The start of New Business

I'm excited to get the ball rolling with my business. I've been thinking about this for the past year when I was in Italy and thinking to myself, "Hey I can do this." There are many that have had similar ideas, but I'm confident in my competitive advantages. One of the good advantages of a low cost for startup is that I can work full time and get it going on the side. It takes up most of my free time, but I'm passionate about it and that's all that matters. So, I decided to seek out some help from the government. Good ole Uncle Sam... I decided to meet with a business counselor through the Small Business Administration, www.sba.gov, in their small business counseling division.

SCORE, which stands for the Service Corporation of Retired Executives, was a good and interesting first meeting experience. The nationwide organization is comprised of over 10,000 executives mostly retired that volunteer to give advice to aspiring small business owners. With a chapter just west of the loop at 500 Madison, a short water taxi ride from the Wrigley building was all that it took to arrive there. Not knowing what to expect, it was a nice surprise to be face to face with a person that has been there and done that. He introduced himself, explained the organization and I quickly jumped right in to what I wanted to accomplish with this meeting. Basically, I've done these steps, whats next... how can I move forward without burning myself out? What issues should I deal with now and later? Target markets, etc...

One of my goals this year is to have my first business up and running. I'm starting small, going step by step, and getting some good feedback from people. I actually wish they were more critical of my products though. One big motivation has been talking to my entrepreneurial friends during this time. They think the same way and its easy to use them as a spring board for ideas good and bad. Developing a strong support group is essential to push through some difficult decisions and I'm thankful I have that.

Till next time,
Cheers!

A new beginning always is complimented with a fresh perspective...