Tag: entrepreneurs

Options for Entrepreneurs Who Don’t Want to Do It Alone

In this blog post, we look at some unique ways entrepreneurs can leverage collaboration to progress their venture while staying true to their mission.

If you’re an entrepreneur looking to set up your own business, then you know that it can be both a rewarding and daunting experience. You have dreams of success, but the idea of going solo can also feel overwhelming and leave you feeling like there must be another way. Thankfully, there are a variety of different options available for entrepreneurs who don’t want to do it alone: from finding mentors in your industry niche or joining a co-working space with like-minded individuals, all helping to provide the resources and support needed to get off the ground. In this blog post, we look at some unique ways entrepreneurs can leverage collaboration to progress their venture while staying true to their mission.

Why Working with a Mentor Can Help You Succeed as an Entrepreneur

Having a mentor as you embark on your entrepreneurial journey can greatly increase your chances of success, as this knowledgeable guide can offer invaluable insights and lessons from their own experiences. These seasoned individuals, deeply invested in your development, provide ongoing support and encouragement, which, in turn, inspires confidence and motivation. As entrepreneurs face many challenges, a mentor, with their expertise and professional network, can help address problems, discover opportunities, and push you towards growth, all without holding your hand. You can try Freedom Business Mentoring. Moreover, a mentor’s impartial, honest feedback enables you to assess your progress and make adjustments along the way objectively. A mentor-mentee relationship is truly a partnership, where both parties collaborate to cultivate the best version of yourself, equipping you with essential skills to turn your entrepreneurial aspirations into sustainable ventures.

How to Choose the Right Mentor

Embarking on the quest to find the right mentor can be an exhilarating journey filled with opportunities for personal and professional growth. As you traverse this path with enthusiasm, it’s essential to consider various factors to guide your decision. Begin by evaluating your goals and desires, as this will lead to a mentor who aligns with your aspirations, thus propelling you toward success. It’s crucial to seek out someone who possesses not only proven expertise in your area of interest but also demonstrates strong communication skills and genuine dedication to providing guidance. As you nurture this relationship and collaborate towards achieving your objectives, it’s vital to maintain open channels for feedback, ensuring that both parties benefit from this fruitful alliance. By diligently examining these key elements, you will undoubtedly discover the perfect mentor to illuminate your way to extraordinary accomplishment.



Tips for Finding the Right Co-Founder or Partner

Finding the right co-founder or partner can be a crucial step in launching a successful business. It’s essential to partner with someone who complements your skill set, shares your vision, and is equally committed to the venture. Begin by thoroughly evaluating your own strengths and weaknesses to understand what kind of support you’ll need. Tap into your network and attend industry events, as like-minded individuals are likely to share your passion and bring valuable insights to the table. Don’t hesitate to conduct rigorous interviews and seek references, as it’s important to measure the compatibility between you and your potential partner. Moreover, open communication, shared values, and a strong work ethic can help create a resilient bond that stands the test of time, ultimately contributing to the success of your startup.

Benefits of Looking at Franchising

Delving into the world of franchising can open up a plethora of opportunities that are not only financially rewarding but also empowering for aspiring entrepreneurs. As you explore the domain of business franchise, you discover that franchising offers a reliable and tested business model with a proven track record of success. It eliminates many of the risks associated with starting a business from scratch by providing an established brand identity, operational resources, support, and training from the parent company. This enables franchisees to hit the ground running and focus on growing their business while benefiting from the wealth of experience that the franchisor brings to the table. Not only does this intricate network of partnerships foster a sense of camaraderie and shared goals, but it also provides a platform for budding entrepreneurs to thrive and excel on their journey to financial independence and business mastery.

Advantages of Working with Other Entrepreneurs

Working alongside fellow entrepreneurs presents a myriad of outstanding advantages that fosters individual and collective growth. It creates an enriching environment where business owners can tap into diverse skill sets, share innovative ideas, and learn valuable insights from others who have experienced similar challenges. Networking with fellow entrepreneurs not only expands your personal and professional connections but also presents opportunities to collaborate on novel projects and generate joint ventures. Furthermore, engaging with other entrepreneurs can provide a supportive community that encourages resilience during challenging times and celebrates successes, which is vital for personal and professional development. Ultimately, joining forces with other entrepreneurs is a key ingredient in fostering a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem that empowers individuals to reach their potential and contribute to the success of others.

Networking and Collaboration Strategies for Entrepreneurs

The exhilarating world of entrepreneurship can be both immensely rewarding and challenging, and for many aspiring entrepreneurs, cultivating strong networking and collaboration strategies is a key ingredient to success. By actively engaging with like-minded individuals, we not only expand our knowledge and resources but also foster invaluable relationships that can propel our business ventures to new heights. Networking events, online forums, and workshops offer ideal spaces to mingle with fellow entrepreneurs, share ideas, and brainstorm innovative solutions. Moreover, establishing strategic collaborations can open doors to new markets, leading to profitable partnerships that can transform our businesses. So, as we navigate the ever-evolving entrepreneurial landscape, it’s crucial to embrace networking and collaboration opportunities, as they can be a powerful driving force behind our long-term success.

It takes an amazing amount of confidence and passion to succeed as an entrepreneur. While the path to success can be difficult, uncertain, and sometimes lonely, you don’t have to go it alone – partners, mentors, co-founders, and networks of other entrepreneurs can help you along the way. With the right advice, guidance, and support from trusted advisors and colleagues, you can become a successful business owner with a thriving company. So if you want to make your entrepreneurial goal a reality, don’t hesitate to reach out for help and ask questions along the way. Get connected with other professionals in your field who understand how hard this journey is but also how worth it the rewards can be. With strategic planning and determination, backed by those around you that share your same drive towards success, anything is possible!



Reuse, Not Refuse; Taking Advantage of Long-Lasting Products

As entrepreneurs, we often look for ways to cut costs and increase profits. Some tips on how to efficiently recycle products and purchases in your business.

In today’s business world, it’s more important than ever to be conscious of your impact on the environment. As entrepreneurs, we often look for ways to cut costs and increase profits. But what if being sustainable could actually save you money in the long run? Here are some tips on how to efficiently recycle products and purchases in your small business.

It’s important to be conscious about what we’re buying and how often we’re using it – but it’s also important to know how to recycle what we don’t need anymore

It’s no longer enough to simply be aware of what we buy and how often we use it. We should also take the time to learn about recycling what we don’t need anymore, as this is a great way to maximize the efficiency of our businesses. Recycling our used products and purchases can provide substantial time and money savings for small businesses, so properly managing those materials is essential. Taking the necessary steps to become informed on how to recycle efficiently can really make a difference in how successful a business operates while also being good for the environment!

Small businesses can take advantage of recycling programs by donating old products or selling them at a discounted price

Small businesses can really get the most out of their resources if they take advantage of recycling programs. Recycling helps to give old products a second life, be it by donating them or selling them at slightly reduced prices. This can help to reduce waste and save money at the same time. It’s worth considering how ‘upcycling’ products that are no longer used in your business and selling them could give you a bit of extra cash in your pocket! Finding a good program that supports local small business owners is key so consider looking around for one and start making the most out of your recycled resources.



By doing this, small businesses are not only helping the environment, but they’re also saving money on waste disposal fees

Recycling in small businesses is a win-win that can help the environment and save money. Companies can easily reduce their waste disposal fees, and make an impact on the sustainability of our planet, by implementing best practices for recycling products and purchases. Not only will this keep more materials out of landfills and reduce pollution, but it also can be good for business in the long run. Make sure to join in with other companies to create a more efficient recycling system and reap the benefits of both environmental protection and cost savings!

There are many ways to recycle products, so it’s important to do some research and find the best option for your business

When running a small business, it’s important to be aware of how you’re managing the products you purchase. By choosing the right options for recycling, not only are you helping the environment, but potentially saving money in the long run. Researching and finding out the best ways to efficiently recycle can benefit your company in more ways than one– from reducing waste to cutting down on costs. One of the biggest ways to do this is when you can reuse some of the product containers that you sell to customers, potentially with a recycling reward program. If your product can be poured into containers, then having a system for refilling them can save a lot on the cost of making new containers. Machinery from Apex Filling Systems can be used to refill product containers returned by customers and can enable you to reuse instead of disposing of empty containers. This is just one way among many that you can take advantage of recycling, so make sure to look for ones that fit your production processes!

Implementing a recycling program can be easy and efficient with a little planning

Every business strives to reduce waste, both for environmental and financial reasons, and implementing a recycling program is a great way to do so. It may seem like a daunting task, but with the right plan in place, it can be surprisingly easy and efficient! Not only does it help protect our planet for future generations, but it also can help give businesses an edge by reducing costs associated with waste production and disposal. It’s something that any business should at least think about – who doesn’t want to make a positive impact while saving money? Investing a bit of time in getting an effective recycling program going can really pay off in the long run.

All in all, recycling products is a win-win situation for both the environment and small businesses. Not only will it help small businesses save money on waste disposal fees, but also allows them to give back to the community. Furthermore, an effective recycling program in place can decrease the amount of plastic and other materials used in products. Implementing a recycling program for your business doesn’t have to be intimidating – with a little research and planning, it can be both easy and efficient. Recycling is essential for paving the way to a healthier future, and it’s important that we do our part as much as possible.



20 Must watch movies for all aspiring entrepreneurs

Movies are a great way to learn from others as stories, fiction, and non-fiction, are taught to the viewer in an easy-to-understand way.

Movies are a great way to learn from others as stories, fiction, and non-fiction, are taught to the viewer in an easy-to-understand way. There’s a lot to be learned from these stories as they show you how exceptional people who have come before you have done it. These must-watch movies for all aspiring entrepreneurs are:

1. The Godfather

An offer you can’t refuse.

One of the greatest films in the world based on the best book I’ve ever read. The Godfather is the story about the growth of a small family business as it becomes the largest organized crime family in New York, fighting off opposition at any expense. The Godfather and his son Michael Corleone are the brains behind the family and this film gives you an insight into what it takes to become one of the most powerful family businesses in the country.

 

2. Glengarry Glen Ross

Lie. Cheat. Steal. All In A Day’s Work.

In the fast paced world of Chicago real estate, competition and incentive is what decides who’s the best. That’s why they’re having a little sales competition – First prize is a Cadillac El Dorado, second prize is a set of steak knives, third prize is you’re fired. With stakes that high, and the pressure on, the salesmen show that they’re willing to do anything it takes to succeed in business, but the most interesting part of this is film, is what exactly that is.

 

3. Wall Street

Every dream has its price.

In the life of an ambitious young stockbroker, Bud Fox will do just about anything it takes to succeed, and for him, that includes a little bit of insider trading. See what happens when the desire to succeed takes over your life and the motto of ‘Greed is good’ directs how you do business. But what happens when you’re pushed to your limits and asked to do something you can’t or won’t do? Suddenly everything comes to a head when Fox is asked to help do something, not only illegal, but morally reprehensible.

 



4. The Game

There are no rules in The Game.

What do you get the guy who has everything? Nicholas Van Orton (played by Michael Douglas) is a wealthy San Francisco banker who’s life is wrapped up in his business, which has left him as somewhat of a loner. His brother Conrad gives him the gift of a lifetime, which would prove to change his perspective on the world and the way that he’s going to live it. When bad things start to happen to you, you start to question what’s really important in live, business, success and money, or actually living?

 

5. Boiler Room

Motion creates Emotion!

After entering the stockbroking profession to impress his father, Seth Davis, a Queens College dropout, soon realizes the huge earning potential ahead of him. But with commissions much larger than any other company, Seth soon learns that not everything is what it’s cracked up to be and he’s forced to face the dilemma of money and greed vs. morals and legality. For any young entrepreneur starting out in business, it’s a very real possibility that you’re going to face moral dilemmas and the way that they’re dealt with in this film is very eye opening.

 

6. Jerry Maguire

The rest of his life begins now.

This is a story about a man who’s at the top of his game; beautiful partner, the biggest clients, lots of respect. But then he decides to step back and question it all and proposes his new thoughts to the rest of the company, which ultimately ends in him losing it all. Everyone turns his back on him, except for one, very volatile client, Rod Tidwell. From here you see Jerry examine what it really important to his business and life and works towards bringing it all back together again, only this time, the way it should be.



7. Trading Places

Take two complete strangers, make one of them rich the other poor… just watch the fun while they’re… Trading Places.

What happens when you take the rich and the poor and make them switch places? A social experiment ran by Mortimer and Randolph Duke, brother and owners of a commodities brokerage firm, proves to be very interesting when the switched pair run into each other. A life changing event for both of them, poses the question of what’s more important in life, friends and love, or money and power?

 

8. Office Space

Work Sucks.

When your hypnotist dies just after they’ve put you in a state of complete bliss, you can’t help but have a refreshing outlook on life. If there’s ever a film to make you want to get out of a desk job in the corporate world, then this is it. Peter Gibbons is a man who can’t help but be promoted as he consistently starts to slack off and do things his own way, but trouble starts to arise when his new careless nature starts to lead to him stealing from the company in a much bigger way than he expected.

 

9. Pursuit of Happyness

Based on a true story.

This is a real life story of a man who believes so badly in a product that he can’t sell that he ends up losing his house, his wife and his money, being left with just himself and his son. This in itself is an important lesson to be learnt, but it’s the steps that he takes from here that really shape him into who he becomes. Against all odds, he takes an unpaid internship to become a stockbroker, fighting against his peers for a single job at the end of it. This is a powerful true story that sticks with you as you face your own personal struggles in business.

 

10. Catch Me If You Can

The true story of a real fake.

Again, this is another true story, about a young conman who successfully impersonated an airline pilot, doctor, lawyer and history professor during his stint as fraudulent cheque casher. What’s amazing about this film and the life of Frank Abegnale Jr. is how much he managed to achieve in a much tougher environment and under more stress than most people are used to. Whether it’s legal or not, business is business and Frank was one of the best at what he did.



11. Wolf of Wall Street

There’s no nobility in poverty.

This is a story of a man who went from nothing tom something, and something very big at that. It’s an inspirational film for the amount of perseverance Jordan Belfort puts into it, but that’s not what I love the most about this film. This movie does a great job at depicting how business cultures are created in fast-growth companies (minus the corruption seen in this one).

Belfort’s rallying cry of “Don’t take no for an answer” is specific to the mission of his company. My team and I use the rallying cry “total contact” which means all team members own the solution to any problems brought to their attention — no passing off to somebody else.

 

12. Shawshank Redemption

Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free.

This is one of the greatest films of all time, and one I’m sure that the majority of readers have seen before, purely because of its undeniable greatness. It’s the story of a man who manages to succeed in the worst possible conditions imaginable – false imprisonment for the murder of his cheating wife and lover. From making friends with another con inside the prison, Andy manages to make the best out of a very bad situation and through perseverance manages to achieve more than he ever thought possible.

 

13. The Social Network

You don’t get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies

This is another story of the young, successful and intelligent man, only this time, it’s based on a true story of the world’s youngest billionaire – Mark Zuckerberg, the creator and owner of Facebook. The story is pretty amazing and has been made famous by this film, he starts off as a Harvard student with a strong streak of arrogance and huge potential, he creates a new social network based upon the most prestigious email address in the country, the Harvard email address. The rest, as they say, is history.

 

14. Pirates of Silicon Valley

Good artists copy… Great artists steal.

There are no two bigger names in technology than Microsoft and Apple and this is their story. This is an amusing documentary style film about their competition and their rise to the enormous companies that they are today. It’s slightly dated today, and perhaps The Social Network is a little bit more relevant, but it still holds some very valuable information and pointers to learn from. After all, you’re gotta be a pretty special person to become as powerful as they have.



15. Forrest Gump

The story of a lifetime.

This is a simple man with good intentions, who accidentally becomes phenomenally successful from living his life the best way he knows how. He wins medals, becomes a professional ping-pong player, takes up running, owns a huge shrimping company and inspires people all across the country. The simple nature of Forrest makes him very appealing to world as he proves that you don’t have to be a super genius to make something work, you just have to try.

 

16. Blow

Based on a true story.

Another great film based on a true story, this time only slightly more illegal than the last, it’s a film based on George Jung and his career as a cocaine dealer. What started off as a small time operation working with pot, he is eventually imprisoned and introduced to cocaine and that’s where things start to explode. He’s rumored to have handled about 85% of all of the supply of cocaine in the 1970’s, making him an incredibly powerful and successful man, and this film is all about exactly how he did it.

 

17. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Nice guys finish last. Meet the winners.

This is the story about two con men, big time and small time, and their struggle to compete together in a small French town which isn’t big enough for the both of them. So they decide to take part in a bet in which the loser leaves town and allows the other to carry on with their business. The only problem is that the bet is to see who can extract $50,o00 from a young female target – a pretty high stake. Of course hilarity ensues as you get to watch how the minds of con men work as they compete against each other to reach the goal first.

 

18. The Aviator

Some men dream the future. He built it.

A biopic depicting the early years of director and aviator Howard Hughes’ career from the late 1920’s to mid 40’s. It wasn’t the money he made or the time he spent that made him so great, it was the attention to detail and perfection that he strived for that set him apart from his competition. He faced many obstacles along the way from rival companies and malicious rumors, but nothing stopped him from becoming exactly who he wanted to be.

 

19. Risky Business

There’s a time for playing it safe and a time for Risky Business.

A good story about what you have to do when you take your dad’s Porsche out for a trip and start to realize that you’re going to need a lot of money, which you’re going to have to raise in a very creative way. With his parents away and responsibility out of the window, Joel starts to realize that it’s not all as easy as he was expecting, having to look after friends and source cash any way he can. An interesting look at what people can come up with when they’re put on the spot to come up with some fast cash.

 

20. The Corporation

This film takes a good, long look at what happens when you take a business and you model it to be legally a person – a corporation. What happens though when the sole purpose of this person is to make money for its shareholders though? It starts to act without a conscience which threatens the world, our future and the people working for it. This isn’t just a film about evil corporations though, it’s also about what we can do to stop them from taking over everything that we know. I saw this film in the cinema and it’s well worth seeing again, it’s completely eye opening.

 

Now you know which 20 movies you should definitely watch as an aspiring entrepreneur!

Image credit: www.youtube.com



Small Business Guide: How To Create A Restaurant Business Plan

The upcoming decade spells a lot of opportunities for businesses to revive themselves as the world returns to stability. This optimism also applies to the owners of small businesses, who can finally use this green light to take their business ideas and formulate them into a proper plan. However, a business plan is not taken into consideration often. This simple strategic approach can help entrepreneurs get more organized.

Since the food, beverages and hospitality industry differ a lot from the product and services based market, there are not a lot of measuring yardsticks for small business owners aiming to open their own restaurant, chain or franchise. This blog aims to help such entrepreneurs to regroup and create an effective business plan for their establishment with consideration to the unique requirement and demands of a restaurant. Ready to dive into the nitty-gritty? Let’s get started.

What is a business plan?

A good business plan is the foundation and base structure of your business. Based on what you have charted down, it can guide an entrepreneur and the management team through every step of forming and running a business. A business plan is also used as the entrepreneur’s roadmap for organizational structure, workflows, and growth of a new venture. It helps organize and bring all the key aspects of a business to an interrelated course of action.

Business plans can assist a small business owner to acquire funding or onboard new business investors. Such partners like lenders, shareholders and investors need to see that you have a foolproof approach to do what it takes to give them the ROI they want. A business plan is your pitch to all parties you wish to work with.



Structure of an effective business plan:

An effective business plan that covers all the elements of a restaurant consists of the following sections. These are subject to modification depending on how intrinsic and extensive your goals are.

  • Executive Summary: The executive summary of your business plan comprises the base note and driving force of your restaurant. Here, you talk about the ultimate goal of your restaurant. Start by explaining what the restaurant does, its location, vibe, cuisine, speciality, USP, and other elements in brief that will paint a picture in the mind’s eye of a reader. For creative effect, you can also add sketches and graphics of how you plan the place to look, capturing the vibe and speciality of the place. An executive summary is supposed to be kept brief and to the point, which can all be elaborated upon in the next sections with document automation.
  • Establishment Description: Here, you get to go into the details of your restaurant or food chain. From the location and seating capacity to all the tiny details that will make your restaurant a success, all of it is mentioned in the establishment description. You can add sample menu lists, event ideas, and more. As a business owner, consider this section the second most important one since this is the dream-seller to your investors. Talk about the industrial advantage that you have and what makes your plan unique from the rest of the competitors. Describe the set-up, kitchen, dining options, and staffing capability with their training to give further clarity. This section also involves all your permits and licencing.
  • Products and Services: As a restaurant, your products and services are all-encompassing. If you have curated a menu, this is the section to add it to. Add your food and beverage selection as well as the restaurant speciality that will win customers over by tantalizing their taste buds. Since your business plan can be more creatively inclined, don’t feel shy to add visual representation for effect.
  • Market Analysis: A wise business person knows the market inside out. Your competition will be all restaurants around a particular area, including giant chains. To make your business plan viable, make sure that you have done your research on the performance and figures of these establishments along with a strategy to surpass their success and become a dominant business.
  • Stock and Inventory Supply: One of the biggest questions for restaurants and hotels is how they plan to source their raw materials and alcohol. If you’re a business that plans to provide an authentic and exotic experience to customers, find the right vendors for organic and ethically sourced produce and meat for your menu. Apart from these, getting your ingredients and spices from wholesalers that give you the best deals with zero compromise on quality is a must. Make sure that you have options so that the fulfilment failure due to unexpected reasons get covered by the other in your inventory supply. For alcohol, you can get in touch and partner with a wholesaler of alcoholic drinks to be your supplier. However, make sure that they have all their paperwork and licensing in order.
  • Logistics: Deciding upon the logistics of your delivery system whether you plan to partner with third-party brands or have your own team is to be explained here. Make sure to add the percentage cut and revenue that goes into the third-party affiliation for your presence on such food delivery apps and websites here.
  • Strategy and Implementation: Mention the phases of your execution strategy so that you can regroup and check if your team is going as per plan. This also shows the management and investors how detailed you are in charting your progress. If you haven’t started off yet, it would be wise to have a set of goals to achieve in every phase.
  • Organization and Management Team: Mention the names of your management team, partners and employees in this section. This makes up the core team from all departments.
  • Financial plan and projections: Lastly, note down realistic projections for the next few quarters in terms of growth and revenue. Make a contingency plan as per the ongoing pandemic and keep things optimistic yet reserved.

Wrapping Up:

It may take you a while to complete the business plan, but doing it well the first time is necessary for the long-term success of your business. We hope that you have enough ideas to form your own from our structure; Good luck!



How Can An Entrepreneur Move To The UK?

The Visa application process can be challenging for new entrepreneurs, it is wise to seek UK visa advice if you plan to launch your business in the UK.

The UK is a dream place for most entrepreneurs to establish their businesses. It welcomes foreign entrepreneurs, allowing visa holders to relocate overseas and invest in the local economy by starting their businesses.

Entrepreneurs in the USA hoping to move to the UK have a bit more of a structured process and will need to obtain a visa. To start a business in the UK, options worth considering are – Innovator Visa and Start-up visa.

Knowing where to start the visa application process can be challenging for new entrepreneurs in the USA. Therefore, it is wise to seek UK visa advice in USA from professionals if you plan to launch your business in the UK.

With that said, let’s delve into discussing the two types of UK visas and how you can apply for them.

Innovator Visa

In 2019, the UK Visas and Immigration department introduced the Innovator Visa. The purpose of this visa was to replace the Tier-1 Entrepreneur Visa, making it no longer available.

To be eligible for an Innovator Visa, you need to meet the following requirements:

  • Be at least 18 years of age
  • A citizen of the USA and other non-EEA countries
  • Have at least £50,000 to invest in your business and support yourself
  • Have a business idea that is endorsed by an authorized body
  • Hold a certificate of B2 level of English.

For the Innovator Visa application process, the following documents need to be included:

  • Endorsement letter
  • Proof of financial investment
  • Proof of English language skills at B2 level or above
  • Current passport or any valid travel identification
  • Bank statements showing that you have at least £945 in savings in your bank account for 90 consecutive days before you apply
  • Criminal certification for a country lived in more than 12 months for the previous ten years.

Once you get your Innovator Visa, know that it is valid only for three years. However, you can extend that with the option available to apply for the UK settlement after five years.

You must have at least £1,270 in your account for 28 consecutive days before you apply for or extend this visa.



Start-Up Visa

Today, a lot of innovation occurs in the UK, making it a sought-after destination for new entrepreneurs.

Suppose you are recently graduated and looking to launch your business in the UK. In that case, you can avail of the immigration option through a Start-up Visa.

Innovator Visa is available to those with enough funding and endorsed business plans. Whereas a Start-up Visa is created for young graduates with genuine business ideas from the USA and other non-EEA countries.

Like the Innovator Visa, Start-up Visa also has specific requirements, such as unique and innovative business ideas and growth potential. But access to a big lump sum of investment cash is not required.

Here are some of the Start-up visa requirements:

  • You should be over 18 years of age or above
  • Your business should be endorsed by a UK Higher Education Institute or an approved business organization.
  • Proof of English language of B2 skill level or higher
  • Proof of maintenance funds to support yourself. You must have had at least £945 in your bank account for 90 consecutive days before applying for the application.

To become eligible for a Start-up visa, you will need to show:

  • Any investment funds are genuinely available and intended for use as described in your application.
  • Your genuine intention to undertake the proposed business activity.
  • You intend to follow all the business laws and regulations in the UK.

Once your application is approved, know that your Start-up Visa is only valid for two years.

With the Start-up Visa, you can’t extend or apply for long-term settlement. However, if your business is successful, you can switch to an Innovator Visa.

The Bottom Line

Once your visa is approved, you are all set to establish your business in the UK. Know that immigration laws are strictly enforced, so it is always better to stay updated.

Seeking legal help from professionals can be your best bet. They will give you a detailed explanation of all the business laws in the UK.



5 Ways to become a young successful entrepreneur

Here are tips young entrepreneurs can implement in the successful running of their business to make it successful and make things easier.

A young entrepreneur is a young adult who starts and operates a new business or identifies new market ideas or opportunities irrespective of the risks involved. The ultimate career for most young adults is being their boss. Therefore, many of them launch their businesses rather than working for someone.

It is not enough to launch a business; there are some tips and strategies that you must put in place for its successful running. As a young entrepreneur, you should also learn from people who successfully handle their businesses. It validates the need for a mentor.
There would be some obstacles on the way, but this should not put you off. And it can as well be challenging to filter the needed information on the internet.

Here are tips you can implement in the successful running of your business to make things easier.

How Starting A CBD Business Can Help Young Entrepreneurs Achieve Success

With the current popularity and amount of usage, the CBD industry displays great growth potential. Being in its infancy, you can grow alongside the industry.

More people are using CBD as a healthy alternative to dangerous drugs that are prone to abuse. The use of CBD extends across all age groups. There is a huge gap in this business for young entrepreneurs. The CBD business can pave the way for success for young entrepreneurs because of its increasing popularity in the market.

Selling CBD gummies is one aspect of the CBD business that has proven beneficial. CBD gummies have diverse flavors and formulations. With the increasing wellness craze, the market for CBD gummies has gained massive popularity.

There is a marketplace for Cbdgenesis edibles products in UK. It is filled with brands that lack potency and purity, but a selected few sell the highest quality CBD gummy in the UK.

5 Ways To Become A Young Successful Entrepreneur

Self Assessment

Your personality will go a long way in helping you determine how much effort it will take you to succeed. Take an unbiased view of your weaknesses and strengths. Take note of the skills you possess, such as knowledge, resilience, experience, and persistence. Consider assessing your financial standing that is relevant to your business.

You can succeed in your chosen industry with the required abilities and knowledge, read more here.

Identify a Market Gap

This step is often overlooked, but it is an important process. This option is stating the obvious, but it remains one of the reasons startups fail.

It does not necessarily have to be an invention; you could consider recreating an existing product. Your idea must also be a profitable one. Some brainstorming will help you when you’re stuck. Using past experiences can also be helpful.

As a young entrepreneur, you need to view the world with the eyes of a problem solver. Some people recognize ideas but don’t work on them; you should not be like others.

Here are some guiding questions to aid your problem-solving process:

  • How do you want to create value?
  • Who would you like to target?
  • What are the trending business models?
  • Make inquiries on what people are missing in the market
  • What niche would you like to work in?

Pick a niche that you are passionate about

There are some challenges that entrepreneurs are likely to face in their businesses. But success is assured with the proper qualities. These qualities can be displayed when the business is born out of passion and interest.

Make your hobbies into businesses and put them out there. Lots of creativity is also needed for a business to thrive.

Utilize Networking Opportunities

It is important to recognize the experience and value people can offer your business as an entrepreneur. Make the best use of your networking opportunities from events. These relationships need not be in professional settings. It could be from industry talks or morning catch-ups.

Entrepreneurs need to be networking because it greatly helps them in their field. There are some places with groups meant explicitly for young entrepreneurs. This is a great way to meet professionals in your field and build your business connection.

Put Your Finances in Good Order

Even without excess funds, you can still be smart with the one you have for your startup. It is perfect to have a solid background in managing finances. It will assist in keeping your business alive.

Consider all the costs you will need to put in your business and your funding resources.

Conclusion

As mentioned earlier, it takes a lot of hard work to be a successful young entrepreneur. It does not happen overnight and requires enough planning to set off. Creating a clear vision for your business is paramount to the growth of your business.

The guide provided in this article entails baby steps that can be taken towards being a young and successful entrepreneur.

Top 5 famous Entrepreneurs who have established their business in 2021

Do you know who are the best entrepreneurs of 2021? Let’s read this article and get inspired by the youngest entrepreneurs of the modern era.

Do you love reading about Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, or Bill Gates? Do you find it inspiring how these not-so-well-to-do people have changed the business dynamics with their creative business ideas and dedicated mindset? Well, I do. And that’s why I know it is essential to learn about famous entrepreneurs who are slowly climbing the ladder of success.

There are many lessons you can learn from the famous entrepreneurs of the world who have given their businesses a new direction in the modern era. All of them indeed employed some solid marketing strategies that have made their brands what they are. They are the role models we should look up to for influencing our younger generation. So, let’s learn about them.

Who Are The Most Famous Entrepreneurs Of 2021?

If you don’t know how to write a business plan, these entrepreneurs will guide you in the best way possible. That’s because none of these famous entrepreneurs had a background of working, and neither had they had a solid business plan in place. But despite the odds, these entrepreneurs made it to the top. So, let’s learn about them;

1: Nick Molnar

Nick Molnar started his entrepreneurship journey from the age of 21 when he sold the most jewelry on eBay. He then went on to launch a leading online jewelry platform, Ice.com. So, if you want to know how to start a business online, you must explore the entire entrepreneurship journey of Nick Molnar.

He built his company Afterpay in 2015, which follows a business model of buy-now-pay-later. Although the business has been running in the market for 6 years now, it was 2020 that made a dynamic improvement in the business sales. In 2020, Afterpay’s customer base reached $11 million, and its revenue doubled more than $11.1 billion. Almost 60% of his customers are in the U.S., and they are primarily millennials.



2: Cami Tellez

While Cami Tellez was still a student at Columbia University, she thought of challenging the lingerie industry. It was a smart move because the sector is estimated to have a net worth of $325 billion by 2025. Of course, many of us don’t like the padded bras that the skinny models of Victoria’s Secret promote, but Cami Tellez decided not to sit back and do something about it.

She started her company, Parade, in 2019, and the company has generated $10 million in revenue every year since then. The company has also sold 1 million pairs of underwear since 2019. Cami designs lingerie for every body type so that people can embrace their bodies as they are. Her customers are her biggest brand advocates because 1 in every 8 customers promotes the brand on Instagram.

3: Patrick Finnegan

One of the most famous entrepreneurs on our list is Patrick Finnegan. He started his entrepreneurship journey when he was 11 years old by collecting funds for Obama’s first presidential campaign. He launched his first tech companies WorldState, and Prepprep Showcase when he was just a teenager.

He is the perfect example of a solopreneur because, by the time he was 24, he already had an investment portfolio of Lyft, Hims, Switch, etc. He harnessed the power of his extensive online network and found business opportunities all over Silicon Valley. His company TGZ Capital and Intuition Capital try to connect with the Gen Z customers to survive in the market for a longer time.



4: Michele Romanow

Romanow started her entrepreneurship journey by setting up a small coffee shop in 2006. She just partnered with two of her classmates and set up her first business. So, if you don’t know how to invest 1000 dollars, you should take inspiration from Romanow because she started the company with very little money and resources.

Her most successful company Clearbanc launched in 2015. As per 2020 statistics, this Canadian firm has generated a revenue of $121 million. Through the success of Clearbanc, Romanow has invested almost $1 billion in more than 3000 companies. She is also the youngest innovator, according to Canada’s Dragon Den.

5: Cody Alt

Cody Alt is one of the most famous entrepreneurs of the 21st century because he has transferred his life from rags to riches in a few years. His journey started by confounding Mon-Dak Oilfield Services in 2012. He was already earning $50,000/week when he was only 26 years old. So it was when he set up Body Fuel, but unfortunately, that drained out all his finances.

When he noticed the restrictions on cannabis products, he saw another opportunity to set up a business. He set up four Elevate Media, Kushly, PureKana, Slapps Underwear, and Never Sell Dope. These companies generated $60 million in revenue in 2019 and continue to do so to date. There are many companies in the cannabis market, but Alt managed to stay at the top because he utilized the potential of social media platforms to promote his brand.

Putting It All Together

If you try to find one common thing among all these entrepreneurs, you may see how they all came out from nothing and turned their business vision into something worthy. Today, we are taking inspiration from these famous entrepreneurs because they show us how far we can go if we are determined on our path. It’s time you also take some lessons from these entrepreneurs and give your dream a jump-start.

Author bio:

Sofia Kelly is a passionate blogger. She loves to share her thoughts, ideas and experiences with the world through blogging. Sofia kelly is associated with Tech Mag News, Plus Lifestyles, World Tech24, Exclusive Rights, Worthy To Share, Voice of Action, Lower My Legal Fees, Simply Law Zone, Circle Box Blog, Istana Green World & World News Inn.



4 Tips for Starting Your Dream Side Gig Designing Clothes

Starting your clothing line can seem like an impossible task if you’ve never done it before. Many entrepreneurs have already made the jump from working as a hobbyist to a professional designer and are living their dream every day.

Starting your clothing line can seem like an impossible task if you’ve never done it before. That doesn’t mean you should give up on your dream! Many entrepreneurs have already made the jump from working as a hobbyist to a professional designer and are living their dream every day. In this guide, you’ll learn four important tips to help you start living yours.

Evaluate How Much It Will Cost

The beauty of a side-gig is that it can be as simple or complex as you’d like it to be and costs that go into these businesses can vary widely depending on your ambition. You don’t have to invest thousands in your design business right away for it to take off. Basic costs should include everything you need to make your design such as the sketch paper, material, and equipment. Additional costs to consider include a way to market your clothes, the cost of actually listing them on sites like Etsy, the cost of shipping them and any other costs associated with running a design business.

Only Buy Equipment You Need

Equipment can be expensive, especially if you’re not sure if your sewing hobby will take off immediately. If you’re just dabbling in sewing, make do with what you have. If you love making clothes and want to ramp up your hobby, then consider investing in key pieces of quality equipment that are essential for that particular skill. For example, if you need to get a new sewing machine to complete your first collection of shirts or dresses, it’s best to buy a model that will be able to improve your productivity and efficiency.



At the very beginning, you might just want to spend a few hundred dollars on better materials like fabric from higher-end brands like Decorative International Silk Inc. Over time, as you sell your designs and take on commissions, you’ll be able to pour more money back into your business.

Stay Organized

Whether you’re working from home or have a business space outside of your home, staying organized can be a challenge. Make it easier on yourself as a new business owner by keeping everything in one place and creating a system that works for you. For example, organizing all of your designing tools, patterns, and sketches will help you start each day with a clear head and focus on taking your business forward.

Market Your Designs Effectively

In your efforts to take your gig to the next level ask yourself, “how can I make great designs and get paid for them?” By learning the ins and outs of marketing in the fashion design industry, you’ll be well on your way to making your side gig a lucrative career.

With the right tools and strategies, starting your clothing line doesn’t have to be difficult or frightening. Use these four steps to help you get started on your journey to making a fashion line that people love.



Seven Green business ideas: A new wave of social entrepreneurship

Many aspiring entrepreneurs are looking forward to developing green ways to save energy consumption and save the environment.

Let’s face it: More pollution and the exploitation of natural resources have a negative impact on the climatic cycles. It is leading to the systematic dismantling of the environment. The unsustainable lifestyle of the people has added more to this problem.

Fact check: As per a UN report, nearly 98% of the cities with more than 1 lakh inhabitants come under the air quality guidelines of the World Health Organization.

However, many aspiring entrepreneurs are looking forward to developing green ways to save energy consumption and save the environment. For this reason, green business ideas are picking up the pace right now.

Today, even the customers are ready to pay more for green/sustainable products or services. All this helps in making a positive impact on the environment.

Are you the one who wants to change the world by having a business that also makes money? Welcome to the right place. Here we have come up with green ideas to bring a new wave of social entrepreneurship. Without further ado, read ahead and fetch yourself with all the answers.

Ecological disposables – Environmental degradation has seen an increase in recent years. And it is a huge concern, globally. To reduce pollution, ecological or environmentally-friendly disposables are actually a good idea. Your customers can throw away these disposables after using them, and it causes no harm to the environment.

They are pure, biodegradable, decompose faster, and ultimately don’t contribute to any environmental pollution. The world is facing a global climate change emergency, and you can’t afford to pollute the environment at this time. Right? So, tackle the climate changes with ecological disposables.



Dry cleaning and ecological laundry – In this busy world, only a few people have the time to really dry clean their clothes. For this reason, you can start with the dry cleaning services at the street level. And if you use machinery that uses less water (nearly 20% less than the traditional dry cleaning machines) and biodegradable detergents, you are helping the environment.

With the use of sustainable equipment, you can reduce not only the electricity consumption but also your fixed expenses. Therefore starting dry cleaning and ecological laundry services might help you to stand out from the rest.

Organic crops – Organic farming has taken the world by storm. And many small producers are joining the world of organic markets. What you can do here is – you can begin your own cultivation of vegetables and ornamental plants, starting with an area of just 5m2. Or you could also start selling grains like wheat, rice, barley, etc.

For this, you will need to store grains in a safer place. So, you can look for small grain bins for sale and make this green idea work. Additionally, you need to know several cultivation methods like hydroponics or gardening. And also gain knowledge of plant nutrition and pest control.

Now, you can sell these grains, vegetables, or plants in the local market or supply centers. Investing at least 20 minutes a day for every square meter you plant can do wonders for you. Also, do not forget to market your products in the end.

Solar panels – Many consumers are moving towards installing solar panels on their homes to save energy and to save the environment. Hence, here comes the next green idea – giving the opportunity to the people to have a solar panel at their homes.

Furthermore, it will mitigate air pollution, slow down climate change, and lower down the consumption of fossil fuel. And who would not like to contribute towards environmental safety?



Green walls – Nowadays, having green walls is a rising new trend. Having green walls means incorporating living nature into the urban environment. It gives a much appealing look to the walls and serves other benefits as well. They come to fulfill various purposes like for indoors, for outdoors, or the varieties are endless. This business requires placing natural plants on the interiors and exterior walls of an office or home, among others. It is worth noting that preparing the walls with a coating is necessary to avoid humidity and the generation of insects.

You will also need to take care of the installation of the hoses for the self-watering of the wall. Ask the customers to keep in check the maintenance of the vertical garden during the first three months. This will ensure them if the plants are growing correctly.

Bicycle repair and refurbishing – Not to mention that the carbon footprint is increasing at a rapid speed. So, it is beneficial for the environment to go on a bicycle to cover short distances instead of driving a two/four-wheeler.

You could be the expert cyclists where people can come to get their bicycles repaired as sometimes bicycles also need a tune-up. Or there is another way round. How about purchasing the older bikes at a reasonable cost and fixing and selling them up at a profit? This green idea will definitely work well for you.

Gas savers – There is no doubt that gasoline and electricity prices will continue to rise in the future. How can you help the citizens facing this issue? You can give them a discount on opting for the facility of the installation of the gas savers. This will allow them to save at least 12-15% on the regular consumption of gasoline.

The equipment for this purpose is installed in hoses or tubes to pass through wiring in less than 10 minutes. Start offering these services to the relatives and then expand your reach to schools and restaurants.

To sum it all up

It is needless to say that going green has immense possibilities in terms of delivering something better to the environment. Moreover, it makes our planet a safer place to live in and caters to the needs of the growing market. You do not want to deteriorate the quality of the environment as it is said by George Holland – “Where the quality of life goes down for the environment, the quality of life goes down for humans.”

So, protect it with all the great business ideas that you can, and you will experience a fresh and green planet.



10 Reasons why entrepreneurship is awesome

There are endless reasons for why entrepreneurship is great. Here are ten simple but powerful reasons, in no particular order, why entrepreneurship is so awesome

Entrepreneurship is modern age dream. Everyone wants to live this dream but very few are bold and strong enough to bring this into reality. Every entrepreneur has a different story or reason about why he or she decided to start a business. Some have known from day one that they wanted to work for themselves and others come up with ideas while working for someone else and decide to take the entrepreneurial leap.

There are endless reasons for why entrepreneurship is great. Here are ten simple but powerful reasons, in no particular order, why entrepreneurship is so awesome.

As an entrepreneur:

1. You have full control over your destiny and have an opportunity to change lives.

You call the shots and make the decisions. You will ultimately determine the success or failure of your business. You can stop anybody coming in the way of your vision.

Having an idea for a product or service that has the potential to make a huge impact, go for it – nothing is stopping you now!

2. It provides a rush that is hard to duplicate.

There is no greater shot of adrenaline than the one you receive after reaching a goal, knowing that you worked extremely hard to get to that point.

Also, you never feel bored. There is always something to do and you will always have a long to-do list. Every day presents new challenges and new opportunities to keep you on your toes.

3. The satisfaction of saying you’re an Entrepreneur.

It is a great feeling to be able step back and say, “I am an entrepreneur and this is my company,” while proudly holding your head up.

4. Creating something from nothing and getting out what you put in.

Every business starts as an idea. You have to create it from level zero. If you are willing to work harder than anyone else, you will be rewarded accordingly. Want to experience more growth and opportunities: simply work harder.



5. Turn your passion and beliefs into a business.

You have the ability to create a business as well as impact people through your passions and beliefs. Also, when you are able to make a comfortable living doing what you love, it’s a win-win situation.

6. Feeling appreciated is great.

Let’s be honest, when you build an empire from scratch and earn appreciation and gratitude – it is empowering. It’s a great feeling when you receive an email or phone call from someone that took time out of his or her day to let you know that your product or service have helped them in a positive way.

7. You become an expert problem solver.

As an entrepreneur, you become very resourceful and over time you will learn to overcome anything and solve any problem placed in front of you.

8. Developing financial independence.

As an individual, we always look for different options to develop financial independence. For some, financial independence means having the cash to buy what they want. To others, it means saving for retirement. And for some, financial independence simply means opening the bills without dread. Whatever your definition is, it means you command your money and not the other way around. That’s a victory worth celebrating.

9. You can get competitive with yourself.

Entrepreneurs are competitive by nature. The goal is to constantly improve and grow, so turn it into a personal competition. Can you make more business contacts today than you did yesterday? Can you motivate your sales team to crush the numbers from yesterday?

10. It enables you to dream big.

No idea is too crazy and no goal is too big when you are an entrepreneur. You can dream as big as you want!

What are some other reasons to inspire you to opt for entrepreneurship? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.



4 Resources for learning about managing a business when starting out

Businesses need as much help as possible in order to survive.

Every business that starts faces hard times. Indeed, 20% of all businesses don’t make it out of the first year, and those numbers will dramatically increase for certain types of business. This statistic alone illuminates the obvious: Businesses need as much help as possible in order to survive.

Thankfully for these businesses and the entrepreneurs who found them, help is out there. As such, here are four resources for learning about how to manage a business for brand new businesses.



Small Business Development Centers

 Small Business Development Centers are funded by the government in order to provide resources and training programs to small businesses that are just starting out. They have a wide array of information available, including tips, training, funding programs, and more.

Internet Marketers

These days, having a full understanding of the internet, social media, and search engine optimization (SEO) are not optional – they are vitally necessary for the success of your business. To that end, try to meet with an internet marketer and see what resources they have available, or if they are worth hiring. At the moment, in-person meetings may be difficult, so see if you can’t arrange for a virtual meetup to discuss SEO at some point. Who knows – you may wind up hiring them, or they could hire you.

Chambers of Commerce

 Chambers of Commerce are business groups that have been around for centuries, and with good reason: They help businesses make more money. These groups often have a variety of tools at their disposal, including networking, events, financial resources, advertising, group purchasing programs, and more. As a result, they have become the premier business networking option for new businesses that are just starting out. Make sure to investigate your local Chamber and see what options you may have at your disposal by becoming a member.



SCORE or Mentorship Programs

 Programs like SCORE can help hook new businesses up with training and mentors. These mentors can be exceptionally helpful in giving you personalized advice that can help you get questions answered. It can also be a great chance for you to bounce ideas off of an expert who has been in your shoes before.

Businesses may fail for any number of reasons, but a lack of access to start-up resources doesn’t have to be one of them. The tips about barely scratch the surface of what is available to you. If you are just starting out as a business, make sure to take the time to get a better understanding of what is available to you.



Teacher to Entrepreneur: an inspiring journey of Swati Chugh, director of dessert chain 7th Heaven

Many women opt for conventional careers without realising that they can do wonders in the business world and address its risks, challenges and successes whereas some women believe that being an entrepreneur would be a part of their destiny. Entrepreneurs are born, not made. Such an example is Swati Chugh, the director of 7th Heaven, a popular chain of dessert stores across India.

Many women opt for conventional careers without realising that they can do wonders in the business world and address its risks, challenges and successes whereas some women believe that being an entrepreneur would be a part of their destiny. Entrepreneurs are born, not made.

Such an example is Swati Chugh, the director of 7th Heaven, a popular chain of dessert stores across India.

Decision to step into a job

After completing her master’s in psychology from Jai Hind College, Mumbai, she decided to take up teaching. After she got married, she joined Delhi Public School as a teacher and then thought of helping her husband Arjun in his dessert business called 7th Heaven.

Inception of entrepreneurship

They were blessed in many ways. In 2013, the startup was established as a part of Kitchen Fragrances India LLP. Then a year later, in 2014, it became a franchise model. In terms of traditional and trendy concept, 7th Heaven has grown up quickly in the retail space with more than 150 stores in over 75 cities and 21 states. 

Swati expressed “The F&B sector is extremely dynamic, but has immense potential if you understand the segment well. We have always been interested in food and desserts, and believe they are an integral part of any home. Whether it’s a big family, small or for someone living alone, the target consumer belongs to a wide range. So, we decided to take the plunge to pursue the passion of bringing innovations in the bakery industry and building a brand on quality and values.”

Smart work and hard work need appreciation

Before ensuring that they had all the business elements right, they had faced a lot of hardships. Swati said,

“We invested in the right places to make sure there was no compromise on quality. Efforts were made to figure out the logistics and make sure they functioned seamlessly. The break-even time ended up being longer than expected, but we remained resilient and soon enough, our persistence bore fruits.”

To attract customers and for them to stick to the brand, they have given an international look and feel to their stores making it the perfect ambience. The store consists of brownies, cheesecakes, customised cakes and macaroons in its list.

Further, she said,

“We understand that different people h-ave different taste palates, and that’s why we have something for everyone with a huge variety of desserts.”

7th Heaven has bellied up with the concept of Live Kitchen. In this, they show cakes are made within 7 minutes which is a proof of fresh products they sell out.

Swati explained, “Unlike other bakery chains that use a central kitchen to bake cakes and then distribute to various outlets, we have a live kitchen in every outlet so that we serve only fresh and soft cakes. This is a huge hit with our customers because the difference in quality is a distinguishing factor that makes us stand apart from the rest.”

7th Heaven also offers fancy desserts to its customers such as 3D designer cakes, macaroons, chocolate pizza, mug cakes and cupcakes.

The tipping point of 7th Heaven is the reasonable costs of desserts which help in reaching out to more people without compromising on the quality of products.

They not only fulfil customers’ demand but also become a small and significant part of their lives.

Swati showed her concerns, “We believe our job is to spread happiness wherever and whenever possible. Some interesting ones that have stayed with us are stories like this couple who would visit us daily to share a paneer puff. Another customer ordered cakes from us right from her baby shower to her son’s fifth birthday party a few weeks ago. So, we feel really grateful to be able to play a vital part in the lives of our customers and grow with them, in good times and the rest.”

Formation of ideal strategies 

Staying relevant to customers, 7th Heaven has opted both forms of advertising – above the line (ATL) and below the line (BTL). This balances aptly between being informative and creative in its communication.

Swati said, “From print ads like leaflets to newspaper ads, radio ads, hoardings, movie theatre collaborations, free sample tasting to customers, online ads, and membership programmes, we have used different media vehicles to form a certain connection with our customers. This has helped us in forming a bond with our existing customers while constantly reaching out to potential customers.”

Swati has entered in such an industry about which she was not completely aware of, so she has faced many obstacles.

On this note she said,

“We learnt on the go as we put in a lot of efforts, constantly studied the market, had a few setbacks that we overcame, took some time to break even, but overall it was a wholesome journey.”

However, the business broke in three years and then started making profits. Right now, the outlets are closed due to COVID-19 crisis and they are looking to resume the catering side of the business.

Utsav Somani’s microstartup iSeed helps startups in India connect with Silicon Valley entrepreneurs

iSeed is named as a bridge between Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and Indian founders. The Silicon Valley entrepreneurs are those already established entrepreneurs and Indian founders are those who are in search of money as well as expertise and knowledge of startup.

Utsav Somani, a well-known name familiar in Indian start-up environment is strengthening the investor ecosystem in India with yet another early stage fund. Somani who is already being credited for bringing AngelList to India, is now all set to launch his own micro fund ‘iSeed’ to help Indian startups to get their initial investments.

Somani revealed, “The fund is going to be sector agnostic but will invest mainly in startups leveraging technology for SaaS, remote work enabling tools and tech enterprise software. The new fund is going to invest in around 32 to 35 Indian startup at an average check of $150K. The fund will be deployed for around three years.”

Bridge between Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and Indian founders

iSeed is named as a bridge between Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and Indian founders. The Silicon Valley entrepreneurs are those already established entrepreneurs and Indian founders are those who are in search of money as well as expertise and knowledge of startup.

Somani added, “Founders of Silicon Valley can interact with their peers in India while Indian founders can get the expertise. The aim of iSeed is to build a bridge between these two. We are not talking only about capital but also about knowledge sharing.”

Not only capital but knowledge sharing too

The US market has a good lot of investors who are in a place where they can easily write from $100K to $500K cheques for Indian startups. Many of them have been eagerly waiting to participate in Indian tech boom so that they can access the early stage deals.

“Investors selected based on their knowledge, network and willingness to help portfolio companies scale. These investors can also guide Indian startups looking to target International customers and investors.” Somani said.

Some of the notable investors in iSeed include AngelList Naval Ravikant, Hike founder Kavin Bharti Mittal, Thumbtack’s co-founder Jonathan Swason, WikiHow’s CEO Jack Herrick, Polychain Capital’s general partner Niraj Pant. DSG Consumer Partners MD Deepak Shahdapuri, eDreams co-founder James Hare, NBA star Matthew Dellavedova, 500 FinTech founding partner Sheel Mohnot, and Spearhead’s partner Jake Zeller have backed the fund. Bolt’s Eric Feldman, Flutter founder Josh Hannah and TaskUs confounders Bryce Maddock and Jaspar Weir, along with senior leaders at DST Global, Matrix Partners India and Xiaomi also pooled their capital in the fund mop-up.
Somani said “iSeed is powered by AngelList back office, which makes it easy for full time founders to run venture funds on the side. My day job remains CEO of AngelList India while I run iSeed on weekends.”

COVID-19 pandemic and the side effects

“I would have raised more funds if it would have launched your earlier as investors have also taken hit in their investments in public markets, portfolio startups and private placements.” Somani on how covid-19 situation has complicated fundraising for iSeed.

Somani considered himself lucky because the investors have trusted his judgement to some extent which helped iSeed raise funds for the next couple of years or three.

“I have already invested in more than 40-50 startups personally and this fund powers me to give larger cheques in 30-35 startups. Raising the fund was much easier than what’s coming next.” Somani said.

However, a larger fund would have spread the investments and would force Somani to step out of his comfort zone which is to work with VCs and angels rather than compete. ” I think I like this space where I operate $100K to $150K cheques. That’s a sweet spot to play,” he added.

‘Crisis never stops innovations.’

Somani urged startups to use this time to build while focusing on continuity and creating market value.

“Crisis never limits innovations but it’s actually the opposite. The last decade was exemplary of capital abundance but now people need to make Ventures where they a don’t buy users but will make products that users will love to buy without much incentive attached to them. It was a much-needed reset for the ecosystem.”

Leadership and Motivation in business: 4 Factors that can be decisive for good leadership

In the business world, leadership and motivation have been subjects that have attracted the attention of many entrepreneurs over the years.

In the business world, leadership and motivation have been subjects that have attracted the attention of many entrepreneurs over the years.

This is mainly because most organizations realize that it is not just a good salary that motivates people and enables them to work for the company’s growth, but also their aspirations.

The search for employee engagement in the company through motivation is strongly linked to the concept of leadership that places the company’s employees as key elements for the achievement of the organization’s goals.

Thus, keeping all employees of the firm in a good state of motivation becomes vital for the organization’s survival, since if the established goals are not met with excellence, the company’s growth will be compromised.

Thus, the motivation process must be considered by the company, especially regarding the relationship between leadership and motivation in business.

Since to motivate the teams, the leadership of the firm must also be involved, because it is the leaders who with their influence impact the workers, acting in a way as “motivating agents”.

Decisive Factors for Good Leadership

There are characteristics that every great leader presents, so it is necessary that the management of any company also seeks to acquire these strengths to have good leadership.

Due to the importance of these characteristics, they are even decisive factors for good leadership, and therefore must be known.

KNOWLEDGE

If you have a quality not lacking in great leaders, it is the frequent search for new knowledge to improve your leadership and administrative skills. So no matter what your current position as a leader, you should never forget to study more and more.

It is essential that the leader has in his diploma specializations and MBA’s in the management area – it can be Business or Project Management.

Such knowledge is necessary because much of a manager’s qualities, for example, are critical in any leader who wants to effectively manage teams and projects.

Not only do you have high qualification courses, but you can also choose to take additional courses, as they are perfect for acquiring important qualities in shaping the image of a good leader, such as the communication and speaking course.

Another tip on how to gain knowledge to enable good leadership in the business, as well as motivation that is worth applying, is participation in lectures and short-term training programs, as they also enable the acquisition of knowledge that helps in achieving a good leadership.

Knowledge of study is critical to building leadership that makes the business successful, so be sure to adhere to every training opportunity you have (With Prioritization, of course!).

INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIP

Managing the relationship established between the leader and employees is a key factor in leadership.

The development of healthy relationships in the workplace allows the created collaboration space to be psychologically alternative. In this kind of environment, even if distrust, fears, and conflicts arise, they can be accepted and worked on by both actors.

However, it will only be possible to form this environment and be able to achieve optimal interpersonal relationship management if you can create a climate of mutual trust, the experts at https://pollackpeacebuilding.com/ suggest.

As a member of the interpersonal relationship that has the responsibility of uniting team members and enabling good work, the leader should serve as a motivator and connector for employees.

At this point, you see a lot of what is the relationship between leadership and motivation in business, since as we saw earlier, motivation is one of the elements that can not lack in leadership.

Going deeper into this issue of interpersonal relationships, it will also be necessary for the leader to take care that the personal lives of team members do not interfere with the execution of their tasks in the company.

LISTEN TO EMPLOYEES

There is no better way to improve leadership and effectively motivate employees other than by listening to them for their needs.

Knowing the needs of the employees also enables the leader to be able to synchronize these wants with those of the company, thus generating benefits for both parties.

Although this is a very important point in leadership, unfortunately, many ignore it. Very few companies have a consistent channel that allows them to communicate with employees through which they can meet the real needs of their employees.

By listening to workers, the company can also benefit from suggestions, new ideas, and listening to complaints that may lead to the discovery of failures and their correction before they cause harm.

UNDERSTAND BUSINESS DEEP

Although it seems obvious, many leaders often fail their leadership because they do not understand very well how their business works.

This disregard, as to the need to know the business model in-depth, is due in part to the fact that many entrepreneurs or leaders take this need as unnecessary because they have the idea that they already know everything about the type of business.

Knowing the line of products/services and the method that is used during its manufacture counts a lot when it comes to leadership and motivation of employees, because at times, customers and even the team itself may need clarification.

However, in case of inconsistency in the response, those who were previously motivated by the leader may gradually lose their confidence in him, and may no longer see him as a source of motivation by example, especially if this type of situation recurs.

So, don’t waste your time and check to see if all the good leadership characteristics mentioned in this post are noticeable in your company’s leaders. If not, start cultivating them as they are the key to success in teamwork. So that’s it, these factors are decisive for good leadership and business motivation.

Ask yourself these 6 questions and you will find what’s holding back your business

There are many ways to go about discovering where exactly you are going wrong.

Running a business is no small feat, but when you feel like your business isn’t living up to its full potential, something has to change. There are many ways to go about discovering where exactly you are going wrong or how to turn things around, like help from JM Reid Group, but asking yourself these questions will help you find what’s holding back your business from higher heights.

1. Are you comparing yourself to the right people?

It is very helpful to compare your business to other similar business when it comes to analytics and market research. But it is not fair to your business to compare to more established companies that have already gone through the weeds, complications, doubts, failed marketing campaigns and more. When you measure your business against one that is truly not your contemporary, you are destined to come up short. They have had more time to make adjustments and improvements you probably never knew about.

2. Do you expect instant results?

When you implement changes it helps to be patient. Most adjustments you make to your business will not bring about instant results. If you lack the patience for good things to come to fruition, you will experience avoidable frustration and stress. Giving your business the time and space to expand and excel is a must in taking your business to the next level.

3. Are you flexible?

When things don’t pan out how you hoped they would, it helps to have a contingency plan. Being flexible allows you to adapt to the market conditions and to take corrective measures. Having a plan is great, but it’s not always a good idea to stick to it no matter what. Bend a little and see where it takes you. You may be surprised by the results.

4. Are you alone?

It is one thing to be the only employee in your business, but knowing when and who to ask for help is essential to the growth of your business. And if you are not the only one handling the workload, you have to trust your team to play their roles. Keeping others on the outside increases your stress. Not to mention, spreading yourself thin keeps you from putting as much effort as you could be putting into what you’re doing.

5. Do you take action?

Having well crafted plans and awesome ideas don’t count for too much if you never take action. All the meetings, criticisms and visualizations won’t make any difference to your business if you don’t make them a reality. If it doesn’t work out, then you adjust as needed.

6. Do you know when to let go?

Knowing when to let go of an idea, project or client is more important than you might think. When you’ve been patient and flexible and it’s still not right, it might be better to wash your hands and and let go.

Don’t stand in the way of your success. Think critically and rationally about the direction you want your business to go. And when you’ve realistically assessed your situation, make a plan of action and hit the ground running. You can find success.

Why do startup entrepreneurs need coaching?

Leadership is an essential function of management that connects internal and external stakeholders.

One-fifth of the small businesses fail in their first year. This accounts for almost 20% of the industry. Common reasons contributing to the failure of these startups include lack of funding or capital, unsuccessful marketing efforts, faulty business models, and inadequate leadership.

Leadership is an essential function of management that connects internal and external stakeholders. Influential leaders can help businesses enhance productivity and maximize efficiency to achieve business goals.

One of the best ways to develop leadership is by hiring a startup CEO coach. A reliable startup CEO coach is responsible for supporting business founders in their personal and professional growth.

These individuals are usually industry experts that have sufficient knowledge to help startup CEOs take bold risks to accomplish something great. Here are the reasons why every entrepreneur can use a startup CEO coach like Brett J. Fox.

They Put You on Track

Startup founders are energetic and consider themselves as the Jacks of all trades. However, every entrepreneur has strengths and weaknesses and knowing each one of them can help further your business into greater heights.

A startup CEO coach will help you recognize and concentrate on the most critical aspects of the business. This helps you point out your blind spots and catch the big picture so that you will not limit the success of your business.

They also help you create clear and specific goals so that you can develop an innovative strategic direction that can adjust to evolving trends. Ongoing training with CEO coaches will keep you on the right path in the continually changing business environment.

CEO Coaches Bring a Competitive Edge

A competitive edge distinguishes a business from its competitors. It results in more customers, higher prices, and brand loyalty.

However, establishing such an advantage is challenging with the lack of differentiation and the rise of unique types of competition. A CEO coach will ease out the process by helping your brand advance at a quicker pace and ensure that you differentiate yourself from the crowd.

The biggest challenge among business owners is making themselves stand out. You want to have a product that everyone is buying, but you also need to achieve a share of the market to protrude.

A CEO coach can see your business strengths and weaknesses better than you can and will help you market yourself in a manner that makes those differences pooch in your market. Coaches can also ensure that you are showing your abilities to your best advantage.

Enhance Your Personal Growth

CEO coaches are here to help you grow both executively and personally. They can develop an interactive environment for you to see yourself clearly so that you can meet unique challenges every step of the way.

The most significant risk to the success of most businesses is not usually the state of the market, competition, or even the economy. Instead, it is the thought and behavioral changes of startup leaders.

Coaches can also identify your thoughts and behavioral patterns that are slowing and preventing the growth of your business. They help you deal with those particular issues so that it can no longer bring adverse effects to your business.

Building a successful business does not happen overnight. Having someone experienced enough to provide advice and encouragement will help you reach business goals quicker.

Some of the startups that succeeded with bootstrapping

Bootstrapping comes with benefits to both businesses and their founders.

“Bootstrapping” The term comes from the United States in the 19th century, where to “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” meant to pick yourself up without anyone’s help.

Today, it’s used to refer to entrepreneurs who start and run their business without taking external investment. Bootstrapping comes with benefits to both businesses and their founders. Founders don’t need to dilute their equity or decision-making power, and by necessity are forced towards creative solutions to problems that otherwise would be solved by spending more money. The bootstrapping mindset is one of profits over growth: making, instead of spending money.

A bootstrapped company usually grows through various stages:

1. Beginning Stage: Normally starts with some personal savings, or borrowed or investment money from friends and family, or as a side business – the founder continues to work a day job as well as start the business on the side.

2. Customer-funded Stage: Where money from customers is used to keep the business operating and, eventually, funds growth. Once operating expenses are met, growth will speed up.

3. Credit Stage: Wherein the entrepreneur must focus on the funding of specific activities, such as improving equipment, hiring staff, etc. At this stage, the company takes out loans or may be even find venture capital, for expansion.



few companies who are bootstrapping their way to success in the Indian startup ecosystem are:

37Signals

37Signals, also known as Basecamp, is a web application company that produces simple, focused software and has become a highly successful business which started as a cash strapped startup. It was founded in 1999 by Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson (or DHH), who have co-written three bestselling books: “Getting Real”, “Rework”, and “Remote.”

TechCrunch

TechCrunch, a technology website, was founded in 2005 by a successful serial entrepreneur, Mike Arrington, along with Keith Teare. TechCrunch became the epitome of technology blogs online and basically transformed the space of blogging into great works of journalism. This enormous growth and trust among the cyberspace was achieved by putting out high quality, consistent content by sharing stories about the latest happenings in the tech and entrepreneurship world.

PlentyofFish

PlentyofFish, one of the largest and most popular dating sites in the world, founded by Markus Frind, became a full-time business in 2004. Until 2008 Frind conducted his business from his apartment, and then eventually acquired a new Vancouver headquarters where he began hiring other employees.





4 reasons Indian entrepreneurs should consider rural markets

72% of India’s population actually resides in the rural areas which are why exploring this market is a wonderful idea.

Rural marketing is a vertical which is extensively being explored by big agencies like O&M and Madison. 72% of India’s population actually resides in the rural areas which are why exploring this market is a wonderful idea.

Here are 4 reasons why every entrepreneur should consider the rural market:

I. The huge population

As discussed before, the rural market is huge and certain areas are yet to be tapped. This gives the entrepreneur a great opportunity to actually tap these markets and sell their products. When you move your products to these areas, you will gain a first mover advantage which is necessary as the rural folks are very brand loyal.
Because the urban market is exhausted, marketers are shifting focus to rural markets from where the real numbers are coming.

II. Changing demand patterns

The rural areas are slowly but steadily developing with the availability of electricity and rising education evils. They are aspiring to become more like the urban people they watch on television which is why their demand patterns are also constantly changing. The entrepreneur could use this to his/her strength and introduce products which will help them achieve their aspirations.



Lately, rural folks are buying laptops, microwaves and all sorts of technology to make life easier.

III. Standard of living and digitalisation

The standard of living in rural areas is slowly increasing as rural people have a habit of saving money. They are using this money to buy more and more stuff to achieve their inspirational goals. Also, rising digitalisation because of availability of electricity and internet is helping the markets become aware about new things.

ITC e-Choupal is brilliant initiative to make internet available to the rural markets.

IV. Marketing opportunities

The opportunities for marketers in the rural areas are unlimited and effective as the people there actually respond to the common techniques used. A marketer could do something as simple as billboard advertising or a nukkad natak or choose to organise an event or use methods like word of mouth to reach those more people.





Corporate people turns into food entrepreneurs

People who have quit promising careers in the corporate world because they wanted to pursue their passion.

Today we are going to share with you some amazing stories of people who have quit promising careers in the corporate world because they wanted to pursue their passion.

Mondo

Kochi-based Mondo offers delicious milkshakes. The brand also offers food with a fusion of Mediterranean and Continental flavours.

In December 2017, after quitting his job in Dubai, Pradeep set up Mondo with his co-founders,Anup Mohan and Srikanth Ch, former CEO and CPO of Styl (acquired by Voonik), respectively, and Dileep Nair of Ornate Tours and Travels and Sheeba Nair, a former employee of Emirates Airlines.

The founders claim that the company’s current revenue is Rs 1.75 crore (Rs 1.5 crore from B2C and Rs 25 lakh from B2B).

monQo already has four unit-franchises in Kerala and three master franchises in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.



Roll Xpress

Amit Chugh and Gaurav Satija decided to sell Kolkata’s signature kathi rolls in Punjab.

They now sell kathi rolls across Delhi, Chandigarh, Ludhiana and Ambala. With 20 outlets serving up an average of 2,500 orders each day, the founders claim they clock sales of Rs 75 lakh per month.

Nizami in J&K

Former Amazon employee Javid Parsa quit his job to return to his home state of Jammu & Kashmir to start Parsa’s, a fusion of Kolkata and Hyderabadi cuisine.

A menu featuring items priced between Rs 50 and Rs 190 helps Parsa’s attract the young college crowd.

It has outlets across Srinagar, Ladakh, Anantnag, Sopore and Awantipora.





InventureX Crowdfunding: Providing assistance for inventors and entrepreneurs

Headquartered in Los Angeles, California and established in 2008, InventureX is an agency that handles marketing and promotion of performance-based crowdfunding.

Headquartered in Los Angeles, California and established in 2008, InventureX is an agency that handles marketing and promotion of performance-based crowdfunding. Since 2012, InventureX has been helping inventors and entrepreneurs with raising over $20 million on crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter and Indiegogo. In addition, with its 86 percent success rate, InventureX is currently the highest ranked agency in the industry.

Is Crowdfunding A Good Approach for Your Startup?

Crowdfunding is basically a unique approach to business financing and can be a good approach for your startup. It assists in streamlining the customary model of receiving financial support for a company or product. Essentially, you have one platform, which will be built by you, which highlights and pitches your resources. Doing this makes it easier to get the opportunity to establish your product, plans, or business to a number of interested parties. In addition, you provide them with additional ways of helping the growth of your firm.



How the Experts at InventureX Can Help Alleviate Some of the Crowdfunding Pains

Without proper strategy, planning, and marketing efforts, it is very likely your crowdfunding campaign will fail, stopping you from attaining your dream of becoming an entrepreneur. Partnering with a specialized service like InventureX can amplify the chances of your project getting funded. InventureX assists entrepreneurs by taking on the legwork required to get as much funding as possible.

Typically, InventureX partners with projects they have assessed and believe they could be molded into a success. InventureX uses data and trends from previous projects to review ideas and get a clear picture of what can be done for your concept to get you started.

Partnering with InventureX provides a tremendous advantage as it concerns crowdfunding. From the beginning, their experts will establish crucial plans to transform your concept into a successful project. The agency will assist you in establishing a page that transforms visitors into supporters and the pricing will be structured to amplify funding.



Is InventureX Legit? What Are Other Media and News Outlets Saying About Them?

Reading reviews is among the best methods of determining if this crowdfunding marketing agency is a sham or legit. InventureX has lots of positive reviews from real persons. Entrepreneurs and companies speak highly about their expertise, which sincerely helped them in achieving success in their campaigns.

Several media outlets have conducted interviews with individuals who have benefitted from the agency and representatives of the agency. Among the common comments from clients of InventureX is that the team is quite knowledgeable about marketing new products and getting crowdfunding. The team is credited with clearly explaining everything they send in different videos and doing so in a number of phone calls. It has been said repeated by clients that the agency invests time into reviewing their concept and ensuring it is right for crowdfunding. This is done before any business is even discussed with you. They are also said to make the product you are launching speak for itself.

Getting Started with InventureX Crowdfunding

If you want to pitch a product or you have an idea, InventureX can assist you with bringing it to life. It is easy to get started and with their 86 percent success rate, trusting this company is the way to go. When they know whether your concept is applicable to their program, a team of experts will plan everything with you. This includes your goals for the business and your marketing budgets. After which, these experts will create a thrilling introduction for your concept and start viral campaigns on social media platforms.

You can get additional details about this crowdfunding marketing agency by scheduling a call with one of their expert to have a discussion about your idea. In addition, you can follow them on:

• Twitter at https://twitter.com/inventure_x
• Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/inventurex/
• LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/inventurex

Client testimonials and additional details about projects along with other critical details can be found on their website at https://inventurex.com.