Resources for a new Founder
from Inc.com Zine 24 Sept 15 enhanced by Peter/CXO Wiz4biz
Unless you’re being handheld, mentored, or otherwise coddled on your entrepreneurial journey, you’re going to face some serious challenges. One the biggest challenges is the murky arena of “resources.”
What Resources? – which can be any variety of things–from money, to time, to talent, to sleep, to who-knows-what-else. If I were starting again at the beginning of my entrepreneurial journey, here are some resources I wish I had known about. I present them now to you.
1. Legal. Don’t start a business without chosing a legal form. Often, entrepreneurs commit “lethal” legal errors when creating deals, creating the wrong business entity, or failing to create the right contracts. Avoid these errors from the start by having a conversation with a lawyer. To avoid the gut-punch of high fees, you can take a lawyer’s advice, but create your own legal documents using one of the following resources: LegalZoom, Rocket Lawyer, Law Depot & Nolo.
2. Put a Website up. Get your online presence established as quickly as a possible. After determining your business Name & URL, get a website established as quickly as possible. I prefer Word Press because it’s #1 ,widely used by 50% of sites & easy to create with .
3. Make a Logo. Create a logo as early as possible. The visual identity of your website matters. Any logo is better than no logo. FiverR.com has a wide variety of logo creators who will make a custom logo for five dollars.
4. Build a Mailing list. No startup is complete without an ever-growing email list. Capture your Emails using HellowBar, and send out Emails using MailChimp.
5. Keep on Schedule. Time is the most valuable resource of any startup. For sticking to goals & tasks like a pro, use an app like Team Gantt. To plan your blogging schedule in WordPress, try an Editorial Callendar plugin.
6. Hire Developers. In a tech-driven world, your startup is going to need development. But how do you find developers, especially if you don’t have a development background yourself? Elance, Guru or TopTal.
7. Manage your Sales pipeline. One of the most critical aspects of a startup is the Sales pipeline. Don’t leave this aspect of your business to chance. ProsperWorkd is a customizable CRM that works seamlessly & brilliantly.
8. Get access to Funding. There are no quick-and-easy resources that will get you up and funded in no time, but there are some options that are easier than others: Angel.com, CrowdFunder, Indie Go Go, RocketHub & #1 –KickStarter. You’ll need to find the Funding model & approach that’s best for your risk appetite, your goals, & the nature of your business. The money is there. You just have to work to find it.
9. Never stop Learning. Unless you’re constantly gaining knowledge and insight, you’re going to stagnate, and your startup could to. Find the leading blogs in your niche, and keep up with them. You’ll also benefit from the following: FastCo, Entrepreneur (& OnFire) If you’re looking for growth strategies, check the following out: Growth Hackers & Hacker News. If you have physical products, these blogs are great resources: Shopify, Practical eCommerce. The best resources are those that are a balance of education & inspiration. Entrepreneurship can be thoroughly draining, and you need a regular battery recharge.
Conclusion. The best entrepreneurs are those who are aware of the best Resources. You don’t need anything time consuming or expensive. you just need to know where to find it. This list of resources can take you from entrepreneurial ground zero to cruising altitude in virtually no time.
Comments: Are there any Resources you really like?