Steps to maintaining a successful business ! By: Kelsey Harper

       
  Business. Businesses around the world are opening and closing everyday. There are more than one popular way to start up your own business. In order to help start you business of you need to have a very unique idea about what your starting you business with, and how will you watch it grow. Your business needs to grown with you, instead of letting you down.  I would start out with a small business. There are a lot of small businesses in the world, maybe more than the chain stores.

Research   

Once you have gotten your business idea, you will need to follow up with some research. Yes, sounds crazy, but there are a lot of things in the business world that people still do not know. In order for you plan as a business owner to work, you need to make sure whatever you are doing will make it in today's world economy. you need to ask yourself questions, like...

1. How will this fit in today's market economy? 
2. Being competitive with other businesses will be tough?
3. Is this a need or a want?
4. Do I have something no one else has?

Devise a Plan

In order for your business to make it into reality, you need to make sure you have a thought out plan. Every business does not necessarily have to have the same plans. Every business has it's own plans for different things. It is important to devise a plan before trying to seek your goals as a business owner.

Focus on your Finances

With starting a small business it is stressful.  A small business does not require you to put a lot of money into it. You will have to invest as well as all of the other ongoing expenses before you start turning over and making profit for yourself. You will need to keep a binder of all your expenses in it. The goal is to work through the options, and create a plan in order to launch your business idea. These are the things that you will need to keep up with throughout every year.

1. License and Permits
2. Equipment
3. Insurance
4. Branding
5. Inventory
6. Grand opening events
7. Leasing
8. Legal Fees     

Pick a card, any card

You then have to come up with what business you are going to run? Are you going to be a solo owner, co-owner, or go into business with someone else. The business entity will determine how and what name to pick for your business. Most businesses have an Attorney or a CPA that looks after the business to make sure you are making the right choices as far as legal things go. It is also good to have them in case something goes wrong. Let's say someone try's to sue you, you have a legal team to back you up and make the right decisions for you. 

What's your catchy slogan?

The name of your business plays a major role in your business. You will have to sit down, all night if it takes it and come up with a slogan and a name that will catch the peoples eyes. You can not have the same business name as someone else. A catchy slogan may be, "Walk in for Fashion,Stay in for Style." A catchy slogan like this will catch the peoples eye, and maybe they will say, "Hey,that's a really good slogan, lets go to that store."

Doing it the legal way

 Paperwork is the most important process. You have to make sure that you have all the paperwork you need. Everything needs to be done legally, so just in case you can insure nothing falls back on your part. Depending on when you are located like city, state, all permits are different. So, you will have to do research to find out all the information.

Accounting

An accounting system is a must have, even with a small business. You have to set prices, rates, taxes, etc.It will be way easier to hire an accountant rather than doing it by yourself. 

Set up your Location

Setting up your place of business is hard. It is the most important part of your business. The location has to be perfect. Not saying if you have a bad location, then you will not make any money. Although, if you have the perfect location that is convient for all your customers, then more than likely your business will rock. 

Hire your employees

You need to make sure by the time your business opens, that you have a full staff. Everyone will have some set things that they will do everyday. It is important to make sure that you have the right staff that you trust. The staff that you have no worries about. 

Promote 

Once your business is up and running,you will need to start attracting customers into your business. You need to promote your business with anything and everything you may think of like...…

1. T-Shirts
2. Billboards
3. Cups
4. Pens
5. Business Cards
6. Flyers

After your business is up and running, it will be a great thing. Everyone needs/ could learn about ow to start their own business. One day you may need to and now you can use these steps to try and help you.