From Business Analyst to Business Owner

From Business Analyst to Business Owner Success Story > From: Job To: Solopreneur From Business Analyst to Business Owner “I didn't think it was something I could do because I didn't know enough.” * From Business Analyst to Business Owner Willow Hearne enjoyed her job, but as her family’s needs changed, so did her priorities. Faced with what seemed like an unrealistic set of criteria, she's reached out to her network, embraced being a beginner,and thrownherself into a new, more fulfilling way of working. This is her story. What work were you doing previously? I was working in the NHS as a pharmacy business analyst, managing the Cost Improvement Programme for Medicines Management within a hospital. I analysed monthly budget statements, generated reports for the finance team on savings, put together business cases for new medicines and equipment, and created business plans for the department. After my first baby I returned to work part time. What are you doing now? Now, I run my own company â€" British Babies. It's a quintessentially British, baby-and-toddler clothing company sourcing as much as possible from the UK. All our items are sold online through our website, and are also available through Etsy and MiniXplorers. How did you feel in your work before you decided to make the change? I enjoyed my job, but with a husband in the Army and two small children at home, I really felt the need for something more flexible that suited the changing needs of my growing family. I was having to commute quite a distance and we had significant childcare costs. It was stressful, and it wasn't cost-efficient. Why did you change? I wanted a career that I could move around the country with, but that could also be flexible around my children. I spent a long time contemplating what this could be and how I could make it work: it's not an easy thing to come by and it felt like I was asking a lot! My maternity leave was a very helpful period of time to research and set things up. When was the moment you decided to make the change? During my maternity leave I went to a local entrepreneurs' group made up of local military wives and partners. There were only a few of us there, but since we were all in similar circumstances, we bonded and shared our ideas and knowledge. This group was probably the sole reason for me taking the leap when I did. If I hadn't have met them, I'd probably still be thinking it over now, 18 months on. Luckily, I still had maternity pay for about five months into my project starting, which took the pressure off financially whilst I did as much research and setting up as I could. Are you happy with the change? Yes. I'd like to be generating a more steady, reliable income (at the moment, sales are very much linked to running promotions or advertising campaigns). It's not really earning me much of an income currently. As a family, we agreed the benefit of setting up a business whilst I was a stay-at-home mum was that we work to a budget that doesn't include money I make from working. So, for the first two years of setting up, it wasn't an issue if my take home pay was pretty negligible as long as the business was growing. It's great to have a focus that isn't related to my children and keeps my mind active. I think when you spend so much time with tiny people, that's really important! What do you miss and what don't you miss? I don't mind working at home, but I do miss the casual chatting and making friends that you get when working in a bigger team. I've made a few good friends in every job I've done, so I do miss not having that opportunity now. I don't miss having to make myself presentable every day.I also feel less time pressure to get my 'to do' list done when working for myself. I know the consequences of having achieved them or not and if I don't find the time one week, I make sure I set aside an evening the next week. When working for other people, there's often not the same flexibility. How did you go about making the shift? Whilst I'd previously worked in retail sales, I had no experience in manufacturing, so setting up my own children's clothing brand was a terrifying prospect. I didn't think it was something I could do because I didn't know enough. So I went to trade shows, read lots of articles online, studied lots of other companies, and talked to lots of contacts, printers and factories. Eventually my understanding of the processes grew enough for me to realise it was something I could do. I was also really enjoying learning about it all,so I decided to go for it. I didn't have anything to lose by trying. Worst-case scenario was I sold all my stock at cost price, didn't earn anything, repaid my business loan and learnt an awful lot along the way. As I was already on maternity leave, I simply handed in my notice and carried on with my planning. So, it built up gradually and I just didn't go back to my old job. What didn't go well? What wrong turns did you take? We ended up deciding to have our third and final baby when I was in the midst of setting up, having gone too far with the business to put it on hold. So, I had to plough on knowing that when I launched, I'd be six months pregnant and then not able to give the business my all for a while when the baby arrived. To top that off, we also had to move a few weeks after the baby arrived. Apart from maintaining a social media presence, I did take a back seat for a few weeks and that meant so did my sales. But taking a step back was actually a good opportunityfor reflection. How did you handle your finances to make your shift possible? I made use of my maternity leave and my time as a stay-at-home mum whilst my children were still too young to be at school. Thismeant I wasn't being relied on for an income. Financially, that really took the pressure off. However, having a really robust business plan and cash flow forecast â€" and getting as many people to read it / feed back to me as possible â€" meant that even if I had been taking a risk by getting a business loan, I would have been confident that I could repay it. What was the most difficult thing about changing? It was probably my confidence. I'd always felt myself to be a naturally confident person; however, I've come to realise that this is the case only when I'm in my comfort zone! I was taking myself out of the work experiences I was familiar with and entering a manufacturing world with new terminology and processes that I had no idea about. Speaking to lots of printers early on, I often found myself feeling embarrassed or stupid for having to question a lot of what they were talking about.It meant I learnt a lot quicklyâ€"I just had to plough through the few months where my lack of knowledgeembarrassedme. What help did you get? I got a tremendous amount of help from X-Forces (the enterprise support hub for the UK's military community) in writing my business plan and cashflow forecasts. I had a huge amount of advice and input from my networking group, which was invaluable. My mum also runs her own business and she's been a great support in chatting through any issues or stumbling blocks I've had. What resources would you recommend to others? I used the Start Up Loans Company (through X-Forces) for my funding. They had some great resources for starting your own business. I found that the high street banks were also keen to offer advice and mentors if you got your business loan through them. A good networking group is invaluable, especially if you're working solo, as you can bounce ideas around with them. Lastly, talk to friends and family â€" sometimes connections or recommendations crop up that you'd otherwise never have realised were there. There are also some good networking and resource groups on social media. What have you learnt in the process? I have learnt you can teach yourself practically anything with YouTube videos and reading online. I've learnt a huge amount about website design and SEO that I never knew before and it has all been self-taught. I've also learnt about the printing and manufacturing processes for making baby clothing. I'vefound that Instagram can be an amazing tool to connect with other like-minded people, or customers, and where you can actually feel like you're friends even though you've never met. It has a lovely community feel to it, if you actually engage and interact properly. What would you advise others to do in the same situation? You can never get enough feedback and ideas. If friends, family, colleagues, and customers aren't giving you any, ask for it. Do lots of research before embarking on anything. We spend such a huge percentage of our lives working that I truly believe you should find a job you enjoy and that should be the most important thing. To find out more about Willow's business, visit www.britishbabies.co.uk. What lessons could you take from Willow's story to use in your own career change? Let us know in the comments below.

Bodies Arent Perfect! Dealing With Common Body Issues

Bodies Arent Perfect! Dealing With Common Body Issues Body issues.   We all have them.   Its a good bet that youve looked at yourself in the mirror and been unhappy with what you see.   Or, maybe it was envy about that seemingly perfect young woman you spotted coming out of the yoga studio.   Sound familiar? Reality is that virtually none of us have perfect bodies.   Everyone has at least a challenge or two, even if theyre not always visible.   And of course, issues come and go with age.   (Although they dont seem to go often or quickly enough!) Aging, especially, brings with it some experiences wed rather not have.   Heres three common body issues and some tips on dealing with them. Body Issues Than Commonly Accompany Aging Cellulite   The dreaded   cottage cheese you know you didnt order.   Its common, and is often the result of poor diet, lack of physical activity, and hormonal changes. With so many of us stuck at a desk all day, the best ways to reduce cellulite is to watch your diet, especially any snacking.   Processed food and junky foods are your enemy, and should be replaced with fresh foods, heavy on the veggies.   And sign up for a yoga or spinning class if you really want to tackle it. Bat Wings Unless youre a dedicated gym rat, women tend to lose their youthful, firm arm muscles as they age.   Gravity takes over, and the excess skin shows up as those increasingly floppy droops that make going sleeveless a second choice at best. Again, the best solution is exercise.   The good news is that a focused routine done every other day can eliminate them in as little as five weeks. Those Annoying Leaks Whether its incontinence (common after giving birth), or your light days, theres nothing more embarrassing than a wet spot where you, or anyone else, least want to see it. If your incontinence is ongoing, you should see your doctor for a checkup and advice.   But for the temporary or occasional times you need a little extra protection, there are some great new fabrics and undies that work wonders, like these leakproof underwear from Knix. Its Just Life Its easy to fantasize about a perfect life in a perfect world.   Reality is that life comes with a whole host of odd little challenges.    With a few adjustments on our part, theyre really easy to overcome or at least manage.

10 Phrases Every Recruiter Ought to Know

10 Phrases Every Recruiter Ought to Know Just because it is trite, does not mean it is not true. That is just one of the many pithy sayings I pull out of the woodwork. As Rodney Dangerfield said, “Honey, I got a million of ‘em”. The staffing business has changed since I started in 1998 when I first began, email was pretty new (as was the World Wide Web). COBOL was as hot as Too Close by Next. The guts of the staffing game have not changed at all. It doesn’t matter if you are behind a wheel of a Model T or the super-hot New Tesla car, you’re driving. In Staffing, it doesn’t matter if you are calling off a list your boss bought or InMailing via LinkedIn, what you are doing is Head Hunting. With that in mind I have a ton of stories, sayings, aphorisms, yarns, anecdotes, proverbs, dictums, and, even, maybe some axioms! I am going to limit myself to just 10. If I stole something from somewhere, let me know I’ll give credit where credit is due, but I have repeated these things so many times, their source has often vanished into the ether. So, without further ado: The young salesperson says to the older salesperson, “I brought my client to the water but I could not make him drink. The older salesperson replies, “Kid, your job isn’t to make him drink, it’s to make him thirsty!”  Sell the Sizzle, not the Steak! An Egyptian Pharaoh says to his advisers: “Can you make me something that will make me feel sad when I am happy but happy when I am sad? A mood balancer, a pre-historic Xanax, maybe?” The advisers thought and thought and thought. They gave him a perfect circlet of gold, and inside it was written: “This Too Shall Pass”. This business has a lot of ups and downs know that and don’t get too excited to too disappointed. My first boss had three acronyms above his desk in picture frames. Each one was bold faced black lettering on a pure white background. CTFM, STFR and JFDI. Call the fucking manager, Send the Fucking Resume and Just Fucking Do It. Princess Leia to Grand Moff Tarkin: “The more you tighten your grip Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers”. Don’t hard sell your clients or candidates. Be a benevolent despot at your worst and a trusted adviser at best. “Just because something hasn’t been, doesn’t mean it cannot be”Chairman Mao I think that sums it up. Keep at it, work hard and it will happen “Opportunity is missed by most, because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work”Thomas Edison. This is for you, as a staffing agent, and a great line with candidates 100% of Zero is still Zero. Be Flexible to make placements and deals! Work, share and split. You’ll never place everything so place what you can. Profit isn’t a dirty word. (There are dirty ways to make a profit but that’s a whole other article) With that in mind, “When in doubt, send it out!”. This is very different then “Throw shit against the wall and hope something sticks”, another saying bandied about all too often in our field. If a client has a poor job spec, either not clear or just not possible, you still need to send a resume. However, send a good candidate, who is great and can do the job even if the skills aren’t a perfect match and then create a dialogue. Explain why you sent them, why they can do the job even if they are missing Skill #X. Get them in front of the manager if you can. This goes both from a salesperson pitching the person to a Hiring Manager to a recruiter pushing a resume on an internal sales manager. Have a background story and answers to all the “Whys?”. At the very least, you’ll learn enough to tighten your search. Best case, an interview you might never have had! “It’s not what you say, but how you say it.”-Another favorite of an old boss. I guess he didn’t know Marshall McLuhan’s, “The medium is the message”. Language and word choice is so important for people like you and I spending hours on the phone each day. Positive words, reinforcement, and encouragement can make or break a dialogue. Positivism and Enthusiasm are contagious. “You always need to listen” Man, this is so true on so many levels. Everything you’ll need to make a placement (or the fact that it will NEVER happen) will be said at some point in the process. Listen for what’s being said, not what you want to hear. I have much difficulty with this personally, but it works. On a whole other level, I say this to candidates all the time. You need to hear what is out there even if you have an amazing job. At the very least, You need to know what your peers are earning and doing. I don’t think there has been anything original in the world in a very long time. We just build on all things that have occurred before to create new and better things. They aren’t that original though. All of the above are old and well used. It doesn’t mean they aren’t true.

Build a Extraordinary Business Plan to Kick Your Brand Into High Gear - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Build a Extraordinary Business Plan to Kick Your Brand Into High Gear - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Today, I interviewed one of the leading business plan experts, Tim Berry. Tim is a blogger for Entrepreneur.com, owner of a business and author of a few books. In the interview below he will talk about his business plan model, how it benefits you and why the typical templated business plans wont do you justice. Tim, whats different between the Plan-As-You-Go business plan and other models? First, the plan-as-you-go approach focuses on planning as a process rather than a plan, so it emphasizes regular plan review, keeping track of changing assumptions, and planning as steering as management. There is no such thing as a plan-as-you-go plan without a regular review schedule and the assumption that course corrections will be part of the process. Second, the plan-as-you-go approach emphasizes appropriately sized plans, just big enough to support planning process, but encompassing only those portions of the more formal standard business plan that your company will use and manage. So, for example, while every company stands to benefit from an appropriate planning process to hone strategy and lay out the steps and concrete specifics, many companies are not looking at business plan events and will not therefore need the full richness and formality of the old-fashioned complete business plan. Third. In plan-as-you-go business planning, the plan is whats supposed to happen and why, and whos responsible, and how much it will cost, and how much it will generate; outputs might be the printed formal document, or the elevator speech, or the summary memo, or the pitch presentation, and those are just outputs, not the plan itself. In theory plans could be kept in your head but in practice thats really hard because our minds play tricks on us, we lose the benefit of plan vs. actual because we dont accurately record what we thought would happen so we dont then get the benefit of comparing actual results to planned results. Fourth. The plan-as-you-go plan separates supporting information from the plan itself. Some planning processes require detailed formal market research, but not all do. You include the research if you need it (like for a business plan event) and/or if you are going to use it. Fifth. Last not but not least, a plan-as-you-go plan knows that every business plan is wrong, but nonetheless vital to management, because it is through managing the difference between plan and actual that we remain mindful of long-term goals and strategic priorities while we manage the details as well. And it knows that a good business plan is never done. Most business plans are tossed out and re-written. How do people manage to evolve their plan instead of throw it away? Every plan should start with a review schedule, meaning the time and date and participants of the plan review meetings, set in advance, so everybody involved makes and keeps the commitment to get together at regular intervals and review the plan including going over important assumptions to identify how and when theyve changed (and they will change) and how to correct the plan to preserve the long-term directions and goals but manage the short-term steps according to changing assumptions. Changing assumptions are reality. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVg27TQqMnc] Part of that is also understanding from the beginning that its a process, not a plan. I start with what I call attitude adjustment points to help people clean their mind and put the planning into the right context. This is where I get into the basics, like that a plan is modular, you choose what you need, and you get going fast, adding to it as needed. Why did you choose to make much of your book available on your blog (http://planasyougo.com/outline)? Im very confident that the people who see on the web what it is an what its about and like it will want to go ahead and buy the book for themselves. Sure, Id like to sell to everybody, I like money as much as the next person, but I know that never happens, so Im happy to sell to people who see whats there and want more. I want them to be able to see what it is, as much as they want. A website doesnt substitute for a book, and vice-versa. Now Ive got the website enriched with video and audio, so the book owner has a reason to go to the web; and if youre on the web but dont own the book, then its also a lot easier to read the book as a book than to browse through it (even though it is there complete) on the web. If I like a book, even if its available in full on the web, Im going to pay the cost of a lunch to get the physical book. I like books. Ive found through the years that making good content available to people on the web is a matter of mutual benefit, in which everybody wins. I started this in 1995 with bplans.com, which was the first and is still the biggest and best free business plan site on the web (obviously Im biased, but if you measure by links in, or traffic, that holds up). People who are interested in this content go there and the smart ones figure out pretty quickly that even though all of that is free, the software that supports it has to be pretty good and its about the same thing theyre working on, the business plan. Taking that same idea to the plan-as-you-go business plan approach, the website adds to the book and my target customers are smart enough to see from the site that having the book on their desk as hard copy is worth the $14 or so it costs. In the forward, Guy Kawasaki admits that he never had a business plan for Truemors. What do you think about that? Would he have been more successful if he did? Im pretty sure Guy had a plan-as-you-go plan for Truemors, even if he didnt know it then and is coy about it now. The plan-as-you-go plan is a combination of heart of the plan, which is strategy; and the flesh and bones, which is a collection of assumptions, review schedule, milestones, and budgets. Guys a natural communicator so he loves to surprise us, and the contrarian way of putting it is much more interesting than if hed said what I say about it. You cant have a pitch, an elevator speech, a summary memo, or any of that without having a plan. What Guy didnt have was the formal old-fashioned complete business plan document. But then thats me saying it, not him. He got great mileage out of his no business plan theme. Why is the plan review schedule your favorite part of the business plan? And it really is my favorite, no question; more so every day. Its so easy to set up a review schedule at the beginning, and that changes the tone of the entire effort to keep it about planning process rather than just the plan. The greatest threat to planning as management is the plan as document, lost in a drawer and forgotten. The review schedule is the best way to avoid that plan-as-document waste of time. Furthermore, people think differently when they know theres going to be plan review. Planning process is about accountability and management, which involves review. To me the plan with review schedule is a different item, far more useful, than the plan without. Can you relate building a business marketing plan to a personal marketing plan? Ive written about this before, but would like to get your opinion on how people can plan for their careers, using marketing strategies. The heart of a plan-as-you-go plan is an enmeshed interaction of three factors, identity, target market, and strategic focus, that are inseparable. And these three factors are as relevant for a personal marketing plan as for a business marketing plan. Although they mix together and cant be pulled apart, identity is who you are and what youre good at and what you like to do, whether thats a company as you or a human as you. Market is what benefits you offer and needs you solve and to whom, plus who isnt your market, the more narrowly defined the better, and that too is about the same for a person as for a company. Strategic focus is what makes the other three realistic, since you cant do everything and you cant please everybody, so you have to focus in on the most important things to make sure they get done. It isnt really all that theoretical or academic. The most interesting thing to me about strategy is how well it maps to plain common sense. - Tim Berry is the president and founder of Palo Alto Software, founder of bplans.com, and a co-founder of Borland International. His latest book is called The Plan-as-You-Go Business Plan. He also started teaching business at the University of Oregon, once a year, spring quarter. He wrote Hurdle: the Book on Business Planning and other books on planning published by Harcourt Brace, McGraw-Hill, and Dow Jones-Irwin. Tim is the principal author of Business Plan Pro. As a consultant hes worked with Apple Computer steadily for 14 years of repeat business

Virtual Assistant Resume Writing - Writing Your Resume

Virtual Assistant Resume Writing - Writing Your ResumeVirtual Assistant resume writing is essential in today's information driven world. In today's world where entrepreneurs and companies face an increasing demand for personnel, they are now ready to recognize a candidate who can fill their gap or offer something that they are lacking. Allowing the candidate to benefit from his efforts, but at the same time be recognized for his professionalism, virtual assistant resume writing is an ideal option.There are several writers who are writing virtual assistant resume, but some of them are just good and well known in the market, while others are unknown. Though the internet is vast and various web sites display hundreds of jobs all around the world, one of the biggest advantages is the fact that the freelance writing providers do not require any kind of payment for providing these services. The benefits of outsourcing to the virtual assistants are many; the need for virtual assistant also arise due to various reasons which include but not limited to the fact that the position may be temporary or permanent, the role may involve traveling, the need may arise due to the introduction of a new system, or in general because the roles do not fit the existing staff at the organization.Considering the fact that the needs of the client, to have an essential service or project written for him, can differ from one to another, the freelancer needs to put in the time to get to know and understand the situation on how to tackle that particular job. A virtual assistant resume writing is no different; the responsibility lies with the writer to know about the requirements of the client. This is done by means of research on the clients' past projects, the projects that the client has completed and the responsibilities that the client gave to the freelance writer. The writer also needs to understand the nature of the business and how to write the resume for the prospective client in suc h a way that it matches the personality of the client.The outsourcing of this kind helps the writer to charge a lower rate for his writing services. Outsourcing also allows a writer to work at his own pace, as there is no need to meet a deadline. If the client is unable to provide a sample of his previous work, it is not essential to hire the writer. Hence it is important for the writer to show genuine concern in completing the job within the given deadline.A virtual assistant resume writing entails the kind of writing skills which would help the prospective client in finding an ideal person to fill the requirement. A good resume should contain all the necessary information required for the task at hand. The virtual assistant resumes need to have all the details such as the names, addresses, contact numbers, email addresses, telephone numbers, employer's name, and experience in the field.The virtual assistant resume writing is an excellent job for people who are not comfortable writ ing a typical resume. It is also ideal for those who want to earn extra money without necessarily obtaining a full-time job. Online freelancing allows you to come up with a resume without having to be in the office, thereby saving your time and effort.The online service provider does not require the employee to visit the job site and collect the document, since this can take more than an hour. A good website design allows you to write your resume as a single page, thus making the entire process easier and less time consuming. There are some websites who give you the opportunity to download the file before sending it to the client, which makes the entire job more efficient.Writing a virtual assistant resume can be a tough job, but with proper attention and effort, it can be made easy. Thus if you are looking for a freelance writer, it is important to go through a few reviews, to find the best suited candidate. Remember, a well-written resume will help you get more jobs, since it is b etter than an untrained one.

115 How to Start a Business - Exploring Entrepreneurship - Jane Jackson Career

115 How to Start a Business - Exploring Entrepreneurship - Jane Jackson Career How to start a businessIf youre thinking about starting a business and dont know where to start, then this podcast episode is especially for you!To start a business takes a lot of preparation. If a new business venture is on the cards for you, the best way to start is with the right advice. In this podcast, I share my tips on what all new startups need to know.Is starting a business right for you?The most important question to ask yourself is why you want to start a business in the first place. What’s your motivation? Is it a matter of getting out of the corporate rat race? Or wanting the freedom to make money without being an employee? Or just because you want to do something different? Or something that will challenge you and provide, potentially, unlimited earnings potential?While these reasons are valid, they focus on YOUR needs as the business owner, rather than the needs of your potential customers.For your business to be successful, the product or service offered needs to so lve a specific problem or need for your customers.Remember: your job isn’t simply to make money but to provide value.* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *In this podcast episode, listen to what the founders of Defining Style, Sonic Sight, The Digital Delusion, Corporate Podcast Production, Rachel CFO, Virtual Elves, The Word Stylist, The Numbers Matter and Simple Creative Marketing had to say about why they started their businesses. (Links to their businesses at the end of this article.)Let’s go through the 6 steps you must consider before you begin your fun, challenging, sometimes frustrating and always exciting entrepreneurial journey!1.Have you done market research?Before starting out, you need to zero in on your unique offering. Yes, you need a solid business idea, but an idea is only as good as the market demand for it.Ideally, there should already be an existing demand for your service or product. It’s important to test the viability of your idea. Market research will help you determine if there is demand for your product or service. It will also tell you if your business idea is one that generates interest and whether people will pay for what you plan to offer.Luckily, gauging interest is simple. Conduct simple online surveys using services like Survey Monkey. Even more valuable is talking to others who have run successful businesses themselves and ask them about challenges they’ve faced.2.Do you know the business structure best for you?After you’ve decided whether you’re starting your own business, buying a business, buying a franchise or starting a consultancy, you’ll need to decide on your business structure. Will you be a sole trader, partnership, a trust or a company? Talk to your tax accountant to find out what will be the best structure for your personal circumstances.Visit the Australian Taxation Office website for more information where you’ll also find out about the small business concessions available to you, registering you r business, the records you need to keep, the deductions you can claim and all you need to do to be compliant when setting yourself up.I include links to resources I mention at the end of this article.For those of you who live in other countries, be resourceful and find out from your local authorities what’s required regarding business structures at your location.3.Do you need licenses, registrations, and insurance?At a minimum, in Australia, you’ll need to get an ABN (business) number or an ACN (company) number. This can be done through the Australian Business Register. You’ll need to register a business name after checking that it’s available.Insurance is essential and setting up yearly coverage when you’re starting out doesn’t have to break the bank. Keep your finances in check by setting up a relationship with a good accountant and bookkeeper.You might also want to trademark your business name too. For the steps to protect your business name, visit  IP Australia to s afeguard your intellectual property.  Be prepared to put in the hard work and long hours, because building a business is an exciting and rewarding time  4.Do you have a business plan?Without at least a basic plan in place you could charge off in the wrong direction. They key is to know where you want to go with your business, how you are going to fund it initially, how you plan to market it, who your competitors are, how will you price your services or products. If you’re unsure about how to create a business plan, using a business template is a good place to start. It will help you organise your strategy over the short and long term. You don’t have to stick to it religiously, but the more comprehensive your plan is, the more prepared you’ll be. I’ll include a link to a great business plan template for you in my show notes.5.Do you have a website?To harness the power of online marketing opportunities, you’ll need an online presence from day one. Register a domain name for your website through website domain registration sites such as Crazy Domains or NetRegistry.Find a web designer to create your website and a graphic designer to design the logo for your business. You may be able to find affordable design work using online resources like Upwork or 99Designs. And you might also need to hire a writer to communicate your message in the best way.Personal branding is an essential part of building your business and becoming the go to person in your field. Join my FREE Masterclass   3 Secrets to Personal Branding for Career Success and Ill share with you my top 3 secrets to build a powerful brand as a consultant or business owner (and it will help job seekers too!)6.Do you have a mentor or business coach?This is especially important if you’re new to the business territory. A business coach or mentor can guide you with a wealth of wisdom and street smarts that will come in handy starting out.If you’re lucky enough to have older and wiser contacts in busi ness who are willing to help, ask for advice. If not, invest in coaching if you can afford it, or join a small business network in your local area.  This will cost you initially but it’ll pay off in the long run.Once your plans are in place, it’s time to take that leap of faith. Be prepared to put in the hard work and long hours, but remember building a business is an exciting and rewarding time and will create a lasting legacy of your drive and passion.The links to the resources and the entrepreneurs I mention in this podcast are at the bottom of this page.If you like this podcast please subscribe on iTunes and leave a review! Let’s help as many people as we can to gain career inspiration and advice.  Resources:Career/Business CoachingJane Jackson CoachTo request for a Business Plan Template, email jane@janejacksoncoach.com  For ongoing support, join The Careers Academy ONLINE and receive a free 30-minute coaching session with Jane! plus monthly Group Coaching Sessions to kee p you on track!    Until next time Believe in Yourself and Create Magic!    Our enterprising entrepreneurs who shared their ‘Why’:ROBIN POWIS â€" Defining Style    @robinpowisGEOFF ANDERSON â€" Sonic Sight      @geoffsonicDOYLE BUEHLER â€" The Digital Delusion    @doylebuehlerTRACY SHEEN â€" Corporate Podcast Production    @tracy_sheenRACHEL WHITE â€" Rachel CFO    @rachelCFOKRISTY SMITH â€" Virtual Elves      @virtualelvesELIZABETH CAMPBELL â€" The Word Stylist      @wordstylistlizAMANDA FISHER â€" The Numbers Matter      @amandafisherCAANFERNEE CHANSAMOOTH â€" Simple Creative Marketing      @anferneec

Summary Sunday Networking and Starting a New Job

Summary Sunday Networking and Starting a New Job I love sharing ideas and content! As an introvert, finding ideas and content to share in my Summary Sunday post comes very easily to me!   I hope some of these golden nuggets help you with your job search and managing your career, no matter where you are in the journey! Yesterday, during my presentation on social media and reputation management, I proclaimed that Twitter is only stupid if you are following stupid people!   There is always great content to be found through great people. (Psst, this is a shot of the group yesterday!) I love Twitter, it is no secret. It has allowed me to meet other helpful and wonderful professionals! That is why I was so excited to go to the #140cuse event on Thursday. I was going to be able to learn from other social enthusiasts and meet in real life with people Ive been following on Twitter! In case you arent familiar with what #140conf is, this is what it is: The “State of NOW” / #140conf events provide a platform for the worldwide twitter community to: listen, connect, share and engage with each other, while collectively exploring the effects of the emerging real-time internet on business. Please follow us on twitter and join our community on Facebook. The schedule for the events are unique and fast paced. It was Jeff Pulver’s intention to provide a platform for as many people as possible to share their thoughts and engage in conversation with the attending delegates. You will find individual talks set to: 10 minutes; “Featured talks” 15 minutes and the various panel discussions are set for 10 to 20 minutes. Fast-paced. Innovative ideas. People with passion.   Thats what it delivers! You can check out the Twitter profiles of the speakers here! One of the speakers was Beth Beck (@BethBeck) from NASAyes, NASA is using social to connect to the real time web! Sitting in the front row with some friends from Rochester made for a great morning! But you need to know this about me..as an introvert, prolonged interaction with lots of strangers tends to send me into retreat.   If this happens to you too, this post will help provide you with some tips on how to improve your networking skills. 10 Tips to Help Introverts Successfully Network from Keppie Careers Here is a teaser to get you started: 1. Become a sleuth. Before attending in-person events, find out who else plans to attend. 2. Research several targets. It’s not stalking; many make a habit of Googling people they expect to meet before an in-person encounter. 3. Search for recent press. Have their organizations been in the news? What about the contacts themselves? How To Survive and Thrive in Your New Job [5 Useful Tactics] from The Undercover Recruiter Awesome Idea 1 â€" Be a savvy subordinate.   Brilliant Idea 2 â€" Be likeable and approachable. Grand Idea 3 â€" Be open to making mistakes. Youll have to go read the post for the full explanation! If you want to catch everything a tweet, follow me on twitter @careersherpa If you are still an email news junkie, Subscribe to Career Sherpa: Guide for Lifetime Career Navigation by Email If you dont want to be overwhelmed but still want job search and career management news, you can get my monthly newsletter, News You Can Use.