I want to start my own business and I need some advice (which would be also a support.) I read this Business Start Tips and I got a bit scared. Is it all really so complex?
Hi Karen,
I visited the website and have a few comments. It is a small website geared towards hawking Google ads and does not offer a lot of in-depth information for women who want to start their own businesses. Do not let this site scare you!
I own three private businesses and started every single one on just a few hundred dollars - most of which went to getting websites up and running.
How hard it is to start and run a business has more to do with how much time you can put into the business and how creative you are at finding solutions. Please read my articles that will encourage you - not scare you - from starting a business. I recommend most small business owners start out as a sole proprietorship because it is easy and inexpensive and you can always change to a partnership or corporation (costs more and is more complicated) later on down the road:
- 3 Excuse Busters - Why You Should Start a Business Now
- 3 Things it Takes to Be a Woman Entrepreneur
- How to Start a Sole Proprietorship
To start a business today, you will need a website. If you are not a web designer, you can save thousands of dollars using WordPress to build a site. Many people do not realize that WordPress can be easily set up to look like an HTML website instead of a blog. If you are not able to make your own customized templates, there is a software called Artisteer, that anyone can use to make a high-end website on a tight budget.
There are also many free image editing services online so you do not have to buy graphics software. You can read my reviews on free image/photo editors if you are not sure where to start.
The key to building any business is not how much money you have to invest, but how well your network and promote your business. Use Twitter, Facebook, and join as many free professional networks (i.e., Plaxo, LinkedIn, etc.) as possible. The more people who know about your budding business, the better!
If you can tell me more about the type of business you want to start, I would be glad to give you some more specific advice. But if I had listened to every nay-sayer and got freaked out over all the scary business advice, I would not be a business owner today!
