We here at Entrepreneur have been in the business of
helping people start businesses for almost three decades. Over the
years, we've seen startup trends, methods and catchphrases come
and go. One of the most ubiquitous--and dangerous--phrases
asso-ciated with startup is "get rich quick." It's
foolish to think you can start a business and instantly make
millions, as if you had just hit the lottery jackpot. In reality,
traveling the road to business success--and business riches--takes
vision, passion, and good, old-fashioned hard work.
On the other hand, it's smart to know you can start a
business the easy way. Too many people have great ideas but get so
bogged down by the steps and obstacles to startup that they give up
before they even start. Their mistake: They do everything the hard
way. Wouldn't it be great to know the secrets of making startup
as simple as possible, and getting your business up and running as
quickly as possible? We've uncovered these secrets and devoted
this issue of Entrepreneur's StartUps to one purpose:
helping you start a business the smart and easy way.
One of the major issues entrepreneurs face in the first stages
of business is being overly busy. When you start a business,
you'll most likely be working the marketing, accounting and
mailroom "departments" as well as sitting in the
president's chair. But every startup entrepreneur has to one
day make the leap from busyness to business. It's the mark of a
true entrepreneur and the milestone that leads to ongoing success.
Read "No
Excuses!" to discover 10 easy ways you can reach that
milestone.
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As you embark on your startup adventure, there are several smart
and easy tips you should keep in mind during the course of your
journey. Read "Startup
Smarts" for 10 steps that will help you simplify your
business--now and in the future.
Next, we examine how you can break into the retail market--which
is one of the most popular venues for new entrepreneurs--without
breaking a sweat. With today's technology and innovation, you
don't need a sleek Fifth Avenue, Rodeo Drive or even Mall of
America storefront to be a retail powerhouse. "Revved-Up
Retail" reveals smart and easy alternatives for starting a
retail business that you may not have thought of.
If you're looking for extra guidance throughout the startup
process, check out the franchise or business opportunity options,
which can offer everything from inventory and marketing materials
to operational procedures and training. Need help sorting through
the advantages and disadvantages of buying a franchise or business
opportunity rather than starting a business independently? In
"Ready
to Wear", we break down the smart and easy way to buy a
franchise or a business opportunity, and we introduce you to people
who have already done it.
Maybe you have an idea for a product that doesn't even exist
in the market yet. How do you handle the research, prototype,
manufacturing, distribution and marketing that will transform that
idea into reality? "Prepare
for Takeoff" will show you how to get your product to
market in as little as a year. Who knows? Your product could be the
next big thing.
Ask anyone in business, and they'll tell you one of the keys
to success is marketing. And one of the keys to marketing is having
a solid marketing plan. Don't assume that writing a marketing
plan for your startup involves a lot of blood, sweat and tears--in
"23
Hours to a Great Marketing Plan", our expert tells you how
you can create an effective marketing plan in less than a day.
If you're much more interested in starting a top-notch
business the smart and easy way than in getting rich quickly, this
is the right magazine for you. And your first step toward owning a
business is perhaps the easiest of all: Simply turn the page.