The Frustrated Entrepreneur

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Comment by Camden Ross on October 20, 2012 at 2:22pm

You're welcome Guy. Glad to inspire! :)

~Cam

Comment by Guy Madison on October 20, 2012 at 12:11pm

Hey Jack, I just realized I never answered your questions! So sorry!

One of the most important things you can do for your business is to get some social media recognition...such as creating a FB page, Twitter account, Pinterest account, Instagram, etc. Then start looking for people to follow that are in related fields.  There is so much more to this, but you have to at least get your accounts set up. To me that is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to market yourself. Also, just some basic guerrilla marketing in your own area...you know, hitting the streets and letting people know what you are doing and what you have to sell!

As far as your question goes about putting together a business plan, I recommend using the Business Model Canvas (Google it) for putting together 9 key areas about your business. There is a great website that tells all about it at steveblank.com/slides  (This guy does a great job of explaining the Business Model Canvas as well as many other things related to starting a business.) When you go to that link you'll want to scroll down and click on the Business Model Competition slides link. This is where you will find some good examples of how the BMC is used. The problem in writing a business plan for a startup is that there are so many iterations (small changes) and even pivots (substantive changes) in the early stages that a business plan (which is static) quickly becomes useless and out of date. The BMC is fluid and constantly changing based on research and intel acquired by, for example, "getting out of the building" to see what the market says about your product.

This should keep you very busy for a while! But if you are determined to succeed, you will! They key difference though between a dreamer and an entrepreneur is the entrepreneur executes on the dream. A dreamer just dreams. Go make it happen Jack!

Guy

Comment by Guy Madison on October 20, 2012 at 11:13am

Hey Camden, man that video is awesome. Very inspiring. Still have a lump in my throat. Watched it 4 times in a row! Thank you.

Comment by Camden Ross on October 20, 2012 at 8:00am

I just watched a video that I thought this group would enjoy.

Here it is. :)

Comment by John (Jack) Dias on August 20, 2012 at 6:53pm

My first post on this forum, I hope to get here more often and get ideas for getting my business off the ground...it's still in the taxi lanes but making small advances. I am starting an ornamental blacksmithing business. I really enjoy the "old crafts" and have made several things and sold some at vendor fairs (but not a bunch). I have started this business on the cheap...total invested so far is under $400.00. The anvil and coal burning forge were the most expensive things. I have the space to do this on my property (2 acres) and my neighbors don't mind so this is where I'll have my home base (no overhead), but getting out to the market is challenging. I plan on joining a couple of trade groups to network and get to workshops to learn new skills. I was thinking of holding workshops or classes in the basics skills as another stream of income. My wife (she is into vintage and and antiques) and I are starting an Etsy shop, but I know this is just a small segment of people I am reaching here. How can I get a website up and running and is this a venue for reaching more people? Ebay? Other markets I don't know about? I believe I have a good pricing structure on what I make based on what others are selling similar items. What about a business plan? I'm just getting a head of steam and going for it right now, as the pieces fall into place will the business plan emerge?

The other thing I need is information on home based business tax breaks...any good resources that anyone could recommend?

Comment by Randell Mark Olson on February 27, 2012 at 6:17pm

Guy,

Keep us up to date on how things are going, very cool concept!

Congratulations Again

Comment by Kent Julian on February 27, 2012 at 6:03pm

Excited for you, Guy!

Comment by Guy Madison on February 20, 2012 at 10:58am

Kent, thanks for reminding me that my message to the discussion group members does not post it on this wall!  Can you please help me get the word out to a larger audience, as well (including Dan)?  I would be very grateful for your help!

So hear goes about my new business...

The Frustrated Entrepreneur (me) is excited to announce that as of February 1st, 2012, I have partnered with a guy that is funding (I'm the sweat equity) a new venture where our primary mission is to help startup entrepreneurs get their business launched and funded.

In a nutshell, our company, "Blueprint for Business", is a mentorship-driven seed-stage investment program with emphasis on internet startups and mobile technology for energy and healthcare.  In other words, we are a seed-startup accelerator.  Our mission is to build a community of entrepreneurs.  Twice a year, we fund up to 10 companies with a small amount of capital and we surround those companies with about 50 of the best and brightest web entrepreneurs and investors in the world.  Our goal is to take companies from concept stage and get them ready for seed funding.

We will provide a place for the "startups" to work (rent free) for 90 days...a kind of boot camp where they will receive help setting up their legal and accounting structure, marketing, business plan assistance, and presentation skills (thanks Kent Julian for helping me greatly improve in this area myself!).  For example, many technology related startups are clueless about these important business functions, but boy can they write software "code" all day long.  We will work with them to shore up their weaker areas so they can focus on what they do best.  

What makes us different than other accelerators is that we will also spend time helping them learn what having a balanced life is all about...that even though they will focus in the beginning, and for a season, 24/7 on their new venture, there is still much more to life than work and running a business.  We want to teach them about values and the importance of character and how that applies to their lives and their businesses.  We will talk about, what I call the 7 "Gotta Have" Disciplines for Success.

Our mentorship-driven program provides a totally entrepreneurial environment where fellow startups can share their ideas, frustration, etc.  Very synergistic.  A great sharing of "tribal knowledge", if you will.  At the end of this program, they will pitch their business to a room full of investors, where their goal is to get their business funded. 

This is an incredibly exciting venture and in the next few months we will be looking for startups that have 2 or more founders to participate in our program.  Right now we are still in development.  

What would really help us get the word out for now is to please "like" our FB page below and follow us on Twitter!

Thanks so much!

Living the dream,

Guy

Co-Founder and Managing Director, Blueprint for Business

www.bp4b.com  (still under construction)

www.twitter.com/bp4b

www.facebook.com/blueprintforbusiness

Comment by Kent Julian on February 19, 2012 at 10:42am

Guy,

Are you going to post about your new business here?

Kent

Comment by Kent Julian on February 14, 2012 at 7:02pm

WOW!!!!!!!!

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