Start My Own Business Ideas

Well Begun Is Half Finished - but you have to begin!

Our doubts are traitors

and make us lose the good we oft might win,

by fearing to attempt

  Shakespeare

Contents at a Glance

Define and achieve your own business success. 

"Liberty consists in doing what one desires." - John Stuart Mill

I once heard a story about an independent businessman named Arturo.

Arturo came into the dock early one morning with his small boat full of lovely fish; one for his family, others to sell. Bill, an Ivy League MBA on vacation, saw Arturo return while all the other fishermen were still out with almost empty boats.

Bill asked about Arturo, everyone agreed that Arturo was the best fisherman on the coast.

Bill walked down to Arturo and asked how he spent his days. Arturo said he fished a bit in the morning, went home to spend some time with his wife and play with his kids, then in the evening Arturo met his friends at a local restaurant for songs and games.

Bill got excited and proposed a partnership. Together they would build a fleet of ships that would benefit from Arturo's knowledge. They would move to a big city, and later run offices and fleets around the world.

Arturo asked about the future beyond the world wide ventures. Bill expounded on the glories of the great cities and high society, finishing with the statement that when Arturo decided he was ready to retire he could go anywhere and do anything he wanted. Bill asked what Arturo would do with such a fine retirement.

Arturo replied, "I would fish a bit in the morning, go home to spend time with my wife and play with the kids, then in the evening I would meet my friends at a local restaurant for songs and games."

Which are the best business books for budding entrepreneurs? 

Start your business with your own business idea today - keep learning how to improve it the rest of your life.

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Proverbs 4:7 - the Bible

Gaining wisdom within one of your passions can become a 24/7/365 adventure. There will be challenges, but your dreams are a promise that your efforts can help create. That is why passion is so important, it can provide the determination to keep going during difficult times.

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." - Howard Thurma

Rate the following books by clicking arrows. Add a personal favorite start-up business book you want to share. Occasionally I'll bump a book off the list that doesn't get votes. Make this business book list a resource to assist emerging entrepreneurs searching for answers.

Best Business Ideas For The Internet 

"A winner is someone who recognizes his God-given talents, works his tail off to develop them into skills, and uses these skills to accomplish his goals." - Larry Bird

Even if you already have a local business you need to be on the Internet.

* Your competition is getting on the net.

* Google maps now points out local businesses.

* All the search engines are starting to reference local business in a more logical manner.

* Your customers use the net to get information.

* Did I mention your competition is on the net or thinking about it?


There is a learning curve to getting effective net coverage. This is not like the business yellow pages - although for some of you it may be bigger. Web sites are not cures for a bad business model, a going out of business business will not have time or clout to profit from the internet. Mediocre doesn't build or inspire action: highlight what makes your business exceptional, or create a truly exceptional aspect; that is your story that will spread from mouse to mouth.

There is a value to having bought and used your online name in terms of how the search engines will treat you. Pick your name and get something up today, you can re-do it next year if you wish. Web names are like wine - a little age is a good thing.

No one will come to the door to sell you a quarter page internet business format. However, there are kids and professors at the local college that can get you started for little money - or you can build yourself a quality online presence for very little cash, just some time.

Perhaps you are already busy landscaping, drilling teeth, selling real estate, or doing lawyer stuff. There is a good do it for you option that will not cost too much and profit too little -- SiteSell Services may be for you. SiteSell services can also help if you already have a web site, but it is not bringing you clients.

If you use other Internet professionals - expect to pay what you would for any professional services. A great web master is part advertiser, copywriter, public relations agent, and web navigation specialist. If your site is done right - your customer will enjoy the site just as much as the search engines.

Start Your Own Business -- Part Time 

Not everyone wants to start an entrepreneurial enterprise. You may just want to earn extra money while learning new skills.

"The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one."
Mark Twain

You don't have to quit what you are doing now, you can also start a business for some extra cash flow. At some point your business may grow enough to consider it a full time occupation. For now, some extra dollars may provide just what you need.

"To multiply small successes is precisely to build one treasure after another. In time one becomes rich without realizing how it has come about." - Frederich The Great

An excellent resource for building small treasures is Jennifer's e-course in online marketing. She shows step by step, how to build a self-sustaining micro business in a week. Do one every week and the accumulating cash flows can become significant. This will take work, but what will you be doing in a year if you don't develop your own business? Too many people will still be throwing away their time and money on "get rich quick the easy way" schemes.

You are smarter than that.

As Jennifer the Potpie Girl reminds us, the owner of the grocery store is not passionate about every product he stocks, he sells what his customers want. If your need is great, that business based on your passions may need to wait while you start your own business to satisfy customers. Pick your own balance, but find a guide, book, or mentor that knows how to succeed, not just sell advice.

Your education, training, passions, hobbies, interests, or creative ideas can be great starting points - but what keeps you going is your sense of purpose. Get started today and grow as you learn.

Once you have started your business - persist. 

Entrepreneurial success can come with your first business venture, or your third - you will need to cultivate the drive to persist until success.

The key to success once your own business is started is to keep learning. Cultivate your natural abilities and grow with them.

The act of starting or growing a business is a valuable education. Using your own business idea to start your own business will be a less expensive education than attending a brick and mortar college - and you can learn more useful and actionable information.

You can also create an income using your entrepreneurial business idea, instead of deferring income while in school. "The hardest thing about getting started is getting started." - unknown

A person that graduates with a business degree and is hired by a corporation has not failed, they have completed a step toward their definition of success.

An entrepreneur that shuts down a failed business and then starts a new business has likewise completed a step toward becoming free to live life by their own rules.

"The majority of men meet with failure because of their lack of persistence in creating new plans to take the place of those, which fail." - Napoleon Hill

Take your prototype on the road and sell it, if there is demand build a company to support it. You can learn or hire MBA methodologies later. The only types of business knowledge you can't delegate or outsource are (1) knowing your customers intimately, and (2) understanding how cash flows into and out of your business.

Your start-up business will have a steep learning curve. Start your first business small and manageable; making your mistakes as inexpensive as possible. Wait to "ramp up" your business until you are sure of your commitment. Then persist.

"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time." -Thomas Edison

It will not be easy. This is not a get rich quick scheme, this is business!

Your business.

"We can not ensure success, but we can deserve it." - Joseph Addison

Your chances of success as an entrepreneur increase if the business idea you develop is based on passions that drive you. Create what is for you a natural enterprise and you can make a very good income - while enjoying the journey.

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