5 Things You Should Consider Before Starting a Small Business
Shel St CLair Business Plans Are Vastly Over-Rated I have been starting and developing small businesses as a consultant for 20+ years and I have been paid to work on countless plans that were not worth the paper they were written on. The uncontested winner for first place in the category of most important item in starting a small business is, (drum roll) have a solid idea . That’s right, have a good business idea. It doesn’t have to be completely unique or original but it needs to be good. For example, a neighborhood grocery store specializing in gourmet deli items, not unique but if well run it will be a winner if… Well, if what? If the location and merchandising of the store are correct. If not all the best planning in the world will bomb. So what is your idea? What do YOU want to do? Would you buy it? Why would the people around you buy it? Imitate What Works Not What Doesn’t Even if your business idea is entirely original and no-one else has ever t