Entrepreneur ToolShed
What is stopping you from launching your business? There are a number of obstacles that can get in your way from taking the step to becoming an entrepreneur and starting your own business. Let's take a look at some of the common reasons or obstacles getting in your way from launching your own business.
"I don't want to quit my job"
Good. You shouldn't. Unless you have a huge chunk of cash reserves that you can live on for a while (longer than you think), you shouldn't take the risk of throwing away your current income, especially if you have a family. The good news is that because there are so many tools available now (mostly due to technology), there are tons of businesses you can start while keeping your current job. This is the focus of this web site: providing you with the tools you need to launch a successful business without sacrificing your job or your life's savings.
"I don't have a business idea"
Many people think that you have to come up with a new concept or invent something before starting their first business. The reality is that most businesses don't start with a new idea. They usually take an existing idea and find a way to operate or sell the idea better than others. If you know you want to be an entrepreneur but don't know where to look for an idea or type of business, I definitely encourage you to consider a web-based business simply because it requires minimal cash to startup and there are so many great tools to help you do it (you no longer have to be a programmer or computer geek to start a web business). A good place to start might be to google "affiliate marketing".
"I don't have any startup capital"
Most people don't, unless you're on your second or third successful business venture. I don't recommend putting your life's savings into a startup, because frankly, there is too much risk involved. Focus on non-capital intensive business ideas such as web-based businesses. The focus of this website is to provide you with tools and resources to launch a business with minimal technical experience and with minimal capital. Naturally, this will lean more towards online businesses.
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When it comes to launching your business, a web site is a must. If you don't have a web site, please won't find you and it will hurt your credibility. Whether you need a simple corporate web site for your business or your business is a web business, I have two fantastic options for you to consider in order to launch your site. Both of the following platforms are free, open source, and require either no or little technical knowledge to implement. For most entrepreneurs, creating a great looking website that does what you need it to do without spending any money is key. This article will tell you how to create a great web site to supplement your startup or even create the web site that perhaps your web-based business is centered around. Joomla! Joomla! is a great platform for content management. With Joomla!, you can literally launch a basic web site in a matter of minutes with just a few clicks of the mouse. You can select from already made templates to find the best look that you want for the site. Then, you can login to the back end of the system and create content that is automatically displayed on the site in the appropriate way. You can edit your web pages just like you are in Microsoft Word. If you are creating a Corporate website where you add content regularly but not every day, I would recommend Joomla! Wordpress Wordpress is another very popular content management platform primarily used for blogs. Many people use Wordpress for Corporate sites as well since many companies blend their corporate site with some blog-like content. Similarly with Joomla! you can launch the site very quickly then login and create content. If you are creating a website where you change or add content very frequently, Wordpress might be the best option for you. Launching The Site I recommend using Dreamhost as a host for your site. You can do a one-click install of either Joomla! or Wordpress by logging into your Dreamhost account. This prevents you from having to manually install either platform on the server (very important for non-technical people). Once installed, Dreamhost shoots you an email with the next steps you have to take in order to get your first version of the site running. They make it very simple which is why I use Dreamhost for all of my sites. These Tools Are Perfect For:
For More Information There are millions of tutorials out there on both Joomla! and Wordpress. Pick one platform, and master it before switching to another. Another decent option is to buy either Joomla! For Dummies or Wordpress for Dummies to learn the basics if you'd rather learn from an actual book in front of you. Also, there are plenty of youTube tutorials as well. You will be suprised how much you can do with either platform. Because they are open source, people are able to build extensions and plugins to create additional functionality. If you need your site to perform a specific task, there's a great chance someone has already thought about it and built the necessary plugin/extension!
Email marketing is a crucial component of any marketing plan. Whether you are attempting to create e-newsletters or add some visual design to your email communication, you need an email marketing solution. Aweber is your perfect solution. Features Aweber allows you to easily manage multiple email lists from one clean, simple interface. No other solution allows you to keep your contacts or customers so easily organized. Also, Aweber lets you segment your email lists according to a number of factors. For example, if you send out an email to your entire list, you can then send a follow up message to only those people who did not open and read the first email message! The online email editor interface allows you to use beautiful templates to design amazing looking email communications. Increase the effectiveness of your email communications! Additionally, you can track the effectiveness of your email messages. You can see what links were clicked and what style of email messages have a better click-thru rate. You can even use split tests to compare the results of various strategies. Basically, you can take the performance and return of your email marketing to an entire new level. This Tool Is Perfect For:
If you need a one-stop web-based email marketing solution, look no further than Aweber. If you are looking for an extremely inexpensive way to manage your email marketing campaign, this is definite the solution for you. |
As an entrepreneur, you have a zillion tasks and responsibilities while trying to get your business off the ground. One of the main purposes of this site is to provide resources or tools to help take care of the mundane, non-value adding tasks with ease and with minimal cost. Whether you are planning to incorporate or form an LLC, the business formation step is very necessary but also a pain while you're focusing on sales and profits. This article will provide the ultimate resource to make business formation a breeze while saving you a few bucks. Legalzoom.com is a fantastic resource for any new entrepreneur. It is also great if you've never gone through the process of incorporating or forming an LLC. Legalzoom takes care of the headache aspects of this process. You simply answer a few questions and they take care of the process for you. I strongly recommend you take advantage of this easy service. You won't find a cheaper service either. Also, if you have any questions on what type of business you should form whether its an LLC or an Incorporation, you will find all the answers you need if you click the link on this web page. A detailed comparison with the tax advantages or liability concerns of each type of business are clearly listed for your reference. This Tool Is Perfect For:
Properly forming your business is a step you do not want to overlook. It can definitely come back to haunt you later depending on various unforeseen circumstances. Take my advice, go to Legalzoom.com today and take care of this crucial but annoying step in the process of launching your dream business.
Business cards are a staple of every new business. While they are important, this is not something that you want to spend a ton of time worrying about. I'm here to tell you about an online tool that makes the business card process painless and inexpensive. Vista Print is an online tool that more and more entrepreneurs are turning to for their business cards. Currently, at Vista Print, you can get 25% to 75% OFF All Products by following this link. This is definitely a deal you want to take advantage of. I did a comparison between a couple local printers that I have used before for business cards and other marketing materials, and Vista Print was way cheaper not to mention actually easier to work with! Their online software lets you design your business cards with ease so that you know exactly what you are going to get. Forget the proof and revision process which normally occurs with typical printers, with Vista Print, you get your proof instantaneously since what you are looking at online is exactly what your cards will look like. This Tool Is Perfect For:
Entrepreneur Tool Shed is dedicated to providing entrepreneurs with the lowest cost and efficient resources to launch a business. Vista Print is THE recommended solution for all of your business card needs. Save money and get it done quick! |
