10 TIPS FOR STARTING ENTREPRENEURS
Hi, my name is Bart.
I work at web agency Netlash.
... and a few other companies:
http://slideshare.net/netlash
STARTING YOUR OWN BUSINESS10 tips from my personal experience
Listen carefully...
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
It might not apply to you.Or your business.
MY 10 TIPS
4. Be easy to work with
3. Be a ‘Mensch’
2. Show me the money
1. Your new best friend
9. Cherish your talents
8. Set your goals
7. Find your niche
6. Get a sparring partner
10. Follow your passion5. Build alliances
Your accountant
Choose him carefully.
Make sure his office is within a 15 minute drive.
Do not go for the cheapest!
Your accountant
Your accountant
And whatever you do...
Your accountant
And whatever you do...
Do NOT take a friend or a member of your family as your accountant.
Your accountant
And whatever you do...
Do NOT take a friend or a member of your family as your accountant.
... Just don’t.
Find yourself a good bank manager, and join that bank.
By extension
Find yourself a good bank manager, and join that bank.
The personal relationship with the bank manager is far more important than the brand of the bank.
By extension
4. Be easy to work with
3. Be a ‘Mensch’
2. Show me the money
1. Your new best friend
9. Cherish your talents
8. Set your goals
7. Find your niche
6. Get a sparring partner
10. Follow your passion5. Build alliances
Watch your cash-flow
No matter how profitable you are, if you run out of cash, it’s...
Watch your cash-flow
No matter how profitable you are, if you run out of cash, it’s...
GAME OVER.
Watch your cash-flow
Send out your bills asap.
Follow them up for payment.
Be firm but friendly!
Ask advances.
Billing
Oh, and should I mention:
Oh, and should I mention:
You HAVE to have a business model.
4. Be easy to work with
3. Be a ‘Mensch’
2. Show me the money
1. Your new best friend
9. Cherish your talents
8. Set your goals
7. Find your niche
6. Get a sparring partner
10. Follow your passion5. Build alliances
Wikipediahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mensch
Mensch (Yiddisch: מענטש mentsh) means “a person of integrity and honor”.
Build your rolodex
Don’t network to build business.
The network of your network is far more important!
“Pay it forward.”
Networking
4. Be easy to work with
3. Be a ‘Mensch’
2. Show me the money
1. Your new best friend
9. Cherish your talents
8. Set your goals
7. Find your niche
6. Get a sparring partner
10. Follow your passion5. Build alliances
Availability
Answer your phone, answer your e-mail.
Reply to RFP’s within the hour!
Be reliable, make good on your promises.
Communicate often and clearly.
Availability
4. Be easy to work with
3. Be a ‘Mensch’
2. Show me the money
1. Your new best friend
9. Cherish your talents
8. Set your goals
7. Find your niche
6. Get a sparring partner
10. Follow your passion5. Build alliances
Cooperation
More value-creation through cooperation.
Share your ideas.
Be open.
Cooperation
4. Be easy to work with
3. Be a ‘Mensch’
2. Show me the money
1. Your new best friend
9. Cherish your talents
8. Set your goals
7. Find your niche
6. Get a sparring partner
10. Follow your passion5. Build alliances
Sparring partner
It’s very hard to build a bigger business on your own.
Find an opposite.
It’s like cycling...
Get a partner
4. Be easy to work with
3. Be a ‘Mensch’
2. Show me the money
1. Your new best friend
9. Cherish your talents
8. Set your goals
7. Find your niche
6. Get a sparring partner
10. Follow your passion5. Build alliances
Just say NO!
Create your own niche, and dominate it.
“Blue Ocean”
It’s ok to say NO - sometimes it can win you clients!
Focus.
Niche
4. Be easy to work with
3. Be a ‘Mensch’
2. Show me the money
1. Your new best friend
9. Cherish your talents
8. Set your goals
7. Find your niche
6. Get a sparring partner
10. Follow your passion5. Build alliances
Don’t steer - look
Know what you want to be: consultant, entrepreneur or manager.
Define the numbers.
Launch your ‘torpedo’
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Time Framed
SMART
4. Be easy to work with
3. Be a ‘Mensch’
2. Show me the money
1. Your new best friend
9. Cherish your talents
8. Set your goals
7. Find your niche
6. Get a sparring partner
10. Follow your passion5. Build alliances
Precious diamonds
Hire people that are smarter than you.
Hire for diversity.
Even the biggest diamond has to be cut - push them!
Balance your 3P: People - Profit - Planet.
Diamonds
Henry KissingerUS Statesman
A diamond is nothing more than a chunk of coal that is made good under pressure.
4. Be easy to work with
3. Be a ‘Mensch’
2. Show me the money
1. Your new best friend
9. Cherish your talents
8. Set your goals
7. Find your niche
6. Get a sparring partner
10. Follow your passion5. Build alliances
You can not outsource passion.
Outsource passion?
You can not outsource passion.
(Some people might not agree.Like pimps. And advertising agencies.)
There can only be 1 real drive for
entrepreneurship: passion.
Passion
4. Be easy to work with
3. Be a ‘Mensch’
2. Show me the money
1. Your new best friend
9. Cherish your talents
8. Set your goals
7. Find your niche
6. Get a sparring partner
10. Follow your passion5. Build alliances
11. Free extra tip
Your home base
An entrepreneur can only be succesful if his partner supports his plans.
(I can only thank Gudrun, Wolf & Kobe that they do, and love them for it.)
Your home base
4. Be easy to work with
3. Be a ‘Mensch’
2. Show me the money
1. Your new best friend
9. Cherish your talents
8. Set your goals
7. Find your niche
6. Get a sparring partner
10. Follow your passion5. Build alliances
Start your own business!
Start your own business!It’s a rollercoaster, but a fun one.
And remember...
Don’t give up.
There’s only one difference between an amateur and a professional.
The professional is an amateur that did not give up.
Good luck!
QUESTIONS?
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