Self-Employment, Starting a Business

A Self Employment Checklist

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Entrepreneurship has always been a key driver for job creation in our marketplace, and small businesses will continue to generate the lion’s share of new jobs in the future.

When it comes to job creation, there’s no playground quite as exciting or readily available for new entrants than the world of self-employment. While stepping into business is not for the weak or weary, it holds great promise for anyone with skills to market and a modicum of get-up-and-go.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself as you consider joining the ranks of the self-employed. Continue reading A Self Employment Checklist →

Business Growth, Entrepreneurship

Business Expansion Is Not For The Faint Of Heart

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Some businesses are built for expansion, others are not.

A franchise is an example of a business model that’s scalable. Once a franchisor fine tunes the business systems to enable one outlet or unit to be both profitable and repeatable, it is said to be scalable.

After several years working in a business, many owners discover that their venture simply won’t scale up. Owner operated businesses often aren’t scalable because, in the mind of customers, the owner is the business. For this type of business, one owner will always equal one business.

The following six tips are for business owners who are thinking about scaling up. Continue reading Business Expansion Is Not For The Faint Of Heart →

Entrepreneurship, Starting a Business

Lots of Money for Viable Business Proposals

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At times I hear entrepreneurs say they can’t find money to start or grow their businesses. I don’t buy it. There is always money available for great business ideas.

Of course, there are a number of reasons why investors might shy away from your golden opportunity, making funding appear scarce.

If you’re having trouble landing the funds to kick-start your next mousetrap, consider the following possibilities. Continue reading Lots of Money for Viable Business Proposals →

Entrepreneurship, Starting a Business

Myths about Owning a Business

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Successful business owners make running a business look easy. Observing from the outside, it’s easy to imagine that they harvest massive rewards with little or no effort. That is just one of many misconceptions about owning your own business. Here are a few more:

1. A Business Is a Get-Rich-Quick Scheme.
It’s more accurate to say that most “overnight successes” take at least 25 years of hard labour. An entrepreneur is a twisted individual who will work 15-hour days at minimum wage to avoid taking a real day job at $20 per hour.

2. You Need a Lot of Money to Start a Business.
Some businesses do have a high start-up price tag, many do not. If you are a tradesperson who owns all the necessary tools to work for someone else, you might already have most of what you need to start your own business. Many people start small enterprises by investing a lot of sweat equity and little or no cash. Continue reading Myths about Owning a Business →

Your Business. Your Plan. Your Way.