrong path.

How do I know this? Because I’ve been around startups since I was a little kid and personally I’ve been involved in more than six startups plus worked with other entrepreneurs

So, what are you waitin’ for? The right time? The right business? For some sign? For everything to line up just right!?

Well I’m here to to tell ya this… Da bizness is not going to come knockin on ya door
and pick you up off tha sofa or out of the lazee boy chair and drop a business in your lap
like a ready made microwave meal. (a little of my New Yawk upbringing it coming out in this post –

You need to do some work…

But I believe it is ‘desire’ – yes, a true desire that will get you to start a business of your own. You may be negatively motivated, which is great. Maybe you have to get out of your job or switch careers.

Whatever it is that is motivating you to start up a business and become a member of the small business community, remember this, to start a business is one thing. To keep it going and have it succeed, let alone make a profit, is entirely a different story.

So dig deep and determine why you really desire to start your own business and then check out this Small Business Startup resource.

To your small business success,

Dave Krygier
Publisher

 

Start Your Own Business Online – Part II

Part one of this series, Start Your Own Business Online, was primarily focused on the very basics of e-commerce, affiliate and email marketing. In part two I am going to share three additional ways that you could be working online in your own business.

To start a small business is an undertaking that more and more people are choosing and the online arena seems to be where they are going. To start your own business online could mean flexibility and the ability to work from home or in some cases just about any place that has an Internet connection.

But just because you start a business online doesn’t mean that you will make any money or  be able to succeed. It takes time, effort and money, just like any other offline business and you need to work at it. The traffic and revenue doesn’t just come your way overnight.

Let me emphasize that the ‘takes money’ part means that you will have to pay for online access and services like domain registration, hosting, tech support, training and software.

The whole idea of free is not going to build your business.

Yes there are some great reports, videos, audios and startup trainings out there and I even have some that I offer my subscribers. Remember, you are building a business, not a hobby.

So if you are really serious about starting in business online, here are three additional ways that might interest you:

1. Information products, otherwise known as digital products can be a great way to go if you already have expertise in a particular subject or business. This is one of the best ways for people with offline expertise to market themselves online and develop a digital enterprise. If you already have a specialty in the offline world then you might be able to convert whatever it is you do to the online world. The actual digital product(s) may be an audio, video or written document converted into a PDF for download or viewing online. So if this sounds like an online business that might work for you, check out the The List Building Guide for more information about how to develop an info marketing business.

2. Coaching and Consulting are two ways that you can work online, especially if you are transitioning to the web or desire a platform that allows for flexibility. As I mentioned in the previous option coaching can also be combined with information products. Consulting on the other hand can be more hands on where you actually do the work for the person or company.

3. CPA Marketing which stands for ‘cost per action’ is one of the least publicized methods of online marketing. This method of the affiliate family basically pays you for the actions that people take. It’s a very intense arena and takes a lot of know how and connections if you are going to venture here and make a go of it.

Whichever online business you choose to go with, make sure to do your research and ask the important questions, so you make quality decisions and start in business on the right foot.

Also, make sure to check out my previous post, Start Your Own Business Online and remember…to start a business is one thing – making it profitable and succeeding is a whole other story.

Dave Krygier
Publisher

Start Your Own Business – Part I

Have you been thinking lately that maybe it’s time you start your own business and run your own show? With all the options to choose from in today’s marketplace how does one make a decision as to which business is the right one?

One thing is for sure, starting a business can be a lot of work and takes time, effort and money. If anyone tells you different, turn and run the other direction.

Now making the new business a success and becoming profitable is entirely another story and this pertains to both online and offline ventures. So which way should you go, online or offline; home based, office location or ???

For the remainder of this post I’ll focus on starting your own business online and some of the current options available to you.

Online Business Options:

Although some online businesses might be less money to start up than offline ventures, there’s still a learning curve and money that you will need to get your business started.

One of the things I see is that people think with online businesses you can start them for free or next to nothing. Well I’ve got news for you, no matter which online business you choose, there are expenses involved like hosting, domain registration and site development, let alone traffic generation.

A few of the options that you might consider and look into are:

1. Affiliate Marketing is where you market other people’s products and services and when a sale is completed you receive a commission on the sale. Commissions can range from 3% to 70% and in some cases even 90% or greater. The range of affiliate products available to the online marketer are many. Affiliate marketing also works well with my next option and that is email marketing.

2. Email marketing is where you develop a list of subscribers and convert them into buyers through the process of selling products and/or services, either your own or someone else’s. This process is also called list building and can be referred to as building an email list. To start a business with email marketing is a great way to go, especially if you already have existing expertise on a specific subject or you have a passion about a product or service that you would like to market.

Email marketing can also be used if you decide to establish an e-commerce site of your own where you market your own products or affiliate products.

3. E-commerce is the original online method of moving goods and services. Back when I first started out on the web in 1995, this was how transactions were primarily done. E-commerce is still a sound method, especially for those business owners looking to develop and grow their own business online while having the freedom to mix their own products with other brands.

Look for part two of this series about starting your own business and I’ll go further into more online options plus how you can transition an offline business some things to watch out for. In the meantime – here’s another resource that might help you in starting your small business: Start a Small Business

Should you find that your start up is missing a part or needs something to get going – go see the Small Biz Mechanic and he’ll get you fixed up.

Dave Krygier
Publisher

The List Building Mindset

List building in the online world is a wonderful thing if you have all the pieces of the puzzle and know how to put the puzzle together. One of the most important pieces of this puzzle is the ‘mindset’ that you need in order to develop and build your business.

Now I refer to this as the ‘list building mindset’ but really this works for all small businesses.

The bottom line is that you are running and operating a business, unless of course you have decided that building a list of subscribers is for philanthropic reasons or just a hobby.

This article is written from the business perspective and is focused on the mindset that the  business owner needs to have.

So first you need to ask…

Do I have the mindset of a business owner or an employee?

Maybe you already have a business mindset and understand what it takes to build and develop a successful business?

Maybe you have never been in your own business and this is your first go at it.

Here are three things or what I’ll call components that you need to put in place in order to build your business:

#1  There is no get rich quick here. You need to do the work and put the pieces of the puzzle together just like any other business. It needs to be a do whatever it takes attitude.

#2  You need to have a long-term mentality. In other words – you need to understand that it is going to take time to bring in enough subscribers, so you can convert them to actual paying clients. Building a list of subscribers and monetizing it takes time. It is not poof and the money shows up.

Note: You can see some success right out of the gate, but it all depends on how you position yourself, the product or service you are offering, the market you are in and the kind of traffic that you send to your pages.

#3 You need to have ‘The Why’ solidified in concrete, so when frustration, delays, issues, complications and life in general gets in the way, you still keep moving forward. The Why is your goal(s), long-term and short – term.

If any one of these components are off kilter or out of line, then you may not make it.

So ask yourself, “why am I building a list of subscribers?”

What’s the purpose?

Is it to be free from a job you don’t like?

Is it to have part-time income?

Is it to pay off debt?

Is it to support a church or charity?

Is it to run your own business on your own terms?

What exactly is it? What is your why for building a list of subscribers and clients?

So, with all that said…Are you willing to do the work?

Are you willing to take the necessary steps to put all the pieces of the list building puzzle together so you can have a successful business?

The mindset that you have will determine if you are going to make it.

The mindset needs to be – I am going to do whatever it takes to get the work done, so my business is a success and continues to grow.

The mindset needs to be – I am a business owner and what I offer to my subscribers is the best information, products and services available.

I hope this all makes sense, because your mindset will determine if you are going to make it and build your business or stay in whatever it is you currently do.

For more information on list building and how you can develop your business, check out The List Building Guide.

To your continued success,

Dave Krygier
Publisher

Tales of Mortar Part I

Years ago before the dotcom boom there was a small niche business located in the backyard of ‘The Big M’ in Redmond, Washington. What started out as a brick mortar model with one full time employee, one phone line and one product, bloomed into a thriving diverse enterprise. This small business had its ups and downs just like all businesses that get started on a shoestring. Eventually things started to gel and opportunities opened up that the local competition didn’t see or care to see. When most startups are starting to falter and fade, this one started to pickup steam and capture new customers.

Over the years this little brick and mortar business grew and grew along with the surrounding community until the arrival of the web in August of 1995. Thus they entered the world of click and mortar and started on a new journey that would increase sales and over all revenues. The Internet brought on a totally new dimension that enabled the little enterprise to expand its horizons and reach out to the far corners of the globe. With clients from all over the world, calls and emails would make their way from far away places like Australia, The Netherlands, and even a research outpost in Antarctica.

And so business continued on until the fall of 2001 when it finally changed hands. Some will say that the timing was impeccable and I’d have to agree. But what really made this small business a success were the people that worked there and their dedication and hard work.

Tales like these are abundant in the land of small business and we’ll be sharing more as time goes on.

Dave Krygier
Publisher