How to start a small business broken down into 10 key steps. For the details check out my free online course to take your startup from idea to early revenue to positive cash flow. http://www.thesmallbusinessforce.com/free/

1. 10 Keys to Startup
Survival
Tor Johnson as a zombie with his victim in cult movie Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959). wikipedia.org
10 Keys to Startup
Survival

2. How not to become a small
business statistic
How not to become a small
business statistic
Photo by Mike Baird licensed by creative commons no changes were made

3. You need these talents to
succeed:
You need these talents to
succeed:
Photo by Craig Nagy licensed by creative commons no changes were made

4. Passion
Photo by PDpics.com

5. Courage
Photo by Andy Spearing licensed by creative commons no changes were made

6. Perseverance
Photo by en.wikipedia.org

7. Flexibility
Photo by en.wikipedia.org

8. Work Ethic
Photo by freestockphotos.biz

9. A Desire To
Grow
Photo by pexels.com

10. You need a battle plan not a
business plan
You need a battle plan not a
business plan
Photo by Pixabay.com

11. Don’t waste
time/resources creating
a business plan
Photo by Pixabay.com

12. Spend your time
getting your first
paying customer
Photo by commons.wikipedia.org

13. Make “maniacal focus” your
mantra
Make “maniacal focus” your
mantra
Photo by Pixabay.com

14. Avoid “feature
creep”
Photo by commons.wikipedia.org

15. Market “deep”
not “wide”
Photo by Vicky Brock licensed by creative commons no changes were made

16. Sacrifice early
margin
Photo by Pixabay.com

17. Get customer
feedback
Photo by Pixabay.com

18. Being in a competitive market
ain’t bad news
Being in a competitive market
ain’t bad news
Photo by Betsy Weber licensed by creative commons no changes were made

19. Competition
means there’s a
market
Photo by Commons.wikipedia.org

20. Photo by sam2332 on DeviantArt
Learn everything
about your market

21. Photo by thebittenword.com licensed by creative commons no changes were made
Find your niche

22. It’s all about selling and you’re
your best salesperson!
It’s all about selling and you’re
your best salesperson!
Photo by opensource.com licensed by creative commons no changes were made

23. Photo by Siemens PLM Software licensed by creative commons no changes were made
Early on, you can’t afford a
professional salesperson

24. Photo by Pixabay.com
Find who needs your
product/service

25. Photo by davitydave licensed by creative commons no changes were made
Get in front of your
prospects any way
you can

26. Photo by Dave licensed by creative commons no changes were made
Don’t give them a
“drink from a
firehose”

27. Photo by Bold Content licensed by creative commons no changes were made
Do more than demo
your product, let
them use it

28. Photo by Pexels.com
Give them an offer
in writing / ask for
the order

29. Photo by en.wikipedia.org
Stay actively involved
after the sale

30. You can’t do it without
customers
You can’t do it without
customers
Photo by en.wikipedia.org

31. Photo by J3SSL33 licensed by creative commons no changes were made
Get as many of
them as early as
possible

32. Photo by Tech.Co licensed by creative commons removed the name of the person speaking
Listen to their
feedback

33. Photo by Lee Haywood licensed by creative commons no changes were made
Love them so much
they will never want
to leave you!

34. Cash is not as important as
breathing...But only a close
second!
Cash is not as important as
breathing...But only a close
second!
Photo by Sean McMenemy licensed by creative commons no changes were made

35. Photo by OTA Photos licensed by creative commons no changes were made
Cash generation

36. Photo by Simon Cunningham licensed by creative commons no changes were made
Managing cash from
customers & suppliers

37. Photo by Pexels.com
Incentivize
early payments
Staged pricing /
progress payments
Advanced billing /
collections
Point of purchase /
mobile payments
Negotiate terms
whenever possible

38. It’s only a real business if you’
re getting paid
It’s only a real business if you’
re getting paid
Photo by Howard Lake licensed by creative commons no changes were made

39. Critical considerations for
seeking outside investments
Critical considerations for
seeking outside investments
Photo by aisletwentytwo licensed by creative commons no changes were made

40. Investors fund
businesses, not ideas
Investors invest in you
and your employees
Earlier the investment,
higher the risk, higher
the equity stake
Do you need capital or
specific resources?
Don’t run out of money
while you're raising it
No such thing as a
“silent” investor

41. It’s lonely at the top, but it
doesn’t need to be!
It’s lonely at the top, but it
doesn’t need to be!
Photo by Harsha K R licensed by creative commons no changes were made

42. Get an
advisor/mentor
Market/customer-focused
Hire for the present,
with an eye to the future
Have an outlet
Find partners
Photo by David Goehring licensed by creative commons no changes were made

43. Want more startup advice?Want more startup advice?
Photo by Quinn Dombrowski licensed by creative commons no changes were made
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