I am a home-based entrepreneur. I own a tutor referral service in Southern California and have been a tutor broker for eight years. I just launched my second business. I authored a book about how to begin a tutor referral service and packaged it with a customized website and Accounting Software, support, ads, etc. and am selling it via the internet nationwide and in Canada. Having started two businesses, I have learned about small business planning and strategies for success. Here are my suggestions:
1) Outsource, outsource, outsource!
Small businesses don't have the capital to devote to entire payroll departments, legal departments, etc. Outsource to independent contractors whenever possible. In the long run it is cheaper and is definitely a smart business decision.
2) Network as much as you can.
Join networking groups comprised of individuals who are entrepreneurs or small business owners. Not only might you find some professionals that will help you develop and grow your business, it is also an excellent way to spread the word about your company. Local networking groups usually limit the membership to one person per industry, so you will not be competing with anyone else for referrals.
3) Budget your expenses wisely.
If you can initially work from home, do so. Save the money you would spend renting or leasing an office space and invest in a decent computer system or advertising. Cut your costs wherever you can and take advantage of less well-known but dependable service providers, i.e. Vonage phone systems and e-fax.com.
4) Find a good publicist/virtual assistant.
It's important to get the word out about your new business. Hiring a Public Relations firm is pricey and not always worth the money. Go online and search for a Virtual Assistant and publicist. Many will offer you a three month retainer at a lower cost than a fancy PR firm and the results can be extremely advantageous. Check out their references first and go with someone who has a proven track record. After the initial three months many VA's will offer you an hourly or monthly rate.
5) Develop your negotiating skills.
Knowing how to talk to advertisers and getting the best deals you can will pay off big-time, especially when it comes to advertising. Ask your sales representative to tell you about any special rate packages they offer. Quite often, you will not know unless you ask. Tell vendors you are a new business and ask if you can pay for big projects (like a professional website) with monthly payments. If you are dealing with small business professionals, most of them have been in your shoes and will be happy to extend a monthly payment plan to you.
As a small business owner you must be creative yet frugal. Take every opportunity you can to tell people about your business. Word of mouth and referral business is priceless. Carry your business cards at all times and don't be shy to talk about what you offer. You never know whom you may meet that might just turn into a wonderful opportunity!
Business Strategies For Success
Due diligence is an absolute must if you plan to team up with a Chinese partner. It's a jungle out there, so be wary. This is no place to cut expenses or rush through things because a half-done job may cost you twice as much time and money later. For more help visit to: www.joint-ventures-secret.com.Due diligence is not a particularly prevalent practice among the Chinese and they may have trouble understanding why you are making things difficult. If your prospective partner refuses to cooperate, don't be afraid to walk away.
There are three main types of due diligence that you need to concern yourself with financial, legal, and environmental. Keep in mind that these three inquiries often overlap.
Many Chinese enterprises (it is said) have three sets of financial records: one for the
Owners, one for the tax authorities, and one for foreign investors. Accordingly, determining the value of an enterprise based on its financial records can be difficult. It might be necessary to carry out an independent assessment of the enterprise's reputation, connections, and key employees.
Double-dealing employees it is not at all uncommon in China for senior management to have their own businesses that directly compete with their employer, for more help visit to: www.jointwebventures.com. and for these executives to use their employer's confidential information to further their own private interests.
Corrupt relationships with Chinese government officials this presents the risk of civil liability or prosecution, not only by the Chinese authorities should things take a turn for the worse, but also by the US authorities if you happen to be American or otherwise subject to the US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (some other nations have equivalent legislation; check your home jurisdiction if you are unsure).
Intellectual property piracy rampant in China.
Legal due diligence focuses on a variety of issues including contract rights, corporate authority, regulatory compliance, ownership of assets, and liabilities and claims against the target company. Issues that often arise include:
Scope of business issues at the minimum, you should authenticate and inspect an original of the enterprise's business license (the scope of business is listed thereon).
Contracts whether contractual arrangements are adequately documented (or documented at all).
Ownership of buildings and Land Use Rights Check to make sure all buildings are owned outright and all land is granted rather than merely allocated.
Intellectual property makes sure that trademarks, etc. used by the target company are either owned by it or licensed to it.
Constitutional documents such as Articles of Association make sure that they are up to date (properly amended to reflect the company's current situation).
Construction permits and approvals these should be examined not only for construction in progress, but also for existing structures
Labor disputes determine whether there are any outstanding disputes, and the level of employee morale.
Debts and encumbrances make sure that these are adequately documented and not excessive.
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http://www.joint-venture-guide.com
In a nutshell, you need to know whether your partner's site environment or your Fee's proposed site environment has been contaminated (contamination of your Chinese partner's site could affect its financial stability even if it is not used for the FIE).
Both Laurie Hurley & Ashus are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Laurie Hurley has sinced written about articles on various topics from Parenting, Entrepreneurship and Buy a Franchise. Laurie Hurley is an educational consultant and mentor to small business owners. She was recently featured in Woman's World magazine and Entrepreneur Magazine. She can be reached at info@hometutoringbusiness.com,. Laurie Hurley's top article generates over 9900 views. to your Favourites.
Agents For New Writers many home sellers still do not understand that classified ads in newspapers dont work any more. nobody is looking at them. Everybody is on the internet today