If you're tired of being on the employee treadmill, now may be the best time to consider freelancing your hard-earned skills.
Are dreams of freelancing dancing through your head? If you're nodding yes, now's a great time to give it a whirl. As companies scale back on their expensive, benefit-heavy workforce, they're increasingly turning to outside--freelance--help. If you've got expertise in the right areas, there's a good chance you can parlay it into a freelance career by sharing your knowledge and skills with a variety of clients.
Enterpreneur Ideas
Basic Business Information for Starting a Business.
Start a Service Business
Everyone has skills, knowledge and experience--and anyone can turn those assets into a thriving business.
Who can sell a service? The answer is simple--anyone and everyone. Everyone is qualified because each of us has skills, knowledge or experience that other people are willing to pay for in the form of a service; or they're willing to pay you to teach them your specific skill or knowledge. Selling services knows no boundaries--anyone with a need or desire to earn extra money, work from home, or start and operate a full-time business can sell a service, regardless of age, business experience, education or current financial resources.
Who can sell a service? The answer is simple--anyone and everyone. Everyone is qualified because each of us has skills, knowledge or experience that other people are willing to pay for in the form of a service; or they're willing to pay you to teach them your specific skill or knowledge. Selling services knows no boundaries--anyone with a need or desire to earn extra money, work from home, or start and operate a full-time business can sell a service, regardless of age, business experience, education or current financial resources.
Starting a Business: The Idea Phase
You know you want to start a business, but what do you do next? Here's how to find the perfect idea for your business.
Many people believe starting a business is a mysterious process. They know they want to start a business, but they don't know the first steps to take. In this chapter, you're going to find out how to get an idea for a business--how you figure out exactly what it is you want to do and then how to take action on it.
But before we get started, let's clear up one point: People always wonder if this is a good time to start their business idea. The fact is, there's really never a bad time to launch a business. It's obvious why it's smart to launch in strong economic times. People have money and are looking for ways to spend it. But launching in tough or uncertain economic times can be just as smart. If you do your homework, presumably there's a need for the business you're starting. Because many people are reluctant to launch in tough times, your new business has a better chance of getting noticed. And, depending on your idea, in a down economy there is often equipment (or even entire businesses!) for sale at bargain prices.
Many people believe starting a business is a mysterious process. They know they want to start a business, but they don't know the first steps to take. In this chapter, you're going to find out how to get an idea for a business--how you figure out exactly what it is you want to do and then how to take action on it.
But before we get started, let's clear up one point: People always wonder if this is a good time to start their business idea. The fact is, there's really never a bad time to launch a business. It's obvious why it's smart to launch in strong economic times. People have money and are looking for ways to spend it. But launching in tough or uncertain economic times can be just as smart. If you do your homework, presumably there's a need for the business you're starting. Because many people are reluctant to launch in tough times, your new business has a better chance of getting noticed. And, depending on your idea, in a down economy there is often equipment (or even entire businesses!) for sale at bargain prices.
Five Rules for Bootstrapping Success
Follow these tips to get your dream business off the ground without seeking outside investors.
It may be slower, less sexy, and counterintuitive, but you can be better off growing your small business by bootstrapping rather than seeking outside capital. Bootstrapping can make the business owner focus on profits and cash flow, and it frees him or her to spend time on selling and on solving problems that are keeping the company from making a profit.
Bootstrapping can also be better for employees. They work at a firm where there is a clear and absolute line of authority and they are taught a surefire way to sell a product. Also, more shares are available for them in employee stock option plans.
Overall, bootstrapping can force you to be more realistic, to not waste time and to be better prepared for the long run. After all, you're in control and accountable -- not an investor. If you follow these five rules, you should be able to bootstrap your idea and get it up and running.
It may be slower, less sexy, and counterintuitive, but you can be better off growing your small business by bootstrapping rather than seeking outside capital. Bootstrapping can make the business owner focus on profits and cash flow, and it frees him or her to spend time on selling and on solving problems that are keeping the company from making a profit.
Bootstrapping can also be better for employees. They work at a firm where there is a clear and absolute line of authority and they are taught a surefire way to sell a product. Also, more shares are available for them in employee stock option plans.
Overall, bootstrapping can force you to be more realistic, to not waste time and to be better prepared for the long run. After all, you're in control and accountable -- not an investor. If you follow these five rules, you should be able to bootstrap your idea and get it up and running.
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