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10 Success Tips for Young and Aspiring Entrepreneurs

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Archives, Global Trade Daily, Special Reports

10 Success Tips for Young and Aspiring Entrepreneurs

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In the digital age, entrepreneurship is more accessible than ever. That doesn’t mean it’s a cakewalk, though. Here are 10 tips for success.

In the digital age, becoming a successful entrepreneur is more accessible than ever before. Anyone with a few bucks and an internet connection can become an Internet mogul if they play their cards right and have the patience and savvy to work the system. Our founder, Eric Porat, took a website from scratch to 70,000 visitors per month in three years and has since sold dozens of websites for over half a million dollars.

That doesn’t mean it’s easy. In fact, it’s far from it. So here are 10 tips for success to get you started.

1. Plan, plan, plan… and plan some more.

There is no substitute for a solid business plan. If you think you’ve planned your business and market strategy out enough, you’re probably wrong. Analysis of your target demographic and competitors is especially important. Also, prepare yourself for any eventuality. Analyze any possible thing that can go wrong with your game plan, and then prepare an apt response. That way, when anything does happen, you’re ready. Keep track of your skills and weaknesses, what you offer, how said product or service is unique, and how you plan on growing your offering once you’ve entered the market.

2. Find a Mentor

Look, you don’t have to have an Obi-Wan or a Gandalf, but going at the entrepreneurial game alone is a Deathwish. Whether it’s a community of like-minded investors and entrepreneurs or a close friend or business associate who is more experienced in the market, having someone to learn from and bounce ideas off of is paramount to success. Learn from their mistakes and successes, so you can minimize the former and maximize the latter in your own endeavors.

That said, always trust your gut. If you’re following a shadow for your entire career, you’re never going to really break out and make it big.

3. Keep Your Marketing Tight

By that, we mean a tight budget. Marketing your business is extremely important, but it shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg. Remember, social media is your friend. Creating your business page on Facebook and founding social accounts on Twitter and Instagram for your business is free, and will also help your SEO. Submitting your website URL to search engines like Google and Bing is another free way to boost your visibility.

We don’t mean you need to be a stinge, but good marketing should work smarter, not harder. Hit the right demographic (there we go with the planning again) and you won’t have to invest in complex or costly paid media campaigns. Strong, targeted email and social media campaigns are much cheaper and more effective.

4. Build a Strong Team

Don’t get the wrong idea, we don’t mean hiring a bunch of overpaid “experts.” Just surround yourself with people who share your vision, folks who you vibe with. Everyone knows that starting a business with your friends typically goes wrong, but you do want to have stuff in common with the folks you work with, at least from an outlook perspective. Also, be open to new opinions and suggestions. You don’t want a bunch of mindless drones, you want a team of individual, critical thinkers.

5. Be Ready for Financial Challenges

Almost every startup hits the ground because of one factor: COST. Duh. Running a business is expensive. So be ready to operate on the cheap, and be ready for every eventuality. Deal with cash flow hits by saving a month’s worth of expenses ahead of time, or by getting creative with how you lower your overheads. As part of your business plan, be sure to give yourself an adequate runway for success. Things like SEO take time. You can’t expect to be turning a profit with an online business three months out, at least not if you’re starting a site from scratch. If you don’t have the cash to survive, there’s no point starting out. And at all costs, avoid DEBT.

6. Take Care of Yourself

Entrepreneurship is a lifestyle, but don’t work yourself senseless. When you’re running your own business, it’s really easy to forget to clock out. The days of 9-5 are long gone for you (if you’re successful), but remember to separate work and play. Don’t let your business take over your life. You may have to put in extra hours in the beginning to get your endeavor off the ground, but in the long run, be sure to watch your time management so you can have time to keep LIVING.

7. Read Case Studies

As an entrepreneur, you’ll be focusing on your business 24/7. So, when you get home and have some leisure time, you might be tempted to play video games, read fiction, or watch TV to relax. Read case studies instead. Read biographies of successful entrepreneurs. Just do as much reading as you can about those who came before you, what they did right, and what they did wrong. It’ll pay off in the end, trust us.

8. Take Risks

Humans are generally risk-averse, but part of being an entrepreneur is being willing to take risks (and knowing which risks are viable and which aren’t). Learn which risks will benefit your business and which won’t, and learn to go for it. Entrepreneurial endeavors aren’t like calculus equations. There is no guaranteed right answer. Sometimes you have to analyze the market and take a leap of faith. Everyone, and we mean EVERYONE, who has ever achieved real success has taken a risk.

9. NETWORK

There is no such thing as too much networking. Never stop networking, even during your free time. Don’t be one of those irritating people who never stops talking about their business, of course, but make connections at all times. You never know where your next lead will come from. You might find a new connection while grabbing a beer at your local bar, on a flight to visit your folks for Thanksgiving, or on a street corner. You might meet your next business partner in an elevator or a laundromat.

This doesn’t mean being annoying and constantly pitching your ideas to everyone. Just be human. Be organic. Connect, relate, talk with, and get to know people.

10. Never Stop Learning

This is critical to success. The market is constantly changing. You should be, too. Starting your own business is a constant process of growth and learning. Teach yourself new skills, from SEO to writing to design to management and presentation. The more you know, the less you’ll have to pay others to do stuff for you, and the more you can understand the inner workings of the market. If you want to get into the entrepreneurial game, you need to be ready to go 110%, and that means signing up for a never-ending learning process.

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Eric Porat is a successful online entrepreneur, investor, and digital marketer with over 15 years of experience in buying and selling websites.

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Archives, Global Trade Daily, Special Reports

Tips and Tricks on Starting a Business This Quarter: Incfile’s Planning Guide

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It may take years for you to develop a business idea and muster up the courage to launch. So when you are finally ready to launch your small business, you don’t want to delay the process any longer. If the time for you to start your business is now, in the fourth quarter of 2020, you may be hesitant at first since the fourth quarter technically is when most small businesses’ fiscal year ends.

However, there are plenty of reasons why you should start your business during this quarter, and we have some tips and tricks that will lead you to business launch success.

Q4 Business Launch Callouts

Most entrepreneurs use the end of the calendar year as the end of their fiscal year. This means that Q4 is spent tallying profits, looking over financial statements, calculating potential tax projections and wrapping up planning for the upcoming year. Therefore, Q4 may not be the most desirable or popular time to start a business.

However, there are plenty of profits to be had during this season. Due to the holidays, consumers are willing to spend money on gifts and experiences. The increased sales potential during this season may help your business get off to a strong start. Holiday retail sales are likely to increase between 1 percent and 1.5 percent, according to Deloitte’s annual holiday retail forecast. During the same period last year, sales grew 4.1 percent.

However, Deloitte also forecasts that ecommerce sales will grow by 25 percent to 35 percent, year-over-year, during the 2020–2021 holiday season, compared to a 14.7 percent increase in 2019. And online holiday sales are expected to generate $182 billion to $196 billion.

In comparison to Q3 of 2020, consumers may have pulled back on their retail spending due to financial burdens caused by COVID-19. Especially since in August, 13.6 million people in the U.S. were unemployed, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

During Q4, consumers are looking to spend their money during this holiday season. With an increase in the number of consumers looking for services online or online shopping this year due to COVID-19, more traffic online means you’ll have a great audience for your online ads. This makes it a great time to test out your online marketing tactics and strategy.

One thing to consider as a new business owner during this season is that more established businesses already understand that Q4 is a hot time for sales due to the holiday season. They may be charging hard and spending quite the penny to capture consumers during this time.

Also, since Q4 sales tend to trend the highest out of all the quarters, launching your business in Q4 gives you no other timeframe to compare against. This can give you a false sense of how your business is going to trend in other quarters or you may see a significant drop in sales during Q1 and Q2. Being realistic and conservative about your potential revenue during Q1 through Q3 will help you understand your business’s actual potential.

Launching Your Business This Quarter

There are plenty of things you can do to set your business up for success if you are not shied away from launching your business in Q4. Here are some tips and tricks if you are ready to take the plunge this season:

Utilize resources. Entrepreneurship can seem daunting but don’t worry. There are plenty of resources to help you start your business successfully. Incfile’s in-depth “Start a Business” guides help you research everything you need to do before your doors open. We’ve researched key areas for your industry, from market data, customer needs and business taxes, to setting up your business, understanding regulations and laws and choosing the correct business entity. We also have a handy “Start Your Business” checklist, which will walk you through the steps needed to get off the ground and running.

Focus on “hot” online business ideas. One business that we anticipate being hot during Q4 is an Amazon business. If you want to be successful on Amazon, especially during this busy holiday season, finding the right products and buyers is absolutely essential. Due to the success of the platform, there is a vast amount of competition across almost every niche and product. The biggest factors that will decide your success are choosing the right product, understanding the demand for that product and selling it at a profit. An Etsy business may also be a hot business since consumers turn to this platform during this season for special gifts. You’ll need a strong, robust plan for your new business. There’s plenty of competition in the Etsy marketplace, especially in Q4, so having a novel approach, creating original designs and getting proper business discipline in place is essential.

Get your website, social media and marketing plan in order. With shoppers online and poised to make holiday sales, getting a website and social media accounts ready to go will be necessary for helping you market to your potential new customers. Create a content marketing strategy for your website that involves SEO and special offers for your visitors.

Create a legal business entity. No matter what business idea you go with, forming a business, such as an LLC or S Corp, is a smart move. This will give you a professional face forward to clients and also provide separation of your personal identity and finances from those of your business. If you need to open a business checking account, credit card or loan, banks are more likely to see you as a legitimate business with an LLC or S Corp designation.

If you are ready to launch your business in Q4, go for it. Don’t let the increased competition during this time frame scare you away from building your dream. As long as you do your research, approach with level-headedness and commit the time, money and energy into your new business, you will hopefully see success this season.

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Dustin Ray leads business development and growth initiatives at Incfile, a national incorporation service company specializing in business formation and small business services. Founded in 2004, Incfile has assisted in the formation of more than 250,000 corporations and LLCs.​

Entrepreneurs
Archives, Global Trade Daily, Special Reports, State Spotlight

Metros With the Most Successful Entrepreneurs

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Many Americans dream of quitting their job and becoming their own boss. Whether the goal is to live the laptop lifestyle or turn a creative pursuit into a full-time business, entrepreneurship offers flexibility and excitement, but it is not without risks. While the potential upside of starting a successful business is appealing, it often takes years for a new firm to become profitable, and many entrepreneurs do not earn as much as they did in their previous jobs. According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the median annual income for full-time entrepreneurs is $50,000, which is the same as the median income for all full-time workers.

At a more granular level, full-time entrepreneurs (defined here as self-employed workers in their own incorporated or unincorporated businesses) tend to report higher incomes than full-time employees at for-profit businesses. However, the typical full-time entrepreneur makes less than both full-time employees of non-profit organizations and full-time government workers. Interestingly, Census data shows that federal employees enjoy the highest median income at $65,000 per year, followed by non-profit employees at just under $53,000.

While nationally the median income for entrepreneurs is the same as the median income for all workers, there are big differences at the state and city level. At the high end, entrepreneurs in Rhode Island and North Dakota have median incomes that are 28.3 and 20.0 percent higher, respectively, than the median income of all workers. On the low end, entrepreneurs in Vermont and Delaware have median incomes that are 18.8 and 16.7 percent lower, respectively, than that of all workers.

To determine the metropolitan areas with the most successful entrepreneurs, researchers at ZenBusiness analyzed data from the U.S Census Bureau. The researchers ranked metros according to the income premium for entrepreneurs, which is defined as the percentage difference between the median income for full-time entrepreneurs and the median income for all full-time workers.

Here are the top 15 large metropolitan areas with the most successful entrepreneurs:

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For more information, a detailed methodology, and complete results for all metros, you can find the original report on ZenBusiness’s website: https://www.zenbusiness.com/blog/cities-with-the-most-successful-entrepreneurs/

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Archives, Global Trade Daily

Starting a Small Business in California Is Easiest with Incfile

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We’re living in a time when anyone with entrepreneurial aspirations has ample resources to make their dreams a reality. So your new limited liability company has plenty of company, especially if you’re operating out of California.

The Golden State is a known haven for some of the biggest companies in the world, and if you’re looking to kick off your latest business venture in California, Incfile can certainly help you get started with a bang.

In fact, starting a business in California is much easier when you have Incfile’s extensive resources and expert assistance to guide you. But what does it take to launch a small business in California? Let’s investigate.

Getting Started

If you’re launching a startup or a small-to-medium-sized business in California, an LLC is most likely your best bet as far as structure is concerned. This allows you to enjoy the primary benefits of larger corporations without overcomplicating your finances.

As an LLC, you’ll enjoy liability protection that keeps your personal assets distinctly separate from your business interests, as well as the pass-through taxation that can save you money. In just a few simple steps, you’ll be ready to leverage the advantages of operating a small business in California.

Naming Your California Business

What’s in a name? A lot, as it turns out. After all, your name needs to set your company apart, establish your mission and connect with your potential customer base in an instant. With so many businesses already based in California, you may have to dig deep to uncover the perfect name for your company. But it can be done. You’ll need to understand the rules involved and search through the California Secretary of State’s business register.

If that sounds overwhelming already, we completely understand. Naming a business is an art really. If you need guidance along the way, Incfile can help you navigate the vast landscape of California LLC fictitious names and trademarks and file the necessary form with your county administration once you do settle on your company’s name. We can even reserve the business name for you if you’re not ready to move on it or get to work on the Articles of Organization if you are.

Finding a California Registered Agent

Your business needs a registered agent on record whom you can trust to receive correspondence and forward these on to you for further action. When you start your business in California, you’ll need to appoint one. Being a registered agent is a big responsibility upon which hangs the fate of your business.

So, if you are having difficulty finding an eligible person or entity to name as your registered agent, Incfile provides a complete service for your California-based business, including acting as your registered agent. We’re always available to accept your documents and automatically notify you when we receive anything new, sending it directly to whichever address you select. Moreover, if you incorporate with Incfile, we’ll include this Registered Agent service free for your first year.

Filing Requirements for California

With any business venture, you will always be confronted with a variety of fees and filing requirements. These will, of course, vary based on the specifics of your business (which licenses and permits do you need, for example?), but when you form your California LLC with Incfile, we’ll automatically charge you the state filing fee and forward it to the California Secretary of State on your behalf.

In addition, Incfile can obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN) for your business — which you will need for tax, banking and payroll purposes — and can likewise secure a foreign qualification (also known as a Certificate of Authority) if you plan to operate outside of California state lines.

From the very first steps to completing your California Statement of Information, we can handle all your key filing needs.

Licenses and Permits

Depending on the nature of your business or your location within California, you may need to secure a range of licenses or permits before you begin operation. If you fail to do so, you could be facing serious consequences, especially if you run afoul of compliance regulations.

Through Incfile’s Business License Research Package, you’ll receive a complete report on all licenses, permits and tax registrations you need in California, as well as the application forms to file with the appropriate authorities.

Thoroughness is the name of the game if you hope to avoid placing your young LLC at risk and incurring significant fees, and Incfile is prepared to help you sidestep any such obstacles.

Taxes for Your California Business

In the business world, taxes are an unfortunate reality and one that can become more complicated as time goes by. California LLCs may be subject to everything up to and including self-employment, payroll, federal, state and state sales taxes.

Luckily, Incfile has you covered here too. Our Business Tax Filing service can provide the assistance you need to make sense of your tax filing and ensure that you complete all necessary documentation accurately and on time. Don’t let your new California-based business suffer during tax season, especially when you have a resource like Incfile on hand to provide guidance and save money and time with your filing.

Next Steps After Starting a Business in California

After your LLC is formed, the work has only begun. So there’s no time to waste. While the process we’ve discussed might seem arduous, you’re still in easily one of the best states to make it as a small business. And, with Incfile on your side, those odds are even more encouraging.

Now, are you ready to start your small business in California? We’re ready to help you get there, all the while preparing you to face your competition head-on and with confidence that your company is built to last, no matter the market conditions. To learn more about how we can help, check out our website and get started today!

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This article was originally published on the Incfile Blog.

Robert Yaniz Jr. has been a professional writer since 2004, including print and online publications. Much of his experience centers on the business world, including work for a major regional business newspaper and a global law firm.