You have had this desire to start your OWN business.
It has probably been a thought that has lived in your head rent-free for quite some time, maybe even years!
What an exciting thought too—getting to do business exactly how you want to, be the boss you’ve always wanted, and modernizing running things! Plus, the freedom of making your own hours, working from wherever you want…The list is endless…But the steps between dreaming about it and doing it, might not be as exciting. Truth is, it’s overwhelming! How does one get all the things together and what are even all the things needed?! Today, I’m giving you the cornerstones of starting and growing your business. The only reason it feels overwhelming is because it is a lot, but it doesn’t have to be.
If you have a road map, taking you from start to finish, you can make it happen. One thing at a time and before you know it, you will have a running business.
Ready?
These are the things you need to start your business:
Foundation + Clarity
Before even starting to build your business, website and all of that other stuff. You need the most powerful tool to success, CLARITY.
If you start with the end-goal in mind and open to enjoying the process, whoa you are in for a treat!
It’s important to ask yourself:
- What is your end goal?
- Why are you wanting to run a business online?
- How can you make a greater impact?
The last one, may sound like “extra credit,” like this is something people do when they already have a successful business. Here is a little secret – this is how you create a successful business. It’s the true reason you run your business. Beyond handling your day-to-day business, you get to make a greater impact on your clients, team and community. Every business starts small, and so will yours – but that’s not where it has to stay. Think about that!
Offer + Pricing
You might have a few different ideas on how you want to offer your service, or heck even multiple ideas of what type of service you want to offer. Deciding on what that is and how much to charge is crucial! It needs to fit with your target audience but what you might not have thought about is, that it also needs to fit your way of living or how you want to live.
To figure that out you can use multiple different tactics, you can look at how other similar service providers set up their offerings and see how you can make it your own OR go back to those thoughts on how you would run your business if you had your own. For pricing, one of my favorite ways to look at this challenge, is to reverse-engineer it from how much you need or want to make a month!
Values + Brand Creation.
When you are just starting out it can be tempting to work with everyone. I get it, and right as you start you should, it will show you who you want to work with, but more importantly, who you do not want to work with. In the beginning (or honestly at any time), it can be easy to forget that we are in charge, we get to make the rules and that’s one of the big joys of running your own show. This corner stone is very important. More important than you might think right now, because the clearer you are on how and with whom you do business, the easier e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g will be.
Website + Online Presence
Probably one of the first things you think about when you start your business is that you need a website and online presence. Yep, that is the today’s truth. Having the previous bullets clear first will make this process a lot easier. First step with an online presence—get your domain! Then simplify all your thoughts to the least necessary. The website should not be an obstacle to get going, it should be a ticket to learn about and grow your business!
Marketing + Content
This is the one most of us don’t want to think about… because you are starting your business to offer your expertise and service, yep I know. But the kicker is if you have no customers or clients, you have no business. Sorry to be harsh, but you need to learn to sell your services and let the world know about them. Selling can be fun if you do it the right way. There is a plethora of ways to market, so research different methods and then focus on the one you actually like. (Just make sure your ideal client likes to receive content that way).
Tools + Optimization
Once your business is up and running, there are many different tools that can help you simplify life, to make it user-friendly for your clients (yeah, you can finally be truly tech forward). My favorite time-saving trick is noticing the patterns and tasks I repeat and turning them into templates and SOPs! Once you have a rhythm with your business, you will find this saves a lot of time!
Who am I kidding, it is all still a lot!
You want a little extra help to get it nailed down?
Well, I’m glad you asked! The thing is, I’m launching a program January (perfect start to the new year), where I dive into the details of all this, and guide you through each corner-stone.
So, if you have been wanting to make your business and website happen, but aren’t sure where to start or need some support to actually follow through. You are in luck! You, me, and a community of like-minded individuals will jump into this together and get you up and running.
If you know of a friend who has been talking about starting a business forever, to the point that it is annoying. Do them (and you) a favor and forward this note to them, it will be the best support you can offer them!
Are you ready?
Let’s go,
