Start a Business in 2 Weeks

Summary: Starting a business takes a lot of planning. Often the hardest part is actually getting it going, so follow this plan to make it happen.

You have the dreams, the ideas, and the plan to create your own business but how do you get started? Online business expert Hilary Rushford believes that if a business is not started within a month, it never will be. This is a brief overview of a plan to get you ready to make your dream come true, which is often the hardest and scariest part.

Day 1: Refine your idea to a narrow topic. Going in with the goal to make online shopping easier is great, but address how you are going to do that. Relate it to your elevator pitch. Be able to explain the business in a brief statement. The challenge for the day is to share it with 6 people, 3 of which are strangers.

Day 2: Write out the business plan. You got your idea out there and can now determine how successful it was. Match your business plan to your target audience. Investors will want something more detailed than a small business targeting consumers.

Day 3: Define your user base. Create the profile of a person that would be your ideal user. Give them a name, hobbies, job, family, fears, frustrations, desires, etc.

Day 4: Talk to a user. Starting talking to those you plan on targeting, at least 10 to 15 of them. Ask them to review parts of your business plan and if they would buy the product. Find out why or why not. Take notes, especially if no one is willing to buy the product as you have it set up now.

Day 5: Buy your domain and create social media accounts. You can tweak things like your business plan later, but buying your domain and starting accounts is putting the stakes in the ground.

Day 6: Start your marketing plan. Starting by building an email list, blogging, and growing your social media following.

Day 7: Take a break.

Day 8: Consult with an accountant. A professional will be able to answer questions like what kind of business type to register as, what records need to be kept, tax information, etc. before you even can think about starting a business bank account.

Day 9: Register. Most of this process can be done online with an extra fee. This also includes setting up your DBA.

Day 10: Open a business bank account. Bring the following documents with you when you meet with a banker: DBAs, Business registration papers, EIN number, a deposit, and anything else the bank requires.

Day 11: Meet with a lawyer. Ask a lawyer about things you are unsure about like paying workers, sharing your business plan with others for feedback, and working a full-time job while starting the business.

Day 12: Make a to-do list. Write down all those things swirling around in your brain that need to be done, don’t worry about the length.

Day 13: Make a 30-day plan. Make the plan possible, but it needs to push you as well. This plan will likely change, but it is a guideline to go by.

Day 14: Party! Your business is established and going. Find a supportive community to help you keep it going.

Photo: networkunder40.com