Tag: entrepreneur

  • Entrepreneurship Misconceptions

    Entrepreneurship Misconceptions

    [ad_1]

    Don’t let what others think about entrepreneurs hold you back from greatness,

    Misconception is a thought or opinion that is incorrect based on the faulty thinking or understanding of people. Here, we want to clarify some of the misconceptions in entrepreneurship.

    They work for money

    Entrepreneurship isn’t all about money, it’s about solving problems for people and love what they do. Also, it’s about creating a name for themselves and making a positive impact in the world.

    Money is also a way to do bigger and more exciting deals. The motivation of a new idea, and the risks involved have far more power to motivate the entrepreneurial spirit than money. In entrepreneurship, your business and success become an obsession not the money.

    They lack courage

    I’ve never seen anyone that is as courageous as an entrepreneur.

    It takes courage to forego the predictability of a corporate job, It takes courage to take the risk of failure, It takes courage to make your dreams into reality.

    And it takes courage, lots of it to hand over the reins when your startup grows beyond your ability to manage it.

    That’s why entrepreneurs are rightly the true heroes of our modern world.

    They are professionals

    Most successful entrepreneurs are not highly qualified fellows, but are success driven. Surprisingly, attending an elite university or higher education doesn’t provide a significant advantage in entrepreneurship. What matters is that the entrepreneur gains a degree; the choice of major or college doesn’t play a big role in success. However, the greater the education of the entrepreneur, the lower the rate of business failure and the higher the business’s profits, sales and employment.

    They sometimes have overnight success

    It may seem to you that entrepreneurs made the huge amount of money, but do you know that there is a lot of handwork before he made it.

    Overnight success is possible; entrepreneurs are inspired to start their own business by witnessing successful and established entrepreneurs. They study the success stories, the beginning of those success stories, which often includes massive struggle prior to the breakthroughs. As a matter of Fact, it takes years to become an overnight success in entrepreneurship!

    Many entrepreneurs needlessly worry that they haven’t perfected their ideas. No idea is ever perfect. When you have an idea, go ahead and build a prototype or two, tinker with what works, make refinements as necessary, but by all means get it out there! You can always improve on a good idea. Let the market help you improve.

    You don’t have to be a Harvard graduate to be an entrepreneur, but you do need to understand the characteristics of entrepreneurial. See you at the top!

    [ad_2]

    Source by Femi Adefioye

    Views: 1

  • How To Tell If Someone Is An Entrepreneur

    How To Tell If Someone Is An Entrepreneur

    [ad_1]

    One thing defines an entrepreneur – constructive action.

    Typically, they’re the salesman – doing *everything* to get people to buy their stuff. We all have the image in our heads; the “wheeler-dealer”, picking any opportunity to try and exploit (and other people) for profit.

    Indeed, the term “entrepreneur” seems to have drifted around the present lexicon – from “something you did” (typically to improve people’s lives) into a blend of “money mad hustler” and “someone who doesn’t ‘follow the rules’”.

    The reality is the modern meaning could not be further from the truth.

    Entrepreneurship isn’t a vocation or job. It’s not a label which you apply to yourself in order to make yourself more endearing to a particular party, or clientele… it’s a way of doing things.

    Many “entrepreneurial” types actually have jobs. They’ll never admit they are “entrepreneurs”, although they exhibit all the traits of one. The question is what these traits are, and whether you – or someone you know – has them.

    What Is An “Entrepeneur”?

    Entrepreneur is a word derived from French – loosely describing a “problem solver”.

    Whilst its connotation has changed over the years, the premise persists – an “entrepreneur” is someone who creates a “widget” and has the ability to encourage other people to buy it.

    What this “widget” is can be a commercial product, service or idea.

    It’s actually interesting… some of the greatest “entrepreneurs” of history actually had nothing to do with money. They were completely focused on the development of a particular “result” and committed themselves whole-heartedly to its realization.

    Whether this meant conquering the Persian empire (Alexander), developing the light bulb (Edison) or creating stable PC systems (Gary Kildall), conquering the Aztec empire (Cortez), the term “entrepreneur” really denotes someone who wants to build something.

    The BIG difference between “original” entrepreneurs and the swathes of new-age idiots (who typically aggrandize a hedonistic lifestyle + seem to have an infatuation for “crypto”) is that the former were typically committed to a single profession, and manage to “leverage” that through the development of increasingly ambitious “projects”.

    These projects could be anything… but they all had a core “reason” to exist. This reason was what drove the originator to pursue the endeavour, and continue even when it was questionable whether it was even “possible” or not. Obviously, the reason we remember them is that they not only discovered it was “possible”, but entirely feasible… hence their success.

    How To Tell If Someone Is One

    The typical sign is they will do strange things…

    • interest in esoteric ideas
    • pursuit of interests not directly correlated to the accumulation of wealth
    • strong displays of passion for particular subjects
    • immersive nature with different ideas (trying to recreate historical events etc)

    The point is that REAL entrepreneurs are not typically concerned about money at all.

    Their primary concern is the creation of a “thing”. What that thing is, is determined by either their character or interests… but in every instance of someone who’s achieved a large amount of success, they were completely and utterly focused on doing “their” thing no matter what.

    This is actually important.

    The modern world seems to have every 18 year old male wanting to be an “entrepreneur” – like it’s a badge of honour or something. If you’re not “growing”, you’re “dying”… right?

    The truth is that our society has become so focused on convenience that the majority of these money-grabbing idiots have absolutely no business even considering themselves “entrepreneurs”.

    They have no experience, no skills and are only latching onto the latest “fad” in order to escape the mediocrity which has come to pervade the West’s consumerist culture.

    Entrepreneurship typically follows YEARS of interest in a particular subject. It typically follows HUGE investments of time & energy into the cultivation of a skill set, experience and “involvement” in a particular space.

    Most importantly – entrepreneurship is about doing something “your way”.

    Stay Clear Of Modern Idiots

    The BIGGEST problem I continually see from the hoards of idiots is they are ALL following a “book” or some other “rules” on “how” to be an entrepreneur.

    I see it all the time… guys reading all the biographies, neural studies, latest books from the big wealthy fat cat – all trying to discover the “secret” to massive success.

    What’s ironic is that all of this stuff just works on the “outside” of the issue – the same people who read all the “stuff” end up with the SAME questions… “what do I sell?”- “how do I know if I’m going to make money on a product?” – “what’s the secret to getting rich?”.

    • If you have to ask “what do I sell”, you’re not an entrepreneur.
    • If you have to listen to what a “successful” person has to say on a subject, you’re not an entrepreneur.
    • If you have to consider all the “rules” put forward by others, you’re not an entrepreneur.

    The point is that the modern world is chock-full of wannabe losers. Even the “successful” ones aren’t actually truly successful – they may have made a bunch of money, but what did they actually achieve? The answer is relatively little (or even nothing).

    The truth is that if you want to “be” an entrepreneur, you have to get to work.

    EVERYBODY has their own work. Some are models. Some are footballers. Some are computer programmers. Some are painters.

    The “trick” is to do ANYTHING in order to get moving forward in an industry; clean the floors if necessary.

    Once you start to gain some progress, the “entrepreneurial” stuff comes from leveraging any progress made within it – either to create & market a product, or to help a market better appreciate the potential of another device/product.

    Traits Of “Real” Entrepreneurs

    • Quiet (or at least reserved)
    • Fully capable of embracing failure (indeed, using it as a spur to change/adapt)
    • Working constantly on different elements within their “industry” (again, everyone has a place)
    • Unafraid of social constructs (just because someone said it doesn’t make it true)
    • Laser focused on what “they” want to do (you want to bring sustainable farming to Africa? This is the type of thing a “real” entrepreneur will actually do)
    • Unafraid to give freely (most “entrepreneur” types are not attached to money at all… typically not having much until they find mercantile success)

    If you haven’t worked it out, the core is purpose.

    The modern world has very little emphasis on purpose; rather it focuses on productivity.

    Nothing wrong with this, but it devoids most people of their passion. It’s good for GDP and McDonald’s – but bad for the creativity lying latent within a large number of people.

    If you want to adopt “entrepreneurial” traits, the key is to become attuned to a particular “purpose” – through which you’re able to invest your entire life.

    If you’re just looking at Ferrari’s and thinking that you “kind of want to become rich” – entrepreneurship is not going to do that. It’s a very difficult road, with only the most persistent and enduring surviving.

    You need to get to work, and only then will you discover hidden opportunities into which you’re able to apply your expertise, experience or network to build something of real value to the world. This real value is then absorbed by the market, who’ll either pay handsomly for it – or reject it. This is pretty-much what determines whether someone could be considered an “entrepreneur” or not.

    [ad_2]

    Source by Richard Peck

    Views: 0

  • Problems Encountered by Nigerian Entrepreneur and Possible Solutions

    Problems Encountered by Nigerian Entrepreneur and Possible Solutions

    [ad_1]

    The success enjoyed by most industrialized countries can be attributed to the role played by technological innovation and entrepreneurship, both of which continue to drive their economies today. These two factors are seen as key components for the industrialization and development of African countries. The Nigerian government has recognized this fact and has taken measures aimed at promoting and cultivating the entrepreneurial culture in our country. Through the Nigerian Investing Commission (NIC), our government has in the past introduced a policy that required university students regardless of their area of study to take courses in entrepreneurship. While our government is putting extra effort in promoting entrepreneurship in Nigeria, there are still a number of problems that a Nigerian Entrepreneur faces. Below are some of the problems encountered and possible solutions.

    * Diversifying the Economy

    Though our country’s economy has over the last couple of decades relied heavily on its oil production, we must find ways to diversify our economy and avoid the over reliance on oil. Like other developing countries, Nigeria is facing an increase in its unemployment rate that is now at 6 % and is on the increase, with many graduates finding it hard to get jobs while most of those who get jobs are underemployed. This coupled with the global financial crisis in which massive numbers of employees are being laid off; entrepreneurship is seen as an essential key if we want our country to achieve its ambition of being an industrialized nation by the year 2020.

    * Unfriendly Business Climate

    Being an entrepreneur in Nigeria requires great determination as practicing and potential business owners are faced with countless challenges. Nigerian’s business climate should be made welcoming to those in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). The role played by these MSMEs should not be underestimated since majority of the thriving businesses fall in this category and for us to achieve our goals, adequate attention and support must be directed towards these institutions. To be able to help and protect entrepreneurs, we must first have a clear idea of the challenges facing our entrepreneurs in their pursuit of making Nigeria a prosperous country.

    * Lack of Credit Facilities

    Potential Nigeria entrepreneurs go through many hardships when trying to access credit for their businesses. Though there is a wide range of financial institutions that offer business loans, they usually charge high interest rates deterring aspiring entrepreneurs. For instance, major banks have pegged their lending rates to as much a 28% deterring potential entrepreneurs who are mostly low income earners. Other obstacles faced by our entrepreneurs include severe collateral conditions set by banks and other lending institutions. Though our government through the Central Bank and the Banker’s Committee came up with guidelines requiring banks to set aside 10% of their profits for funding MSMEs, majority of these banks have been reluctant to do so. This has led to the emergence of micro-finance institutions which though helpful are not sufficient for meeting the financial requirements.

    * Multiple Taxation

    One other sensitive challenge that is encountered by majority of Nigerian entrepreneurs is multiple taxation. Although we have a responsibility of funding the government through paying taxes, most of the taxes charged on entrepreneurs are not lawful and have the effect of increasing the cost of doing business. Although Nigeria’s Companies Income Tax Act (CITA) has approved only 39 taxes and levies, there are over 500 various levies and taxes that are imposed by state and local government agents. These taxes are questionable and in the case where they are genuine, they are mostly duplicated and this has the effect of increasing the cost of doing business.

    * Poor State of the Country’s Infrastructure

    The state of our infrastructure can be deemed to be a nightmare to both entrepreneurs and the rest of the country’s population. With the existing infrastructure deteriorating and in some places it is non-existent; the cost of doing business has tremendously gone up. The state of the country’s road network makes it hard for entrepreneurs in the agricultural sector to transport harvested produce from farms to processing factories. According to a report released by the World Bank, Nigeria’s pace of socioeconomic development and growth is way below what we can achieve. This is mostly because of the erratic supply of electricity which has negatively affected many businesses. The outcome of power problems has prompted entrepreneurs to generate power through expensive ways that have in turn increased their production costs and made their products uncompetitive due to high prices. Our government should put policies in place to perk up Nigeria’s infrastructure so as to promote successful entrepreneurship.

    * Failure to Adapt to the Changing Business Environment

    Majority of those who venture into MSMEs (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) do so because of their need to make money and in almost all cases, such entrepreneurs lack relevant and adequate information about the businesses they engage in. In the event where problems arise, most of these business owners lack sufficient problem solving skills and in the end they find it hard to survive. With the telecommunications sector having grown by about 206.5 % between 2002 and 2004 and is continually expanding, Nigeria has become one of the fastest growing ICT market not only in Africa but also worldwide. This presents a challenge to entrepreneurs who have not embraced technology, and who are now finding it hard to remain relevant in the competitive business environment. For existing and potential MSMEs to survive and be relevant, we must adapt to the changing business environment and embrace technology.

    * Addressing the Challenges

    Solving the problems encountered requires a combined effort by both the entrepreneur and all concerned stakeholders. As Small and medium business owners, we need to increase our knowledge and skills of the market by acquiring relevant and up to date education particularly in your area of business. Our entrepreneurs need to collect information about their target market by seeking help from consultants and professionals who have experience in the particular market.

    One strategy that can be used by our small and medium entrepreneurs to remain relevant and competitive in today’s market is to come up with fresh and creative ideas of doing business. Due to the increase in technology, business is fast changing, thus our MSMEs need to constantly re-invent the way they do business.

    There is a great need of creating a strong link between MSMEs and supporting institutions if Nigeria is to fully benefit from such businesses. Though some financial institutions are still reluctant to provide financial assistance to MSMEs, there are some that give out loans at reasonable rates provided the business sounds viable. The key challenge is for our entrepreneurs to prepare sound business proposals. For our country to achieve its goals and stop relying on oil alone, we need to focus much attention needs on the private sector and our government must create a conducive atmosphere for such businesses to thrive and drive the country towards economic prosperity.

    [ad_2]

    Source by Peter O Osalor

    Views: 0

  • Entrepreneurship Development

    Entrepreneurship Development

    [ad_1]

    Who is an entrepreneur?

    An entrepreneur is someone who manages and organizes any form of business. Who has the capability to take initiatives, motivate others, work in a team, and become a leader. He is a man who starts his own venture not seeking for a job but providing many people a hope of life.

    Why Entrepreneurship?

    Entrepreneurship plays an important role in case of economic development of a country. A lot of problems of our country would be solved if people will start considering entrepreneurship as the first option for their career.

    Employment:

    One of the greatest problems of our country is “Unemployment”. Let’s see how entrepreneurship tackles with this problem.

    Current employment opportunities can only cater 5 – 10 % of population. Entrepreneurs generate employment both directly and indirectly, directly by self employment as an entrepreneur and indirectly by starting many industrial units where they offer jobs to millions of people. Thus entrepreneurship is the best way to fight with the evil of unemployment.

    National Income

    National Income consists of the goods and services produced in the country. The goods and services produced are consumed within the country and can also be exported to other countries. The domestic demand increases with increase in population and increase in standard of living. The export demand also increases to meet the needs of growing imports due to various reasons. An increasing number of entrepreneurs are required to meet this increasing demand for goods and services. The manufacturing rate of any developed country lies between 60% – 70%. But unfortunately in our country this rate is below 40 %. If you want to become a great entrepreneur or want to do something for your motherland, become a manufacturer not just go for a service industry.

    Dispersal of economic power:

    Industrial development normally may lead to concentration of economic powers in a few hands. This concentration of power in a few hands has its own evils in the form of monopolies. Developing a large number of entrepreneurs helps in dispersing the economic power amongst the population. It may help in weakening the harmful effects of monopoly.

    Better standard of living:

    Entrepreneurs play a vital role in achieving a higher rate of economic growth. They are able to produce goods at lower cost and supply quality goods at lower price to the community according to their requirements. When the price of of the commodities decreases the consumers get the power to buy more goods for their satisfaction. There is a great demand of such entrepreneurs who can make this thought possible.

    Creating solutions for society :

    An entrepreneur is a person who creates solutions not only for the problems of his business but for the whole society. Entrepreneurs play a key role for innovations and creative ideas that solve different problems in the world with the efficient use of technology. What is needed? or desired should be created with appropriate use of technology. This gives a clear thought of “Creating solutions with technology!”

    The benefits and needs of entrepreneurship is endless. The greatest demand of today’s world is simply “Be an Entrepreneur!” that will solve economic problems of your family, your society, your people and your country. Let’s create wealth,not just seek for a salary.

    [ad_2]

    Source by Mohammed Faizan Ansari

    Views: 0

  • Commitment & Determination – What Makes You an Entrepreneur

    Commitment & Determination – What Makes You an Entrepreneur

    [ad_1]

    What makes you an entrepreneur?; this question is simple but very difficult to answer. For a long time, people have studied the science behind entrepreneurial process, what drives a great entrepreneur, the things that make an ordinary person transforms into a job creator.

    To answer this question, it’s much better if we try to understand what’s behind entrepreneurial process. At the heart of every entrepreneurial process is the founder, the opportunity seeker, the creator and initiator, the leader, problem solver, and motivator; the planner and the guardian of vision and mission. Without this human energy, behavior, drive, and vitality, the greatest ideas-even when they are backed by an overabundance of resources and people-will fail, grossly underperform, or simply never get off the ground. Brilliant athletic aptitude and potential is not equal with the great athlete. The difference is invisible and intangible: commitment, tenacity and determination.

    Commitment and determination are seen as more important than any other factor that inspiring an entrepreneur. It makes an entrepreneur can overcome incredible obstacles and also compensate enormously for other weaknesses. Almost without any exception, entrepreneurs live under extreme, constant pressure (when they start their business, for them to stay alive, and for them to grow). A new business requires top priority of entrepreneur’s time, emotion, patient, and loyalty. The level of entrepreneur’s commitment can be measured in several ways: through a willingness to invest a substantial portion of his or her net worth in the venture, through a willingness to take a cut in pay because he or she will own a major piece of venture, and through the other big sacrifices in lifestyle and family circumstances. Clearly, commitment and determination usually demand personal sacrifice.

    What you should keep in mind is that the desire to win never equal to the will to never give up. And this is actually a critical distinction. So many lead entrepreneurs say that they really want to win, but only few have the dogged tenacity and unflinching perseverance to make it happen. Just take an example of a young entrepreneur who made several phone call but none were returned. He made a few more calls but still, no response. Over the next week he made yet another series of calls that once again received no response. At that point, what would you do? Would you keep trying, or decide to move on and not waste any more time? Only you can answer this question, and the answer will gives a clear picture of your persistence’s level.

    Entrepreneurs who successfully build new business seek to overcome hurdles, solve problems, and complete the job. They are disciplined, tenacious, and persistent. They are able to commit and recommit quickly. They love to win and love to compete at anything. However, if tasks are unsolvable, an entrepreneur will be the first person to give up than the others. There is a fair opinion says that while entrepreneurs are extremely persistent, they are also realistic in recognizing what they can and can’t. They know where they can get help to solve a very difficult but necessary task.

    [ad_2]

    Source by Rendy Dalimunthe

    Views: 0

  • 5 Steps to Move From Employee to Entrepreneur

    5 Steps to Move From Employee to Entrepreneur

    [ad_1]

    Have you been considering quitting your day job in favor of starting a business? Have you just lost your job and are currently exploring alternative ways of earning a living? Have you always dreamt of owning your own business some day?

    Before you take the leap of faith into self-employment, consider these 5 steps:

    1. Get clear on your goals/passions – It’s not enough to decide to become a business owner. There are several questions and things to consider before you move forward in becoming a business owner. You will need to think about what kind of business you wish to run. You`ll need to determine if you wish to grow it from scratch, buy an existing business or purchase an available franchise. But even before you decide that- you should think about how the business will fit in with the rest of your life. Running a business can be a huge commitment of time and money. So ask yourself what do you enjoy doing or what will bring you joy? You will spend much of your day on your business so it’s a good idea for the business to provide work you actually enjoy doing. Ask yourself what you are most passionate about? What would you love to do? What is your dream job/business?
    2. Do your research/homework – Don’t make any rash or impulsive decisions and don’t leave your day job until you are absolutely sure of what you want to do and have a plan for doing it. Take the time to do good research by researching the industry, the marketplace, your potential target clients, your competitors. Do proper business research including a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis. Get a good handle on projected revenues and realistic operating costs as well as an understanding on how long it will take to breakeven and generate more revenues than expenses. Identify your personal strengths and skills and determine if there are any skills gaps. Determine how you will close any skill gaps or lack of expertise. Which gaps can be closed through skills training? Which gaps can be closed through recruiting the right people? Which gaps can be closed through coaching or mentoring? Determine what options and opportunities are available to you right now?
    3. Learn from others’ mistakes – There is no shortage of people who have started or run a business. Speak to as many people as you can who have gone before you. Learn what you can about what works, what doesn’t, and what mistakes others have made. Don’t waste valuable time and money. Be open to hearing others` perspectives on what they would have done differently. Hindsight is always 20/20.
    4. Business Plan ahead – Do the work and develop a business plan. While it may be a lot of work, it will be time well spent and most financial institutions will require one if you are searching for financing. The process of business planning is not only to prove to the bank that your business will be a success, it’s also a roadmap for you to follow to ensure success. Running your business finances can be like running your weekly, monthly or yearly personal budget – so if you haven’t developed good budgeting and financial management skills, it might be particularly challenging and doubly important to have a solid business plan.
    5. Hire a mentor – Starting and running a business can be challenging or even lonely at times. In addition to the day to day operations of the business, you may be mentally or emotionally overwhelmed by being a business owner. Having a safe place to go to for advice, guidance, and accountability or simply as a sounding board can be just what you need to help you make the transition into entrepreurship easier and smoother. Good coaching and mentoring can really help you fast track your transition.

    While there are many advantages to being an entrepreneur, it`s important for you to also consider the downside of self-employment. Become a business owner armed with as much information, skills and tools you can to ensure a successful transition from employee to entrepreneur.

    [ad_2]

    Source by Linda Cattelan

    Views: 0

  • 5 Ways How Outdoor Adventure Relates To Entrepreneurship

    5 Ways How Outdoor Adventure Relates To Entrepreneurship

    [ad_1]

    When I first braved myself to embark on the entrepreneurship journey, I was soon facing a daunting question: Do I have the qualities to be an entrepreneur?

    I am purely an outdoor educator. There were numerous instances when people told me that this passion of mine will not bring me far. But here I am, until today, staying stubborn passionate with this hobby of mine.

    So I did take a step back to analyse if I have what it takes to be an entrepreneur. And I found 5 key qualities. Here they are:

    1. Decision Making

    Being in the outdoors requires me to make decisions. This is especially so when I have a group of participants. There are countless decisions to make before, during and after a programme.

    For example, have I sorted out all the contingency plans? Have I brought sufficient food and equipment?

    As an entrepreneur, I have to make countless decisions. No one is there to tell you what to do.

    2. Risk Taking

    I have to be used to take risks in the outdoors. If I do not risk falling, I will not know how high I can climb. If I do not risk making a wrong decision at a junction, I will not know if that is even the correct path to take.

    I have started out a few businesses. Some worked while some failed. But still, I will not have known all these if I had not tried.

    3. Safety Mindedness

    However, people often misunderstand that being a risk taker means that we do not bother about safety. In the outdoors, the safety factor has actually been considered multiple times.

    A climbing rope, for example, could withstand about 12 times more than an average climber’s weight. Safety procedures are everywhere. Where there is none, we are taught to make conservative judgement calls.

    The very reason why I do not focus only on one single business is based on the wise saying: Do not place ALL your eggs in one basket. There has to be a safety net.

    4. Perseverance

    This is a classic nature of an outdoor adventurer. We are used to toughing it out. We know that words don’t count without actions. And the effort required is normally superhuman. We are trained to go the distance.

    No one ever said being an entrepreneur is easy. It took me 6 months before I made my first dollar. Thankfully I have been trained to persevere.

    5. Creativity

    Facing problems is a staple diet of an outdoor adventurer. No one day or one activity is the same. Hence, we have to always think outside the box. Speak about being a maverick. I myself am amazed at what I or my participants do to solve problems.

    I started out with minimal capital. Hence, I needed to be creative in planning my effort, energy and money. Be creative in using the many Softwares work for me instead of the other way round.

    These 5 qualities inherent in an outdoor adventurer definitely fits the bill of being an entrepreneur. Well, if you lucky, you could turn the passion into your profession. If not, you sure would have picked up enough tools to run a business!

    [ad_2]

    Source by Ahmad Bahktiar Othman

    Views: 0

  • How Online Entrepreneurs Can Make Money Online With a Website

    How Online Entrepreneurs Can Make Money Online With a Website

    [ad_1]

    Starting an online business can be freeing if the entrepreneur knows what they are doing. But what does a new entrepreneur do if they are not experience in online business? The key to an online business is to leverage how to make money online with a website.

    The online business website is the heart of any Internet-based business and all detailed pertaining to the website need to be handled with care. Therefore, online business owners should take special care to create a website in a profitable market (also known as a niche), market the website properly using traffic generating techniques and have calls for action so that consumers will follow through with purchases.

    Read on for a break down of the previous steps for more detail.

    Selling products using your website

    Online entrepreneurs have millions of online products that can be marketed that will translate into paid commissions. Companies like Amazon, Wal-Mart and Target use affiliate marketers to help promote their products and drive Internet traffic to their web pages. It is common for online entrepreneurs to earn commissions If a purchase is made, because a consumer clicked through to the Amazon page through the entrepreneurs marketing web page.

    Decide on a market or niche

    Now it is time to decide what type of products the online entrepreneur would like to market in. The online marketer will decide what specific market they are going to operate in. For this article, let’s say the online entrepreneur chooses helping coaches find the right baseball gear for their teams. Many of the major retails deal in baseball gear and have affiliate marketing programs that online entrepreneurs can take advantage of.

    Create a website

    At this point the online entrepreneur will create a website that will be used to market various baseball products through affiliate links to the retailers’ home site. The website should be clean and be in a layout that is suited for the consumer to find information easily.

    Drive traffic to the website

    Here is where the online entrepreneur would need to decide. Should organic traffic techniques be utilized through SEO optimization? Or should traffic be sent to the marketing website using pay-per-click technique. The pay-per-click would be the fastest way to get traffic to the website. The problem with pay=per-click is that sending traffic to the website can be expensive. Most online entrepreneurs choose the route of getting free traffic using SEO Optimization. Building traffic through SEO takes time.

    Convert traffic to purchases

    Now that the online entrepreneur has traffic, it is time to convert that traffic in to purchases. This is where the vendor weblinks come into play. The goal is to tweak your SEO Optimization so that most visitors are wanting to buy. Work on the SEO content to get your purchase-to-traffic conversion rate to 20%. That is the low end of what a conversion rate should be for a niche webpage. Try to get higher if possible.

    [ad_2]

    Source by Douglas Quinn

    Views: 0

  • Why Every Entrepreneur Needs An Exit Plan

    Why Every Entrepreneur Needs An Exit Plan

    [ad_1]

    When an entrepreneur starts a business, it makes sense for them to consider what the long-term strategy is for the idea. If there is no way to create an exit strategy, it might not be the right business choice (depending on your life goals).

    Let’s look at reasons every entrepreneur needs an exit strategy and the different types of exit strategy.

    People Get Burned Out

    If your business is run only by you, and you’re the only face of your business, it can cause serious problems with burnout. Forming an idea in your mind and putting it down on paper about how you’ll exit the business and approximately when, can help you avoid burnout because you know what the options are.

    You May Want to Retire Some Day

    Lots of entrepreneurs, especially individual freelancers and service providers, have the idea that they’ll simply work forever. The problem with that is that you’re probably vastly underestimating how you’re going to feel in a few years. If you’re 30 today, you have no idea how you’re going to feel at 50 or 60. If you plan for an exit, it doesn’t mean you have to stop, but it’s good to have a plan in case you ever do want to retire.

    Helps Create Better Decisions

    When you have your business planned out from start to finish, you’ll have an easier time making business decisions that work. If you are open to retiring and someone offers you money for your business, you may be more likely to take up the offer.

    Enhances the Value of Your Business

    Creating a business that can exist with or without you naturally ups its value. The reason is that it can essentially live forever if it’s adopting and changing based on the market rather than on the people working there.

    To Make More Money Faster

    If you’re open to selling and you build your business to the top of the earning curve, selling it at that point can be a real winning move. When you break it down mathematically, every business looks like a bell curve with a top-earning moment that can last for years and years – but probably won’t last forever. Selling at the top of the bell curve will garner you more money with less work than keeping it until it goes down.

    Types of Exit Strategies

    There are several existing strategies that you may want to investigate as you’re building your business, so that you can plan on doing what is most realistic for your type of business. Some options include an initial public offering (IPO), liquidation, mergers, acquisitions, selling and more. What will work for you depends on the type of business, the lifetime potential of the business, and more.

    [ad_2]

    Source by Jon Allo

    Views: 0