Schools of Business offer semester long courses and even majors in entrepreneurship. My column only allows me less than 300 words to share with you the basics. Consider the following core areas as a checklist before you start:
- Conception: Do I have a mission and vision for this venture and a business plan that will get me there? Do I have a name for my business that best describes what I do for my clients? Should I start this as a side business?
- Advisors: Who will be my inner circle of mentors that will help make this a successful venture?
- Finances: Where will I do my banking? Who will be my CPA? What are my revenue and expense projections?
- Legal: What business entity will I choose? What liability issues will I face? What licenses to I need?
- Location, Location, Location: For my business what’s best: working out of the home or having an office?
- Operations: What is my niche? What are the top products and services I offer? Who do I compete with?
- Sales & Marketing: What logo best represents my business? What’s my tag line? How do I incorporate my business cards into my marketing strategy? How will I get clients? Where and how often do I need to network?
- Technology: How can a laptop cell phone, website and email move my business forward?
(This article originally appeared in AC-Chamber Visions Article – SEC April 2007 Issue.)
Thomas J. Denham, MEd is the Managing Partner & Career Counselor of Careers In Transition LLC. He helps people explore their options with career testing, make job changes, write resumes and cover letters and prepare for interviews. He can be reached at (518) 366-8451 and at
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