Presentation to CSN MAGC Group in Euless, TX on 7/23/2013

1. 10 Practical Tips To Employ
Yourself Today
Presented By:
John Sparks

2. Tip #1: Change Your Mindset
● Stop looking at yourself as unemployed or in transition.
Look at yourself as the owner of your own company: “You,
Inc.”
● Start taking every thought captive. If your thinkin' is stinkin',
your business is going to be the same. If you're thinking
right, your business is going to be right.
● Decide what you like to do best. What is your favorite
hobby or skill? Spiritual gifts? What areas are you a
subject matter specialist in? How could you add value and
compete in the marketplace with others supporting you?

3. Emotional Advantages
● Independence
– A “job” is working for somebody else.
● Fun
– Freedom to set your won schedule and work the hours you
want day or night.
● Status
– Would you like to be the envy of your friends and neighbors?
● No restrictions
– Are you being held back by your education, age, race, sex, or
background? In small business, nobody cares!

4. Facts:
● Of America's 35 richest individuals, ½ are high school
dropouts and less than 1/3 ever graduated from college.
● Women, tired of getting paid 30% less than their male
counterparts are starting businesses at 6 times the rate of
men. (U.S. Dept. of Labor)
● Last year, U.S. Companies bought more than $20 billion in
goods and services from minority-owned businesses.
Minority-owned businesses are also growing at 5 times the
rate of non-minority owned businesses.

5. Tip #2: Limit Interactions With
Other Job Seekers
● Slowly phase out of job transition network meetings.
Start going to network meeting with employed people.
● Limit interactions by telephone and email with others
“looking for work”. Conversations with these people
turn into whining sessions and will weigh you down.
Negativity breeds negativity.
● Start meeting around town with people who are long-
time fans and supporters of you and your ideas. Offer
your services to them pro-bono.

6. Tip #3: File Your DBA
● Brainstorm several names for a business.
● Check with TWC to see what implications having a
business would have on your unemployment
compensation if business is a loss.
● Do research on website domain name availibility and social
media availability before registering for assumed name.
● Search the County Assumed Names records for the
availability of the name of the business at
roamdallaspropertyrecords or in person at Records
Building.

7. Tip #3: File Your DBA
● File your assumed name with the county for $16.
● Immediately register for domain name and online
social media accounts.
● Assumed names are best filed in person at Dallas
County Clerks Office; Records Building - 509 Main
Street, 2nd Floor, Suite 200, Dallas, Texas 75202
● Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday - Friday (except
for Court Approved Holidays)

8. Tip #4: Open Up Shop
● Get a business checking account. Community banks like
Legacy and Viewpoint have lower minimums to open and
maintain accounts than large banks.
● Develop your brand. Create a logo for your company. Find
an artist willing to do it probono. Also online websites will
do it cheap.
● Order business cards. First make sure your brand is
aligned on your business website and social media sites!

9. Tip #4: Open Up Shop
● Decide on a mission and vision statement. Do research on
other large, successful companies to help you craft this.
● Develop your website. Work with a professional web
designer. Use WordPress Group on LinkedIn.
● Create buzz about your brand. Let others know what you
are doing. Put others to work for you to be the voice for
what you are doing.

10. Tip #5: Start Growing Your
Business
● Attend every professional networking meeting possible.
● Don't be afraid to brag on yourself.
● Use Social Media to strategically “stalk” new clients in a
good way!
● Keep an excel database pipeline with business prospects
on it. Make phone calls for business the same way you
would call about jobs.
● Be willing to do some work probono when it brings
exposure to what you are doing.

11. Biggest Pitfalls of Starting and
Running a Small Business
● Most small business owners spend more time
concerned about production than marketing and
administration.
● Marketing and administration of the business is
crucial.
● You must know ways to attract customers
(marketing) and not be afraid to seek professional
advice (administration) on things like insurance,
banking, law, accounting.

12. Tip #6: Get Your First Paying
Customer
● Start with friends.
● Pick someone from Facebook who you're also connected
with on LinkedIn.
● You want someone you consider a friend, yet already have
a working relationship with.
● After a month or two, go back to the person and ask them
to do a testimonial for you and your website.

13. Tip #7: Keep Good Records
● Start a separate home filing system for your
business.
● Record mileage to networking meetings, meetings
with clients, and prospecting for tax purposes.
● Keep all business receipts for tax purposes.
● Keep track of your cell phone minutes with your
cell phone carrier.

14. Tip #8: Keep Overhead Low
● Work from home or a quiet shared space when
possible.
● Figure out when the free minutes start and try to do
most of the calls you know are going to take a long
time (i.e. call centers) after peak times.
● Don't grow too big too fast.
● Like unemployment keep expenses down however
you can. Think creatively

15. Tip #9: Invest in Technology
● Get rid of the 3 year old laptop you have to keep
plugged in!
● Go with an Apple versus a new PC.
● Do you have a Smartphone, an Ipad?
● New technology helps you save time and be more
productive. Your time is crucial when you are
employing yourself.

16. Tip #10: Professional
Development
● Attend a Free Small Business Seminar
– James Johnson & Texas Wesleyan University
972-445-6442
● Attend 2 Webinars or Webexes each week.
● Post Questions on LinkedIn Groups and Quora.
● Attend technology classes around town and local
community colleges to stay on top of industry
standards.
● Pay it forward: “People reach out to people who reach
out.” “You can have anything you want as long as you
help enough other people get what they want.”