By Del Denney
One of my favorite mission statements comes from the Notre Dame locker room. As the players rush onto the field, they have a tradition of touching a sign. It's not just any sign. It's a personal slogan. It's an agenda that reads, "Play like a champion today." I find that so intriguing. While the saying as a whole is quite profound, I want to put emphasis on the word today.
In my investing life, my personal life, and my spiritual life, today is what counts. I cannot count on the good fortune of the past, nor can I hang onto the bad things that happened to me. By the same token, I cannot and will not waste time in anticipation or apprehension of what in the future may affect me. Just as your mother told you when you were younger, "Don't wish your life away." With the current economic turmoil we face, it is all too easy to simply wait to take action until some future date that we have set. However, we need to stay away from the sidelines and get into the game, today.
To illustrate this concept, I would like to share a story. When I first learned to golf, I was so excited to get out on the green every time I played. Each time, I got dressed up in my nice golf shirt and slacks, retrieved my clubs from the garage, and felt absolutely pumped for a day out with the guys. Upon arriving at the first hole, I would get up to tee off, smack the ball, and watch it dart off right into the woods. Upon finding my ball, I would take another mighty whack, typically sending the ball into a sand trap. It was about this time that my buddies would chuckle and tell me that I spent more time in the sand than David Hasselhoff of the TV series Baywatch.
By then, I would be frustrated. Not only had I had two bad hits in a row, but I was then faced with the monumental task of getting the ball out of the sand trap. Did I mention sand traps are my nemesis? I would hit it again, and much to my dismay, the ball would invariably fly over the green and nestle itself in another sand trap. My whole day was often filled with frustration and, quite frankly, I often began to wish that I wasn't playing golf anymore. My whole attitude changed for the worse in a matter of 20 minutes. Isn't life a lot like this?
The moral of the story is this: Do not let your bad shots affect your current shot; do not let your future swings affect your current swing.
Focus on right now! Just as a golfer must focus on his or her current swing, we all need to focus on the current day. Erase from your mind what has happened in the past. Cross the bridge of your "next shot" when you get there. Success is about staying in the moment. In other words, think about the shot you are taking right now. Look around you. What are your opportunities? What are the dangers? How can you improve your current position?
Here are some suggestions to make today more productive:
1. Your Past
Learn from the past, but don't dwell on it. Today, you can move farther than any accomplishments of yesterday. Upon winning a third world championship in bull riding, Tuff Hedman soon began training for his next rodeo. He spent little time celebrating his victory; instead, he began preparing himself for the next season. Someone took notice of this, and questioned him about his routine. He simply said, "The bull won't care what I did last week." The same rings true for our lives. Life doesn't care about our past victories, or even our past failures. Each day we have an opportunity to move forward, no matter where we are in life.
2. Your Future
Set your priorities straight today. As the classic quote says, "A goal not written down is merely a wish." It's important to dream, but you must have your goals in place in order to achieve those dreams. What do you want to achieve? How will you get there? Set a large goal, then break it into smaller goals in order to accomplish the bigger picture. When you wake up in the morning, make a list of everything you want to achieve for that day.
3. The Present
Start your day with an uplifting book. It will help set the tone for the rest of the day. Many people report experiencing great results when they set aside a part of their morning for religious or spiritual devotion or meditation. If you lack time in the morning, audio books are great for your morning commute to work.
Something that I have found helpful is keeping a personal journal. Every night, take the time to write in your journal what happened that day. You may be surprised at all you have accomplished. If you're trading in the stock market, write down your trades. Write down why you are in the trade and what it was that triggered you into the trade. If you are investing in real estate, write down how many offers you have made. Write down the description of the experiences you had with the people with whom you networked. The next day, push yourself to be better than the day before. If you are actively involved with keeping a good journal, you may find yourself thinking during the day about what you are going to put in your journal for that night. I've even found myself going the extra mile just so I could have a good journal entry. Your journal will also be a valuable legacy to leave behind to your loved ones. It may help inspire them one day to live to their fullest potential.
In conclusion, the greatest gift that we have is the opportunities that avail themselves to us everyday. Make the most of the day no matter how mundane or busy it might be. In your work ethic, remember the adage, "Do today what others won't so you can live tomorrow like others can't." This is a new day; what are you going to do with it?
Friday, June 26, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
BUILDING YOUR CREDIBILITY USING THE POWER OF THE INTERNET
By Spencer Hamilton
For a real estate investor one of the most important steps in establishing credibility is to carve out a niche as the local "go-to" person for real estate problem solving. You must gain people's trust by teaching them, not by "pitching" them. There are many traditional ways to teach and educate people. You can provide information through letters, postcards, fliers, newsletters, press releases, articles, and speaking engagements at civic clubs, real estate investment clubs, real estate company meetings, and educational seminars. You can also educate people through paid advertisements, TV infomercials, press releases, and radio talk shows. All of these are venues by which you can educate people, thereby establishing yourself as the local real estate expert.
But in today's fast-paced world, nothing beats the amazing power and speed of the Internet for rapidly building your credibility. By using the Internet, an anonymous real estate investor can become a highly respected authority almost overnight!
Let's take a look at the Internet and see why it should be one of the main tools you use to quickly create your credibility.
Timothy Berners-Lee, inventor of the world wide web (no, it wasn't Al Gore who invented the Internet) recently said in an interview with BBC News (April 2008), "The Internet is still in its infancy." Bill Gates of Microsoft said, "If your business is not on the Internet, then your business will be out of business."
Did you know that more people are now getting their information from the Internet than from newspapers? Newspaper subscriptions, for the most part, are falling, while Internet usage is skyrocketing. We are even at a point where more people are using the Internet to entertain themselves than are watching TV. Can you see the trends? If you want to get information out to people as fast as possible, the Internet is the obvious choice.
There are numerous ways to use the Internet to get your educational and business information out to the world. And with continually improving technology and software programs, using the Internet has never been easier, even for those of us who, by our own admission, are Internet-impaired. Let's review some of the ways one can use the world wide web to make his or her information available for the world to see:
Create a Website
This is the traditional way of gaining a presence on the web, and is one of the best ways to promote yourself and your business. Your site doesn't have to be expensive or fancy, but it should have lots of good educational content. If the information you provide on your website is relevant and useful to your visitors, they will keep coming back for more. You will be positioning yourself as a real estate problem-solving expert, and will gain the trust of your visitors. Many of those visitors will become clients who will sell you their home, buy a home from you, or refer business to you.
Setting up a website is really not that hard. There are numerous companies that will create a website for you, as well as services that will help you create your own website. Your budget and time constraints will dictate which option is best for you. A search for "website development" using Google or another search engine will aid you in finding the help you need for developing your website. There are many good sites, so do a search and choose a service that meets your needs and is within your desired price range.
Create a Blog
What is a blog? Blogging is contributing content to a web log (blog) that is published online. The fact that the information is published to the Internet means it is accessible to millions upon millions of Internet users worldwide. Blogs can be as simple as a page of someone's thoughts, or as complicated as a large, interactive resource provider. While blogging used to be dominated by individuals with some web knowledge, it is now being used by the masses. Even large corporations such as Ford, McDonalds, Time Warner, Wal-Mart, and Nike maintain company blogs; if you become a blogger, you are in good company.
Don't worry; you don't have to know a lot about computer languages and programming. You don't even need to have a website, although if you do, you can use your blog to drive traffic to your website, where you can have more information and good content for your visitors. Setting up a blog is very easy. There are a large variety of blogging platforms that exist to help individuals and businesses establish and run their own blogs. Some of the most well-known blogging platforms are:
www.blogger.com
www.geeklog.com
www.blogdrive.com
www.wordpress.org
www.livejournal.com
www.typepad.com
www.b2evolution.net
There are many other blogging platforms out there; do a search and find the system that works best for you. There is one thing to keep in mind if you become a blogger. You need to post new and relevant information on your blog as often as possible; it doesn't have to be a lot of material, just good material. Some people post everyday, but posting once a week should keep your visitors happy and coming back for more information. The whole idea is to get (and keep) as many visitors as possible coming to your blog. Consistently posting good content on your blog will help you accomplish this goal, although this is only part of the formula.
Once your blog is up and running, you will want to make sure your blog is listed with as many blog directories and communities as possible. This will drive more traffic to your blog site. Here are a few blog directories; do a search for a more complete list:
www.bloguniverse.com www.blogtoplist.com
www.blogarama.com www.blogrush.com
Join Social Networking Sites
Social networking sites have become very popular in recent years, and it seems that new sites are being developed every few months. Some of the most popular sites are YouTube, MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, and Squidoo. Social networking sites are no longer just for your teenagers to post a few pictures (or a lot of pictures) and a personal profile. These social networking sites are really, really, really big business. In fact, one company that tracks website traffic, Comscore, indicates that in March 2008, 84.8 million viewers watched videos on YouTube. Facebook had more than 73 million visitors in January 2009, MySpace had more than 53 million, and Squidoo had close to 5 million visitors. And yes, in the news just this last week was an article on how some in the U.S. Congress were using Twitter to communicate (only on critical issues, of course).
So what does this mean to you? It means that social networking sites can be
very effective in driving traffic to your blogs and/or websites. So get with
your teenagers and have them help you set up your profile on Facebook and
MySpace, or even put a video on YouTube! You don't need expensive video equipment anymore. An inexpensive flip camera can do an excellent job.
Utilize Social Bookmarking Sites
Social bookmarking sites are another way to promote blog sites and get the attention of new readers and potential clients. These sites can be used to increase the number of other blogs and sites that link to your own blog, thus increasing traffic. A few of the many social bookmarking sites are:
www.stumbleupon.com www.linkroll.com
www.feedmelinks.com/portal www.digg.com
Create and Use a Signature
Whenever you send an Email, be sure to add your signature box to the end of the Email. In the signature box, along with other contact information, you can put a link to your blog or website. This is powerful! It gives people a chance to go to your blog or website without you having to give them a sales pitch about visiting your sites. It is amazing how many people who receive your Emails will click on your link just out of curiosity. Once they are on your blogs and/or websites, they will find all sorts of quality educational material that will benefit them. Also, if you participate in any of the many online message board communities that allow posters to have signatures, you can add your link there as well.
As you can see, there are many ways for a person to gain a presence on the Internet. If you don't have a presence on the Internet, you become invisible. One of the first things people do nowadays when they are introduced to a professional or a business is to Google or similarly research the individual or company. If they can't find you or your business online, they may think you are not serious about your business or qualified to help them. Creating this reaction in your clientele pool will cost you credibility, and without credibility, you won't have much business.
With Web 2.0, you don't have to know anything about programming or programming languages to gain a presence on the Internet. All the work is pretty much done for you, as when one paints by numbers. When you log onto almost any of these sites, you will be walked through the steps needed to get you started. If you can click the mouse, you can successfully build a blog or a website. And if you run into trouble, just ask your 10-year-old for help. He or she can have you up and running in no time.
"Technology is like a steamroller. If you’re not on the steamroller, then you are destined to become part of the road." ~ Unknown
For a real estate investor one of the most important steps in establishing credibility is to carve out a niche as the local "go-to" person for real estate problem solving. You must gain people's trust by teaching them, not by "pitching" them. There are many traditional ways to teach and educate people. You can provide information through letters, postcards, fliers, newsletters, press releases, articles, and speaking engagements at civic clubs, real estate investment clubs, real estate company meetings, and educational seminars. You can also educate people through paid advertisements, TV infomercials, press releases, and radio talk shows. All of these are venues by which you can educate people, thereby establishing yourself as the local real estate expert.
But in today's fast-paced world, nothing beats the amazing power and speed of the Internet for rapidly building your credibility. By using the Internet, an anonymous real estate investor can become a highly respected authority almost overnight!
Let's take a look at the Internet and see why it should be one of the main tools you use to quickly create your credibility.
Timothy Berners-Lee, inventor of the world wide web (no, it wasn't Al Gore who invented the Internet) recently said in an interview with BBC News (April 2008), "The Internet is still in its infancy." Bill Gates of Microsoft said, "If your business is not on the Internet, then your business will be out of business."
Did you know that more people are now getting their information from the Internet than from newspapers? Newspaper subscriptions, for the most part, are falling, while Internet usage is skyrocketing. We are even at a point where more people are using the Internet to entertain themselves than are watching TV. Can you see the trends? If you want to get information out to people as fast as possible, the Internet is the obvious choice.
There are numerous ways to use the Internet to get your educational and business information out to the world. And with continually improving technology and software programs, using the Internet has never been easier, even for those of us who, by our own admission, are Internet-impaired. Let's review some of the ways one can use the world wide web to make his or her information available for the world to see:
Create a Website
This is the traditional way of gaining a presence on the web, and is one of the best ways to promote yourself and your business. Your site doesn't have to be expensive or fancy, but it should have lots of good educational content. If the information you provide on your website is relevant and useful to your visitors, they will keep coming back for more. You will be positioning yourself as a real estate problem-solving expert, and will gain the trust of your visitors. Many of those visitors will become clients who will sell you their home, buy a home from you, or refer business to you.
Setting up a website is really not that hard. There are numerous companies that will create a website for you, as well as services that will help you create your own website. Your budget and time constraints will dictate which option is best for you. A search for "website development" using Google or another search engine will aid you in finding the help you need for developing your website. There are many good sites, so do a search and choose a service that meets your needs and is within your desired price range.
Create a Blog
What is a blog? Blogging is contributing content to a web log (blog) that is published online. The fact that the information is published to the Internet means it is accessible to millions upon millions of Internet users worldwide. Blogs can be as simple as a page of someone's thoughts, or as complicated as a large, interactive resource provider. While blogging used to be dominated by individuals with some web knowledge, it is now being used by the masses. Even large corporations such as Ford, McDonalds, Time Warner, Wal-Mart, and Nike maintain company blogs; if you become a blogger, you are in good company.
Don't worry; you don't have to know a lot about computer languages and programming. You don't even need to have a website, although if you do, you can use your blog to drive traffic to your website, where you can have more information and good content for your visitors. Setting up a blog is very easy. There are a large variety of blogging platforms that exist to help individuals and businesses establish and run their own blogs. Some of the most well-known blogging platforms are:
www.blogger.com
www.geeklog.com
www.blogdrive.com
www.wordpress.org
www.livejournal.com
www.typepad.com
www.b2evolution.net
There are many other blogging platforms out there; do a search and find the system that works best for you. There is one thing to keep in mind if you become a blogger. You need to post new and relevant information on your blog as often as possible; it doesn't have to be a lot of material, just good material. Some people post everyday, but posting once a week should keep your visitors happy and coming back for more information. The whole idea is to get (and keep) as many visitors as possible coming to your blog. Consistently posting good content on your blog will help you accomplish this goal, although this is only part of the formula.
Once your blog is up and running, you will want to make sure your blog is listed with as many blog directories and communities as possible. This will drive more traffic to your blog site. Here are a few blog directories; do a search for a more complete list:
www.bloguniverse.com www.blogtoplist.com
www.blogarama.com www.blogrush.com
Join Social Networking Sites
Social networking sites have become very popular in recent years, and it seems that new sites are being developed every few months. Some of the most popular sites are YouTube, MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, and Squidoo. Social networking sites are no longer just for your teenagers to post a few pictures (or a lot of pictures) and a personal profile. These social networking sites are really, really, really big business. In fact, one company that tracks website traffic, Comscore, indicates that in March 2008, 84.8 million viewers watched videos on YouTube. Facebook had more than 73 million visitors in January 2009, MySpace had more than 53 million, and Squidoo had close to 5 million visitors. And yes, in the news just this last week was an article on how some in the U.S. Congress were using Twitter to communicate (only on critical issues, of course).
So what does this mean to you? It means that social networking sites can be
very effective in driving traffic to your blogs and/or websites. So get with
your teenagers and have them help you set up your profile on Facebook and
MySpace, or even put a video on YouTube! You don't need expensive video equipment anymore. An inexpensive flip camera can do an excellent job.
Utilize Social Bookmarking Sites
Social bookmarking sites are another way to promote blog sites and get the attention of new readers and potential clients. These sites can be used to increase the number of other blogs and sites that link to your own blog, thus increasing traffic. A few of the many social bookmarking sites are:
www.stumbleupon.com www.linkroll.com
www.feedmelinks.com/portal www.digg.com
Create and Use a Signature
Whenever you send an Email, be sure to add your signature box to the end of the Email. In the signature box, along with other contact information, you can put a link to your blog or website. This is powerful! It gives people a chance to go to your blog or website without you having to give them a sales pitch about visiting your sites. It is amazing how many people who receive your Emails will click on your link just out of curiosity. Once they are on your blogs and/or websites, they will find all sorts of quality educational material that will benefit them. Also, if you participate in any of the many online message board communities that allow posters to have signatures, you can add your link there as well.
As you can see, there are many ways for a person to gain a presence on the Internet. If you don't have a presence on the Internet, you become invisible. One of the first things people do nowadays when they are introduced to a professional or a business is to Google or similarly research the individual or company. If they can't find you or your business online, they may think you are not serious about your business or qualified to help them. Creating this reaction in your clientele pool will cost you credibility, and without credibility, you won't have much business.
With Web 2.0, you don't have to know anything about programming or programming languages to gain a presence on the Internet. All the work is pretty much done for you, as when one paints by numbers. When you log onto almost any of these sites, you will be walked through the steps needed to get you started. If you can click the mouse, you can successfully build a blog or a website. And if you run into trouble, just ask your 10-year-old for help. He or she can have you up and running in no time.
"Technology is like a steamroller. If you’re not on the steamroller, then you are destined to become part of the road." ~ Unknown
Monday, June 8, 2009
Building a Business from the Ground Up
By Grace Cuollo (Columnist for Wealth Intelligence Academy)
So you have this great idea, and you're thinking of going into business to capitalize on it. You are pretty sure that all you need now is a little guidance on how to get started. Starting a business is never easy, and you want to be as prepared as you can possibly be for what may be lurking ahead. With that said, let us do a little litmus test to see if you really want to choose the entrepreneur path.
The first thing you must understand and accept is that in order to get things up and running, there may be times that you will need to dedicate extra time and energy to your business. These longer hours may cut into what would typically be personal or family time. Are you willing to make that sacrifice?
The second thing you must ask yourself is if you are willing and able to leave your ego at the door. Are you willing to seek out the advice of those who have been in your shoes and succeeded in doing what you are working to achieve, and are you willing to take that advice? Are you aware of your strengths and your weaknesses, and are you willing to bring on board others who have skills that complement yours?
How much do you truly desire this? Are you ready to commit to what you are beginning, and see it through to the end? It is here that you will find yourself most greatly challenged. It may challenge everything that you thought you knew about yourself, and then some. Do you have what it takes to absorb the highs and lows of building a business, and do you truly possess the unmitigated drive to succeed?
If you doubt yourself, then do not get started until the time comes that you have the confidence to do what is necessary to prevail. If you can honestly answer yes to all of these questions, then forge onward with my blessings.
The Business Plan
The first thing that a business needs is a good, solid business plan. A business plan is your road map to your final vision. It will help you to focus on exactly what it is that you are trying to accomplish, and how you plan to get there.
It is also crucial to have this plan written when presenting your ideas to others. The ability to visually see your proposed road to success will allow friends, family, and potential partners and investors the chance to develop confidence in your vision, and hopefully, will inspire them to support and help you.
Funding
Generally speaking, the bigger the business, the larger the overhead. Understand where your capital is coming from. If you are starting on a smaller budget, then you may want to consider starting out of your home and expanding as finances allow. You may later be presented with an opportunity in which it makes sense to borrow money to grow your business. Because of this, your credit score is important. Banks will rely heavily on your credit score when deciding to loan you money. Be sure you know what your score is and, if needed, work toward improving your score as much as possible.
Entity
You must decide on the type of entity your business will be. Will you be a sole proprietor, or do you want to enter into a partnership? Depending on your situation and your business idea, perhaps a corporation or limited liability company would be a better choice. This decision is an immensely important one, and it may behoove you to seek the advice of a professional or professional organization, such as a CPA or an attorney specializing in the development of professional entities.
You will also want to consider the fiscal year of your business. Depending on your circumstances, you may want to use the regular calendar year as a start and end date, or it may be beneficial to use different months as start and end dates.
These decisions will have an impact on your tax filings at the end of the year, so choosing the most appropriate entity and fiscal year for your situation will both be very important decisions.
Federal Identification Number
A federal tax identification number, also referred to as an Employer Identification Number (EIN) is given to you by the IRS as a means to identify your business for tax reporting purposes. If you form a business entity, you will certainly need a federal identification number. It is easy to get an EIN, and you can set one up by contacting the IRS. If you decide to establish a professional entity through the means of an outside resource, they will probably get the EIN for you.
Accounting
The method for keeping accounting records will be another choice that you will have to make. There is a variety of accounting software that is available on the market these days that does a very nice job of keeping the books organized. You will want to do some research in this area, since some software will be more user-friendly than others, and you want to purchase a software package that will be most appropriate for your situation. It is possible, however, to keep records without software, and if you feel that your situation lends itself to a non-computerized method of accounting, then there is nothing wrong with going that route.
Contracts
If you will be presenting contracts or are presented with contracts as a part of your business model, than you may want to discuss them with a licensed professional before implementing them. Make sure they meet your requirements for personal and professional protection, and, if applicable, that they meet any federal, state, or local regulations as well.
You want to start your business the right way, and taking the proper initial steps will go a long way in helping you to do that. There have been countless unfortunate situations in which people tried to cut corners when first starting out, only to learn too late that doing something differently in the beginning would have meant success and not failure.
Starting a business may feel a little overwhelming in the beginning, especially if you have never done it before, but with guidance from the appropriate professionals and by following a few carefully plotted initial steps, much of the fear and uncertainty should be lifted, leaving you free to begin your new adventure toward achieving your dreams.
So you have this great idea, and you're thinking of going into business to capitalize on it. You are pretty sure that all you need now is a little guidance on how to get started. Starting a business is never easy, and you want to be as prepared as you can possibly be for what may be lurking ahead. With that said, let us do a little litmus test to see if you really want to choose the entrepreneur path.
The first thing you must understand and accept is that in order to get things up and running, there may be times that you will need to dedicate extra time and energy to your business. These longer hours may cut into what would typically be personal or family time. Are you willing to make that sacrifice?
The second thing you must ask yourself is if you are willing and able to leave your ego at the door. Are you willing to seek out the advice of those who have been in your shoes and succeeded in doing what you are working to achieve, and are you willing to take that advice? Are you aware of your strengths and your weaknesses, and are you willing to bring on board others who have skills that complement yours?
How much do you truly desire this? Are you ready to commit to what you are beginning, and see it through to the end? It is here that you will find yourself most greatly challenged. It may challenge everything that you thought you knew about yourself, and then some. Do you have what it takes to absorb the highs and lows of building a business, and do you truly possess the unmitigated drive to succeed?
If you doubt yourself, then do not get started until the time comes that you have the confidence to do what is necessary to prevail. If you can honestly answer yes to all of these questions, then forge onward with my blessings.
The Business Plan
The first thing that a business needs is a good, solid business plan. A business plan is your road map to your final vision. It will help you to focus on exactly what it is that you are trying to accomplish, and how you plan to get there.
It is also crucial to have this plan written when presenting your ideas to others. The ability to visually see your proposed road to success will allow friends, family, and potential partners and investors the chance to develop confidence in your vision, and hopefully, will inspire them to support and help you.
Funding
Generally speaking, the bigger the business, the larger the overhead. Understand where your capital is coming from. If you are starting on a smaller budget, then you may want to consider starting out of your home and expanding as finances allow. You may later be presented with an opportunity in which it makes sense to borrow money to grow your business. Because of this, your credit score is important. Banks will rely heavily on your credit score when deciding to loan you money. Be sure you know what your score is and, if needed, work toward improving your score as much as possible.
Entity
You must decide on the type of entity your business will be. Will you be a sole proprietor, or do you want to enter into a partnership? Depending on your situation and your business idea, perhaps a corporation or limited liability company would be a better choice. This decision is an immensely important one, and it may behoove you to seek the advice of a professional or professional organization, such as a CPA or an attorney specializing in the development of professional entities.
You will also want to consider the fiscal year of your business. Depending on your circumstances, you may want to use the regular calendar year as a start and end date, or it may be beneficial to use different months as start and end dates.
These decisions will have an impact on your tax filings at the end of the year, so choosing the most appropriate entity and fiscal year for your situation will both be very important decisions.
Federal Identification Number
A federal tax identification number, also referred to as an Employer Identification Number (EIN) is given to you by the IRS as a means to identify your business for tax reporting purposes. If you form a business entity, you will certainly need a federal identification number. It is easy to get an EIN, and you can set one up by contacting the IRS. If you decide to establish a professional entity through the means of an outside resource, they will probably get the EIN for you.
Accounting
The method for keeping accounting records will be another choice that you will have to make. There is a variety of accounting software that is available on the market these days that does a very nice job of keeping the books organized. You will want to do some research in this area, since some software will be more user-friendly than others, and you want to purchase a software package that will be most appropriate for your situation. It is possible, however, to keep records without software, and if you feel that your situation lends itself to a non-computerized method of accounting, then there is nothing wrong with going that route.
Contracts
If you will be presenting contracts or are presented with contracts as a part of your business model, than you may want to discuss them with a licensed professional before implementing them. Make sure they meet your requirements for personal and professional protection, and, if applicable, that they meet any federal, state, or local regulations as well.
You want to start your business the right way, and taking the proper initial steps will go a long way in helping you to do that. There have been countless unfortunate situations in which people tried to cut corners when first starting out, only to learn too late that doing something differently in the beginning would have meant success and not failure.
Starting a business may feel a little overwhelming in the beginning, especially if you have never done it before, but with guidance from the appropriate professionals and by following a few carefully plotted initial steps, much of the fear and uncertainty should be lifted, leaving you free to begin your new adventure toward achieving your dreams.
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