Becoming an Entrepreneur
Starting a Community Services Information & Referral Business
Here's some helpful information that is written for those who hope to start a community services information and referral business. Make sure you consider this advice before you open up shop.
Thinking about opening a community services information and referral business? We tell you what you need to know to get started.
Creating a Business Plan for a Community Services Information & Referral Business
One of the worst mistakes you can make as an entrepreneur is to launch your company without having written a business plan.
The key benefit of writing a business plan is that it defines the game plan. If you don't have a business plan, your leadership will be handicapped, choosing short-term opportunities at the expense of long-term benefits.
Before you make another business decision and before you start writing a business plan, you need to create a mission statement. From there, you can begin to build on it with goals, budget estimates, marketing plans and other elements that are typically found in startup business plans.
Consider the Competition
Prior to opening a community services information and referral business in your town, it's worthwhile to see how many competitors you have. Try our link below to get a list of local competitors nearby. After following the link, enter your city, state and zip code to get a list of community services information and referral businesses in your area.
Is the local market large enough to support another community services information and referral business? If not, you had better be sure that you are doing things much better than the competition.
Talk to People Who Are Already in the Business
As part of your due diligence on opening a community services information and referral business, it's a smart move to have a conversation with someone who is in the business. If you think owners of nearby community services information and referral businesses will give you advice, think again. What's in it for them?
On the other hand, an individual who has a community services information and referral business in a different city will be much more likely to talk with you, once they realize that you are not going to directly compete with them in their community. Many business owners are happy to give advice to new entrepreneurs It can take a while to find an entrepreneur who is willing to talk, but it's well worth the effort.
So, what can you do to find an owner of a community services information and referral business in a different locale who can assist you?
It's easy. Here's a link you can use to find a mentor outside of your area.
Advantages of a Community Services Information & Referral Business Purchase
As a would-be community services information and referral business owner, the impulse to build a company from scratch is in your blood. But the harsh reality is that startup community services information and referral businesses experience a high failure rate compared to entrepreneurs who buy existing community services information and referral businesses.
There are a lot of factors that need to be considered in buying vs. starting a business. By buying a profitable community services information and referral business, you'll shorten the amount of time it takes to achieve a return on your investment because you'll have the advantage of a proven operation and an existing customer base.
Don't Rule Out Franchising
Your chances for doing well in business are higher when you opt to franchise and leverage their successful brand and track record.
If you are thinking about opening a community services information and referral business, a smart move is to check out whether franchising might be worth investigating.
The link below gives you access to our franchise directory so you can see if there's a franchise opportunity for you. You might even find something that points you in a completely different direction.
Related Articles on Starting a Company
These additional resources regarding starting a business may be of interest to you.
Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs
Consideration Before Buying a Franchise
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