1. Passion. Do you have an overwhelming passion for business? This is the number one attribute of a true entrepreneur. People without passion do not generate enthusiasm and faith in any business venture.
2. Preparation. Are you wiling to do the necessary preparation? Many people have a basic idea and then want other people to do all the necessary footwork as well as take the risks. Scheming is not entrepreneurship.
3. Mindset. Do you have a solution oriented (can do) mind-set? If you see every problem as a mountain then stay away from running your own business.
4. Risk taking. Are you willing to take calculated risks? If you are risk averse then you should rather work for a big corporation, government or an entrepreneur – nothing wrong with it.
5. Commitment. Are you willing to do everything that it takes to make a business venture successful? Are you willing to go the extra mile? A genuine entrepreneur has an attitude of never giving up – if they fail they just try something else.
6. Listen. Are you willing to listen to good advice? Entrepreneurship does not mean that you should have a foolhardy attitude or that you have universal expertise.
7. Responsibility. Are you comfortable that the buck stops with you? Are you willing to lead from the front? If you blame other people for your mistakes then entrepreneurship is probably not for you.

Copyright© 2009 – Wim Venter

Wim Venter is the founder of Ventex Consultants, a business development consultancy. To receive more information on how to start a new venture, to grow it sustainably and to finally harvest it successfully, you can contact us via our website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wim_Venter

Entrepreneurship is very appealing to women in leadership. You get to be your own boss and the challenges of building your own business can be exciting. Is entrepreneurship something that you have considered? Perhaps the idea of working for yourself sounds appealing, but you don’t know where to begin. Maybe you’ve worked a full-time job all of your life and are afraid of what working on your own might mean. Here are some things to consider as you think about entrepreneurship.

1) Get your spouse’s support: Starting your own business will take a lot of mental and physical stamina. You will work long hours and will likely spend many days and nights away from home networking, marketing and building your business from the ground up. Be sure to discuss what entrepreneurship will mean with your spouse and get his/her buy-in. Having your spouse’s support and partnership as you take on a new endeavor will provide you with the extra fuel that you need when the going gets tough.

2) Get your financial house in order: Entrepreneurship is rewarding, but also very risky. In fact, many small businesses spend more than they make the first year of business. Before you take the plunge, work to clear your consumer debt and create a nest-egg that you will be able to rely on. Perhaps you want to cut back on your hours at work to ensure that you still have some steady income and health benefits while you develop your small business.

3) Plan and prepare: According to the Small Business Administration, 50% of small businesses fail within the first year. One of the primary reasons they fail is lack of planning and preparation. Take the time to get advice from the Small Business Administration or local economic development corporation. You may even decide to invest in a business coach who can help you develop a solid business plan and marketing strategy.

4) Stay focused: Entrepreneurship requires self-motivation, stamina, persistence and focus. You will need to program your mind for success. In order to do so, surround yourself with other like minded individuals. Join your local Chamber of Commerce or join a mastermind group. Both will offer you the opportunity to network with other entrepreneurs who can share in your experience, provide helpful advice and even offer strategic partnership opportunities.

There is a lot to consider before becoming an entrepreneur, but if you plan and prepare it can be extremely rewarding and fulfilling.

Ellie Nieves, Esq. is a Speaker, Writer and Leadership Coach. Through 55-minute telephone coaching sessions and live seminars, she helps women develop leadership skills, set strategic goals, bolster effectiveness and create a personal brand. To learn more go to http://www.LeadershipStrategiesForWomen.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ellie_Nieves

The Small Business Administration has offices in most parts of the country. Although getting face-to-face assistance has become a bit more difficult in recent years due to budget cuts ordered by the Bush administration, the Small Business Administration also has a website packed with helpful information, forms, tutorials and online courses. Small business owners can count on the Small Business Administration for accurate information on laws affecting small businesses, tax and social security information and small business statistics.

The Small Business Administration’s sister organization, the Service Corps of Retired Executives provides mentoring and in-person courses for small business owners. The Service Corps of Retired Executives was created by a group of retired executives from large corporations who wanted to continue using their business skills after retirement to mentor small business owners.

Local Chambers of Commerce are another excellent resource. Chambers of Commerce typically serve two functions: Promoting the business climate of the area to outside investors and serving as a networking hub for existing businesses. However, due to the rise in entrepreneurship, many Chambers of Commerce are beginning to offer seminars to start up business owners including marketing, bookkeeping and other topics. They may also offer special networking events geared toward new businesses just getting started.

Once you get your business started, there is no better resource for networking than your local Chamber of Commerce. The annual fee is typically modest and covers your attendance at more functions than you could possibly find the time to attend. For example, the Chamber of Commerce in West Palm Beach, Florida offers networking breakfasts, lunches, cocktail hours and dinners. They also offer special networking events targeted at certain business sectors, sponsorship of corporate events and a member directory with advertisements from their membership.

About The Author

Jonathon Hardcastle writes articles on many topics including Business, Real Estate, and Employment

It is every American’s dream. To own and operate their own business, to be their own boss, to be in charge of their life! Every new business is started by someone who gets an ‘entrepreneurial seizure’. That is, they believe they have an idea for a service or product that is better than, faster than and of better quality than what some others can do. In a fury, they quit a job and start their own business haphazardly and end up getting in a jam because they didn’t follow the natural order of beginning their own business. This article will explore what those steps are, and how, if they are done correctly will greatly benefit the one taking them.

•I. Check your State’s Business Website for possible conflicts in naming your business.

When you choose a name for your business it should be unique, and yet say something about what you do. Some have chosen the route of using humor to get their point across. “The System’s Down” for a computer repair business, “He’s Not Here” for a bar infamous for refusing to tell wives where their husbands’ are. What you don’t want to do is give your business the same or almost the same name as another company. Check the local sites and make sure you can legally use the name you choose.

•II. Get your EIN number.

It’s as easy as logging on to the IRS.gov website and filling out the online form to receive your EIN instantly, don’t check the box to wait for it to come in the mail, you want to get started ASAP, so make sure you get the number and print the page it appears on. You will need that number before you finish any of the next steps.

•III. Incorporate your business. (What forms you will need.)

In order to incorporate correctly, a lot of people have used online help. It’s not cheap, but it is far cheaper than the possibility of making a mistake and having to dissolve a new corporation and begin again. Unless you have done this before, you can leave it to the experts and skip a few of the next steps entirely. The next question is what kind of incorporation do you need? You have two choices for an incorporated business. There is the S-Corp, by far, the most popular option because of the taxation advantages. And then there is the C-Corp, which does have its own advantages which the double taxation drawback can sometimes more than makes up for. The other option is not incorporating at all and sticking with either a sole proprietorship or partnership. Both are easier to deal with at year end and cheaper to get taxes prepared but can leave the business owner open to getting personal property taken if there were a bankruptcy or lawsuit. In my humble opinion, the form of business with the most headaches is a partnership and the best form is the S-Corp. But that’s just my opinion.

•IV. Create your Article’s of Incorporation.

The cheap way to do this is to cut and paste another corporations’ Article’s of Incorporation and replace their name with yours. You can do this legally, but as I am not a lawyer, I would take the safe road mentioned previously and get an expert to do it for me.

•V. Create your company’s Charter.

Let’s face it; before I started my own business, I wasn’t sure what someone would be looking for in a Charter. It basically spells out the days for board meetings and who will succeed who should there ever be a vacancy. Again, I would prefer to put something like this in the hands of someone who does it regularly as they will know who to ask what and put it together for you professionally. A lot of online services have popped up; make sure you deal with a reliable one if you go that route.

•VI. Open your business bank account.

his is the step that most people START with. Then they learn that the business name they chose is taken, or that now they are incorporated, they need a different kind of bank account. The most important thing to remember with the business bank account is that it is supposed to forever be separate from your personal accounts. This is to protect the corporate veil, i.e. that layer of protection afforded to you in a potential lawsuit.

•VII. Register with the state to pay for unemployment taxes, sales taxes, etc.

Each state will have its own site to pay taxes online, in Florida; before you register you are given a brief quiz about the kind of collecting you will do in your business. Are there vending machines involved or fuel subsidies? Etc. Most businesses will only have to worry about the SUTA or State Unemployment Tax. Paying online is important as the states are usually stricter than the federal in collections. Fines and penalties are what build a lot of bridges in this state.

•VIII. Register with EFTPS to pay payroll taxes online.

Every pay day you have, you must set aside half of your employees’ payroll taxes out of your account and half deducted from your employee’s pay, along with the Federal Withholding. Using the online payment option at the EFTPS site means you won’t have to be sending checks that could get lost or late. Register now even if you don’t have employees yet and get your internet passwords written down.

•IX. Build your company’s website.

These days a company without a website is not a company. Simply put, if you cannot point potential customers to a site featuring your work and some information about your business, those potential customers will go elsewhere. The internet today is what the Yellow Pages were 20 years ago. Often, if you get email, your internet provider will give you internet space for free. For example, EarthLink will give you a certain amount of space for free, and using the Trellis builder allows you to build, change, and update your site easily. Go to a hosting site, such as Go Daddy and pay for a redirect to your email free site. (Don’t pay for the hosting, just the redirect!)

•X. READ articles on promoting your site through QuickBooks, Google, and Yahoo search engines.

I don’t know about you but my Yellow pages books are under my old couch, holding it up where the legs are uneven. When people are looking for services today, they use Google, Yahoo, or Craigslist. A lot of advertising can be done through your QuickBooks software by clicking on the Google Marketing Tools icon. Read all you can about successful people using these sites. It is not necessary to pay for a pay per click campaign when you use some FREE common sense steps to market your business to your clientele.

•XI. Start your marketing campaign. (Business cards, postcards, etc)

If you are struggling to put together the green after paying to incorporate, etc you may not exactly have the ability to market your business with essentials. (Business Cards, Post Cards, Brochures, etc.) All of these can be found for reasonable prices online, I use Vistaprint as the specials they have with 250 free cards, 500 free postcards, etc have filled out my marketing ammo for nothing but shipping. I prefer not to use the Office big box stores as they don’t sell quantities less than 5000 and I took a while to find a professional design that worked for me, you will too, don’t worry about that.

•XII. Build your clientele.

Remember that if you are following this step by step, you are still gainfully employed somewhere. You have to build a clientele slowly, possibly spending your first year as a part time corporate president, until you have enough regular clientele that you can comfortably ease up on your day job. Your clientele are more than just a source of immediate income, they have friends, relatives and neighbors that you don’t have. So on to the next step.

•XIII. Ask your satisfied clientele for referrals.

A satisfied client can gloat on you; just make sure that you deliver the goods when they do. Then, you have two satisfied clients. Ask them to fill out referral forms so you can tap into their market and do the same for them as well.

•XIV. Finally, as soon as the money is rolling in regularly quit your day job.

You didn’t start this business thinking that you want two jobs forever. As soon as you can pay your bills comfortably, and perhaps have somewhat of a surplus in your business account, fire your boss! Use the spare time you have now to promote your business and its’ services with the following tips.

•1. Join a local chamber of commerce. – My membership at the Kissimmee chamber has paid for itself a hundredfold and more. Become an active participant and join a leads group. You will get more clients out of the relationships you make than you will in making a hundred sales pitches.

•2. Join a BNI – like a chamber of commerce, just less formal.

•3. Volunteer time (or services) at the local YMCA; sponsor a team with shirts or equipment.

•4. Spend that extra time you have with family, because as busy as you may get, you want to have the joy of watching your kids grow. And if you don’t have any kids, spend that extra time in making yourself more successful by taking time OUT of business and reinvigorating yourself. Take classes, go to seminars and LEARN!

Conclusion

Success is not a goal for the future. It is a journey, doing something you love doing and getting paid for it. I’ve met many a wealthy person who would trade it all to take that risk they never took and enjoy their lives and work all the more. Good luck all of you.

About The Author

Homesoon Accounting, ten years experience in tax prep, bookkeeping and fraud prevention, located in Kissimmee and servicing St. Cloud and Orlando areas. Call David Roberts for help in Quickbooks, tax preparation or fraud prevention at 407-968-5241

At the chamber show there were booths ranging from home improvement to local banks. There were SEO companies, restaurants, technology based companies, and cell phone companies. All there with the same purpose and for the most part the same strategy of networking.

From my study of the folks at the show here is how it works and why it works. First of all, everyone there for the most part was a member of the Chamber and they all had a booth. Second, each booth would send sales people out to go around to other booths and repeat a pretty simple pitch.

“Hi Marty”, (everyone had name tags), “What do you and your company do?”

That’s it! With that simple question people would share what they do and why they do it. Then the wandering rep would just have to decide if THEY could help that booth with their business. I couldn’t believe it! I would think that your booth was set up to draw business while in reality the booth was just a place for others to pitch their service to you!

While wandering myself I spoke with a few local companies that perform SEO services and web services more or less to see what others in my industry where up to but I noticed the real use of the selling to booth strategy when I walked up to a booth that stages homes before sale.

As a strategic person I understand the importance of staging a home and I am planning on selling my house in the next 5 years so I approached the TBJ Home Staging Impressions booth. As I chatted with Gayle she told me that this is a new adventure for her and that she was having a website created as we speak. CHA-CHING! Now she was talking my language and I knew how I could help her. I explained that I am into that type of work and that I offer web hosting all the while I grabbed one of her business cards and slipped it into my wallet right next to my own business card which I handed to her.

Now, I might not hear from Gayle about hosting but the importance of networking is still there. I may need to stage my house and I only know one person who does that and she may need to host her site still, where I am sure I will be fresh on her mind.

Think of networking like lottery tickets. The more tickets you pick up the greater chance you will have of winning! Even though the chance is minimal, the reward is worth it.

Join online social groups, go to shows and conferences, and talk to anyone that will listen. You’re only helping your business when you do!

About The Author

DJL has offered web solutions for a number of years that include everything from printing to programming. In 2007 DJL shifted their main focus into web hosting and hosting education to teach others the in’s and out’s of an ever changing industry.

http://www.djlsolution.com -   http://www.how-2-host.com

Well, that’s what should be happening anyway. When it comes to validating your business plan it’s not a bad idea to apply the following rule and see what the outcome is:-

1. Halve your revenue expectations
2. Double your costs

If you’re still making money then you really could be in with a shout of starting your own business and having a viable business to boot. Congratulations!

The serious point to this however is if you now look at your costs and try and find ways to reduce them, then this should be a really useful exercise. How many businesses go bust in their infancy due to “cash flow problems”? Taking control of your costs in this way will really ensure that you give your business every chance of success.

One of the biggest costs that any new business has is advertising and marketing and a great frustration is that to the inexperienced professional it can be a bit hit and miss in terms of its success and if you find it to be more miss than hit, then the odds are that your going to find it an expensive business too.

One way to get targeted advertising in a relatively low cost environment is business networking and if you’re really lucky you may find that there are a local business networking events in your area. If you’re not having success in this area then consider contacting your local chamber of commerce.

There are two big chamber organisations in the USA and one in the UK

The British Chamber of Commerce

The British Chamber is a non-political, non-profit making organisation comprising of over 56 accredited Chambers all over the UK.

The fundamental aim of the British Chamber to ensure that UK business thrives and it does this by working with key decision-makers in government to try and influence policy.

It’s at the local level however where you will find support to the business community providing services, information and guidance to its members such as business networking events through free legal advice and reduced insurance.

The US Chamber of Commerce

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce was established in 1912 is still the world’s largest business federation representing over 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions. There are hundreds of associations and thousands of local chambers in the US and it also includes over one hundred organizations abroad.

Just as the British Chamber its primary goal is to”fight for business and free enterprise before Congress, the White House, regulatory agencies, the courts, the court of public opinion, and governments around the world.”

The US chamber provides a multitude of services from advice, information and education and again at the local level, support in the form of business networking information and events.

The U.S Women’s Chamber of Commerce

The Womens Chamber supports both female business owners and career professionals with the objective of creating business and leadership opportunities for women.

It provides numerous services to deliver government contracting opportunities and provide access to education and development programmes. It runs a variety of events aimed at bringing women together to learn about and discuss topical issues with other women.

So in summary there is a wealth of opportunity out there to promote your growing business with out spending a fortune and a great place to start is your local Chamber of Commerce.

About The Author

Louise Yates shares business networking information and business networking tips for generating referrals and free sales leads together with performance business coaching for your work, life and career development.

The Two Factors That Are Holding People Back

The two psychological factors for the massive rate of quitting even before starting, there seems to be two important things which are holding people back. One is fear of failure and the other is fear of criticism. Those, who are prisoners of these two fear factors, should realize one thing, that the people who are criticizing you won’t help you in the hours of your need. To be successful you have to choose your own destiny and should not allow others to steal your dream.

The fear of failure dominates one’s mind because of the failure rate in conventional business and the stress and strain and risk associated with business. That’s why only 5% of the population are into business and the rest is going after job, fulfilling somebody’s dream. People who are lazy and not willing to take risk and those with hypocritical mind set deceiving themselves that they have no ambitions, are the people who are going after job. Today’s competitive world and demanding job responsibilities take away the security aspect from the job. You have to be on your toes always and it has its own side effects on your health. It is not that, only business people are experiencing stress and strain. Among job goers, even people in their 30s are having diabetes, heart problems and so on. The hard fact is that you can’t become rich through job and ultimately you will end up with a debt serving career.

You need to harbor business mentality and throw away the fear psychosis, to be successful in your business venture. Realize that job is also associated with stress and the risk of losing your job when you are in your middle age facing a huge commitment. Another important point you have to implant in your mind is that starting and doing an online business is not risky as you need only a minimal investment. No stress and strain factor as you can pursue your online business in your spare time without sacrificing your regular job or business. Making your mind clear over these facts will take away the fear psychosis and procrastination will take a back seat. The sweet part of online business is that it is so simple to start. See the facts:

No huge investment needed

You can start with $0 through affiliate marketing and network marketing

You need not have your own product

You can do it at your flexible time without affecting your regular income

No risk as there is no huge investment

It costs you a small amount, if you want to have your own website to promote your product or affiliate product

Many free sources are available to guide you

Explore The Internet Revolution

Now the internet world has plenty of opportunities to explore to your advantage. It will be a costly mistake of your life if you choose to remain outside and not taking on the business opportunities of the internet world. The network marketing had changed the concept of business in 1960s. It had taken the corporate world by storm and it emerged very strong overcoming the hurdles created by the corporate bigwigs. It enabled even a common man to start his own business through a minimal amount, not over $100 in most cases. But it took almost twenty years for people to recognize it as a viable business alternative. Network marketing is easy to start and is a powerful way of achieving your financial freedom. But as in any field, success requires consistent and persistent efforts on your part. So at any stage don’t quit by hearing what others say. By pursuing your goal you have nothing to lose but more to gain. Remember that 95% are job goers and the common mind set people possess. It is natural for them to criticize everything and make mockery of other’s efforts to get out of the common mindset. You know the surprise fact that network marketing is creating 30% of the world’s millionaires, every year.

Accept The New Reality

Any business which ignores the changing environment can do so to its own peril. E-commerce became the buzz word when the internet has changed the way of shopping. Realizing the need for change, the network marketing companies quickly added e-commerce facility to their business models. You can sign up online and the sell the products of your company online. You need not stock products. The shipping and payment collection will be taken care of by your company and you will be paid for your efforts of referring people. The companies discovered that online business model was cost effective and they were able to cut down their over-heads.

Affiliate Marketing As Another Online Business Opportunity

Affiliate marketing is another way of starting your online business. Most companies offer affiliation free of cost. Just sign up their simple form and start selling their products. You will be paid a percentage of the sales price for your effort of referring the customer. After signing a link will be provided to you and for sales made through this link is accounted for you. Though affiliate marketing or net work marketing does not need a website of your own, it will be prudent to have one. Redirect your referrals through a link from your own site to the concerned affiliate marketing product or the network marketing company’s website.

Getting a domain name for your web site and hosting it, is not a costly thing. It costs you only a small amount. As said above there is no huge investment and thus no risk. After owning a website start your advertising campaign on a small budget. Analyze your advertising effects and change according to the conversion you get. Choose the right company and the right product to promote. Having your own website will help you to put your online business on a auto pilot mode.

Author Message: If you have the will and burning desire, there are lot of opportunities on the internet. Not just planning but doing things is the progress. You have to believe that you can be a successful online entrepreneur and achieve financial freedom. Throw away skepticism and fear psychosis. Getting started is the first step you have to take. Always remember that online opportunities are the best way of starting a business with low investment and more or less no risk factor.

About the Author

The author with no previous business exposure is a home maker turned
online business owner and she is successfully pursuing her online ventures. Free Store Club Phase 2 | Free Store Club Home Based Business

The truth is very different. Ask any entrepreneur and they’ll gladly put you right, and assure you that nothing could be further from the truth. Many of the common assumptions people associate with independent business owners, or sole traders, are woefully inaccurate, often gleaned from the media’s obsession with personal individual success and the American Dream. Let’s look at what being an entrepreneur really means, and who these people really are.

Most entrepreneurs are ordinary people like you or me. They are very rarely the high flying successes, flung skywards through their success in the city; in fact, those who already have a successful city career, in what one might term a ‘traditional’ or ‘normal’ job are the least likely to step from behind the security of their desk, and brave the world alone. Generally those who do take the initiative are those who are either fed up with the monotony or sheer frustration which can come with many jobs these days, or who have a burning personal desire or passion, a dream they feel compelled to follow.

We all have dreams, hopes and ambitions; entrepreneurs are, in the main, simply those people who have got up from their comfortable office chair with lumbar support and arm rests and stepped outside to do something about those dreams, ambitions and desires. They are, largely speaking, passionate people, with self belief and determination.

But let’s consider the next assumption that tends to walk into such a discussion: risk. Most people, at least, most people who have never tried, will happily tell you that starting out on your own, becoming your own boss, and starting up your own business idea is incredibly risky, and that it is likely to cost you a fortune, and that you’ll see very little income for years, and even that is assuming you survive long enough to earn anything.

Most of this scaremongering is meant well, but generally comes from those who could never become entrepreneurs because they have no self belief, no courage, and have packaged away their dreams and ambition in a small cardboard box which has been locked away in a filing cabinet in the basement of the office block in which they have willingly becoming imprisoned until released back into society when they retire.

There is risk in anything, as we can readily see today, with the stock market looking gloomy, traders panicking, businesses crashing, and increasing number of people finding themselves out of work. There is no longer such a thing as job security, or a job for life – in any business. Entrepreneurialism is a way of protecting yourself, to a certain degree, by taking greater control over your finances, job and future.

You become the boss, aware of all aspects of your business, and able to make sensible decisions both within your business and your personal life, in full knowledge of the situation, and all relevant factors. Who can honestly say that, while working for a company or business, your boss keeps you fully informed of every possible risk and problem occurring which could potentially jeopardize the future of your job, income or even the company? Very few!

Entrepreneurialism is not risk free – that would be absurd to suggest, but the risks are known, and manageable. You’re in control, and that alone can make a world of difference to your peace of mind. Stress is largely down to a feeling that you are not in control; no matter how much needs doing, or whatever the pressure, stress only becomes an issue when we feel over burdened with worries and pressure, and unable to control where we are and what we are expected to do.

If you have a business idea, a hobby you’d like to turn into a home business, a work from home opportunity you’d like to pursue, or a ground breaking product or service you’d like to launch, then running your own business may well be for you, giving you the opportunity to follow your dreams, lower stress, feel in control, and be positive about your future. All you need is a plan, and a dream and, of course, belief in yourself.

About the Author

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