Should You Startup Your Own Business


by Peter J Hale - Date: 2007-01-18 - Word Count: 520 Share This!

It's a question that millions ask themselves each year and most of us want to be our own boss. No more 9 to 5, no more Dilbert Cubes and no more bosses that demand more and more each day.

It's because you can do it - can't you ?

So if you really think that a new small business is for you, how do you go about starting one ? Today you probably just have an idea of what you want to undertake and that's a great start. Most people just want to start any business and are unsure which business is best for them.

If you don't know yet, think about areas where you have a great interest and knowledge about. This saves you having to have a huge learning curve before you start and during your first months.

Once you know what business you want to be in it's time for some research and financial forecasting. You should spend time here because your investment is at risk. Most new businesses don't last five years and a large percentage don't go beyond the first 12 months.

The main reason businesses fail is due to problematic cashflow. There will come a point where the business just can't afford to pay any bills - due to cash not coming into the business - mainly because the sales are not sufficient but there are many other reasons for no cash in a business.

So the first thing you should do once you have seen that there is a market for your product or service and know how to source your raw materials is to develop your own business plan. These days this is easy to undertake because there are many sites on the internet that can help you in this task.

Whether you are undertaking the business plan for yourself or aim to submit it to your bank for initial finance, the most important element of the plan is the financial forecasting plan. This in essence shows you how many of your products or services you need to sell and at what profit margin to generate enough income to pay all your bills and have some money left over to pay yourself and to re-invest back into your business for longer term growth.

It's amazing the number of businesses that don't produce a plan and research has also shown that companies that have a business plan produce 50% more revenue and profit growth that companies without a business plan.

Apart from showing you how you are going to attain your desired profit margins you'll also see how large your market is, the demographics of your potential customer base, your operating plans, the management team and staff you need as well as a comprehensive marketing plan to let potential customers knows your business exists.

Then of course you'll need to go off and implement it. It's best to get some help before you even begin and friends and family are a good start. There's also loads of free government business help as well. So should you start your new business ? Yes, but plan ahead well beforehand and reap the benefits of a well thought out business plan.


Related Tags: small business, startup, business help, small business help

If you are thinking of starting a small business and need small business startup help then make sure you get all the business advice you need at : http://www.smallbusinesspro.co.uk

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