7 Steps to Starting Your First Business

It's not as hard as it might seem, I promise. Starting your first business is so incredibly fun! But that's not to say it doesn't come with work. In fact, I'll be honest, getting a business up and running takes time, but it doesn't have to take forever. Fortunately, there are 7 easy steps you can take right now to get your business off to a running head start. Don't get flustered by the paperwork or all the sales and marketing tactics; all of that is just part of getting it all up and running so you can make money doing what you love AND serving the people you were born to teach. With these 7 easy steps, you'll be running for your computer eager to get started! (At least that's how I was). 1) Get clear about your vision. What is it you love to do, talk about, or have a skill in that you'd like to share with the world. Obviously, starting a business means you'll have to sell something in order to make money, but what people are failing to tell you is you can start a business doing whatever the heck you want... as long as there is a big enough market who'll buy it. 2) Find out what people want. Asking friends, family, affinity groups, community, or even strangers you meet at the grocery store what they struggle with is a great way to survey what people are searching for and how you can translate that into your vision so you stay motivated in your business. 3) Research your Competition. Now, you know I'm not a big believer in competition, I think their is a market for every small business owner, you just have to fine tune what it is you are selling to resonate with what it is you do for a living. Researching your competition is really just taking note of what products are currently being sold out there (that are actually making money) and modifying them a bit. Not hard, right? 4) Develop your brand. This is a big one and more often than not it's what small business owners are completely forgetting, especially holistic business owners. Having a clear brand that conveys who you are and what you do in an authentic manner is going to make or break your business. Don't be afraid to hire a coach to help you develop these skills. 5) Decide what medium you'll use. Whether you are writing ebooks, online programs, video trainings, webinars, speaking engagements, one-on-one coaching, or have a tangible product, it's important to pick one (maybe two) or these mediums to start out with and truly become an expert in this medium. Too often start-up businesses try to be everything to everyone, and that's just not effective, and quite frankly dilutes your message. Choose the medium you feel most comfortable with and then challenge yourself as you grow into your business. 6) Have a marketing campaign. So incredibly important and also one that is often terribly overlooked. A marketing campaign is your business and it will only work if you have determined your target market. It's the bread and butter (or vegan chips and hummus) that'll put the vegan bacon on the table. You must have a marketing campaign and strategy to get your products and services found in the marketplace. 7) How will you collect payment. Will you use an online shopping cart, will you only accept paypal, checks, cash, credit cards? This is something you need to think about. Often small business owners start with paypal and grow into a shopping cart to collect payment easily over the internet for instant payment processing, but remember, your brand shouldn't be compromised by getting cheap about how you'll accept payment. My words of advice, invest in the easiest payment option for your ideal market. I know business can seem overwhelming at first, but truly it's a step by step process. Once you've got these bare bones in place, you can move onto the next phase and continue to fine tune the process. Love & Success, Angel Quintana Holistic Business Coach www.angelquintana.com