Skip to main content

The BEST Advice for Starting ANY New Venture


In my "job," I help people find the resources they need to start their business.

While I can point them to many resources, online and in real life, the single best piece of advice is perhaps the most common sense.

You can look at business plan templates at the library or wherever you can find them. There are PLENTY of great resources; I know, I work with many of them. This is not to suggest that you should talk to a SCORE representative, your local small business development center, or even a Chamber representative. You should. 

But perhaps first and foremost, talk to someone who does what you want to do. 

I'm sure others have said it, but it ALWAYS bears repeating. Find someone who does what you think you want to do and ask them questions. 

Don't confuse this with finding a mentor. A mentor can be from ANY business, in fact, the best ones are probably NOT in the area you are in to give you the fresh perspective you will not find from someone who does what you want to do. They will be around for the long haul. Poking at your plans, nitpicking, and giving advice that you would not get from the peer.

Peers in your field are going to be able to tell you like it is! And if you can't find one near you (as I would suspect you might no be able to find), look all over! My best example came from a client who was looking at starting a VERY unique business in the area. There were no others like them. I suggested that they talked to a similar business several hours away- just call and ask! 

What's the worst that could happen if you ask to pick their brain? They clam up? Find another!

Eventually, someone will be willing, as most people are to talk about what they do and how you could learn from them!

Heck, that's what I do every DAY.










Popular posts from this blog

Slow Death or Rebirth for Myspace?

  Are we really watching the slow inevitable death of Myspace? With the integration with Facebook complete and  the push towards what appears to be a mobile only function , isn't it time to call this one? One report says that Myspace is making $200 million less this year. They are functionally giving up on Myspace Music , which was always their bread and butter. Without the music tie in, why would people BOTHER with Myspace? I'm talking about it because my wife's band has used every medium known to mankind to promote themselves online and Myspace has been nothing but dead weight from the very beginning. Only bands and their most ardent fans go there. The rest are on Facebook.  There is talk of selling Myspace, but who in their right mind would consider it? This will have some interesting implications for bands down the road. Many use Myspace as their de facto website, just pushing their domain name onto the customizable site. Now apparently, Reverbnation , a North Carolin

Being a Parent

While back, I wrote a post on Father's day about being a father and how being a parent is a job. I wistfully look back as I look forward to another school year quickly approaching and the evidence of my "work" is becoming less and less my handiwork. Our youngest has just moved on to middle school. Josh has moved into high school and the oldest has graduated from high school and about "start" her life. We've had a tacit arrangement with the kids. We do NOT want boomerang kids coming back to haunt us. So they have always been told, they are staying with us until they are REALLY ready to go out and that includes the joke that college has become. Sadly, despite the fact that I have spent a good chunk of my career working in higher education, I know that it is a folly to think that sending a child off to college is preparing them for much other than to have a lifetime of loans. Thankfully, Amanda has gotten the message. She has a plan to go to local c

Check out my appearance on the The Toddcast Podcast

Click and watch the podcast recording of my appearance on the Toddcast Podcast  Such a fun time!