“The critical ingredient is getting off your butt and doing something. It’s as simple as that. A lot of people have ideas, but there are few who decide to do something about them now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. But today. The true entrepreneur is a doer, not a dreamer.”

– Nolan Bushnell, Founder of Atari and Chuck E. Cheese’s

I’ve found throughout  my career at Laughlin that upon telling people what type of company I work for, they often respond with, “Oh, that’s cool. I would love to own my own business, but…” and the sentence usually trails off into something along these lines:

“I just couldn’t stand not knowing what I kind of money I would make.”
“I can’t justify the risk.”
“My job has too much security to let it all go.”
“My idea really isn’t that good anyway.”
“How could I sleep at night knowing it wasn’t a surefire thing?”

I’d like to say I disagree with these types of responses and could brazenly reply, “Believe in yourself! Reach your dreams! Anything is possible!” However, several facts come into play at this point.

1. I don’t own a business.
2. I work for someone else.
3. I, too, am guilty of doubting my own ideas.
4. Sometimes the risk just doesn’t seem worth it.

While I am still young, and theoretically have a lot of time to ponder what career path, and job would best suit me, I believe I am in good company when it comes to the self-doubt and hesitation most of us feel when considering being our own boss.

Yet, facing the economic struggles out there right now, what’s the alternative? Job creation is at a near all-time low and times are looking pretty bleak in most industries. Factually, starting your own business truly is the best alternative right now as far as guaranteed employment is concerned.

But why doesn’t it feel that way? I believe Nolan Bushnell said it best, “The true entrepreneur is a doer, not a dreamer.”

Bottom line, there is a difference between me and the rest of you out there blazing the trails for the worry-warts and security blanket dependants like myself. You are living proof that with an idea and some action, true success and dreams can be achieved.

I applaud the “doers” of the world out there and when I grow up, perhaps I’ll be more like all of you. For now, I dream. And hope to soon follow Bushnell’s advice and get off my butt and do something. But as of this minute, my office is just a little too cozy for me to leave…

What’s your advice to the dreamers of the world? How did you become a doer? Are you born with it? Is it learned? Who, if anyone, influenced you to take charge of your own destiny?

Drop me a line at sjohn@laughlinusa.com. Hearing from you is what I look forward to most!

This article is from our friends at Funding Roadmap, your complete cloud-based business planning and funding solution. Join us for a webinar on this topic on Tuesday, July 12 from 1 to 1:45 p.m. PST. Go to www.laughlinwebinars.com now to secure your space.

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The Problem

In states struck by natural disasters, tens of thousands of small businesses have been damaged or gone in an instant! This has caused unprecedented challenges to the public and private mechanisms designed to address small business access to capital and community recovery.

Nothing but the shirt on their backs: Affected business owners are too often left without the necessary documentation or information for FEMA/SBA to process their claims and applications after a disaster. The longer it takes for a small business person to painstakingly re-construct their documentation, the more likely it is that they will give up and the JOBS they created and their tax revenues will be lost forever.

Look at the facts: SBA and the Department of Labor statistics indicate over 40% of businesses that experience a major fire or natural disaster never reopen and over 50% that do fail within two years.

Preemptive Disaster Planning tools for a FEMA/SBA loan need to be accessible on websites such as http://www.preparemybusiness.org/ and http://www.ready.gov/ to provide a way for small business people to be prepared for an SBA Disaster Loan, as opposed to downloadable PDF list.

Why we need to solve this problem now

Mitigate the economic impact: Responsive and prepared government agencies can mitigate the economic impact of disasters. Businesses that reopen quickly after a disaster realize increased business revenue, can put people back to work, create new jobs, and provide much needed sales, property and payroll tax for the impacted communities. Early successes are also critical to boosting morale during recovery efforts and can have a substantial positive effect on the community rebuilding effort.

The technology solution

Make it easy, make it available: We have the technology to solve this problem now and increase the success rate of rebuilding American small businesses and towns long before they may need it. It’s called the http://fundingroadmap.com , a standardized private label licensed cloud-based SBA and GAAP compliant, transparent multiple choice business plan and due diligence reporting system and repository, where all information required by the SBA for a disaster loan is included and can be retrieved from anywhere at any time. See the list here: https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/InfoNeeded.aspx as required by the SBA.

Cloud-based: Fundingroadmap technology can instantly play a very important role in preparing entrepreneurs and small business owners ahead of time so they can compile and protect financial documents and information in an SBA compliant standardized reporting system that is ready in an emergency for the process of applying for FEMA/ SBA small business loans and other necessary capital. Completing a Funding Roadmap document enables a business to look ahead, allocate resources, take key steps, meet challenges, solve problems, and embrace opportunities. It provides a place to compile facts, upload and store securely online all of the answers to the mandatory questions and the documents lenders and investors require during the review process for capital.

Keep moving forward: We all recognize the importance of a plan for startups. Less obvious is the need for established companies to maintain long term effective plans that are flexible enough to adjust to changing challenges and goals and can be made instantly available for review by FEMA/ SBA online should an emergency strike.

Improve staff efficiency

Go virtual: Instant access to this critical information will allow FEMA counselors to assist the recovery efforts of those FEMA staff on the ground in the disaster states, remotely and quickly helping determine the current and future status of a company.

Go mobile: This information is accessible on mobile devices and provides instant access for review by investors, lenders, SBA/FEMA or insurance companies, helping small businesses back to productivity much more quickly than current methods. Fundingroadmap helps claims processors to quickly and accurately determine resources to be distributed to claimants after a disaster with complete security and transparency. You can learn and see more on this short webinar July 12, 2011 from 1 to 1:45 p.m. PST. Join at www.laughlinwebinars.com to secure your space.

The participants’ journey

Keep everyone calm, make the process smoother: Post-disaster processing staff, instead of commiserating with victims and giving them a nearly impossible to-do list of required documents, could instead be receiving applicants armed with everything they need. Claims and loans could be processed in hours, days or weeks, instead of months, years or never.

Bring back jobs: Providing a faster more efficient and successful process for small business owners desperately trying to access capital, to quickly recover after a disaster strikes, rebuilds a community faster, bringing back jobs, community morale and tax revenues.

By implementing a new technologically advanced standardized reporting system, governments can reach victims faster and farther away, engage more easily, and deliver a more successful experience while creating quantifiable results.

This holistic, integrated approach to data management empowers everyone involved and will revolutionize the government’s ability to preserve the businesses of the hard working entrepreneurs who have built this great nation.

By adopting the Fundingroadmap, government can solve the problems as outlined above quickly, and systemically ensure better results.

You’ve got the skills, the products and the services to make you stand out in a crowd. But you compete against companies with more money, more personnel, more name recognition, and more clout. Fortunately, with the right technology, the right attitude and the right image, your clients never need to know that your corporate headquarters is a walk-in closet.

Here are ten ways a small office/home office (SOHO) can look, feel and act a lot bigger than it is. Some require cash; others just demand a commitment to professionalism. Together, they’re an investment in the success of your business.

 1. Get a real phone system
When it comes to telephones, associated equipment, and services, it’s time to splurge. Experts suggest you buy or lease the best system or service you can justify.  For example, the phone system for a technology company in New York includes a company directory that you can dial by name. Every extension on the system goes directly to the desk of the owner and only employee.  This gives clients the first impression that they’re dealing with a company. While that option can cost around $3,000, there are plenty of affordable options. At the very least, you need more than one phone line or DSL which enables you to split your voice and digital capabilities. Nothing spells ‘amateur’ like having to say, “Call me before you send a fax.”  Separate lines for home and business are the best arrangement. A residential line is cheaper, but only a business phone will get you into the business listings in the phone book.

If that’s not in the budget, ask your phone company about getting more than one number on the same line with distinctive rings. That way, you know when the kids can get it and when you need to answer the phone with a formal business greeting.  Also look into voice mail because answering machines don’t work when the power goes off.

2. Polish your presentation
Whether it’s a web site or your business cards, your message should be polished and professional. Among the most common mistakes home-based companies make is using web sites and printed materials created with cheap template programs.

3. Use technology
Many SOHOs stay organized with the help of Palm Pilots; and application service providers (ASPs) help small companies access the high-cost technology that often gives big companies the edge. Most small companies don’t have IT or MIS people.  Software is expensive to buy and install. With a web-based service, you can rent or lease it. It’s leveling the playing field for companies that would have had to plunk down $15,000 to $20,000 to set it up.

4. Utilize your corporation
“Your Biz, Inc.” carries more weight than simply “Your Biz.” It also cuts out 1099 processing, which signals that you’re a sole proprietor. If you don’t want to deal with separate income tax returns and quarterly reports to the IRS, unemployment fund contributions, and annual registrations with the state division of corporations, at least use a DBA.

5. The right address is everything
If you have an address that sounds professional, use it. If, however, you live on Pleasant Hill Road or Periwinkle Lane, you might want to consider renting a post office box. In any situation, experts suggest adding a suite number.

6. Use the royal ‘we’
Always use “we” when referring to yourself in discussions with your clients or prospects. Also, never make big decisions on the spot. If they say, “Well you’re the president, can’t you make the decision?” say, “I need to consult with my executive committee on these matters,” and let it be that. The executive committee may be your dog, but at least you’re not getting bullied by a client because you’re a small shop.

7. Meet on their turf
Unless your space offers some unique advantage for a meeting, don’t meet clients at your office. Go to them, or borrow space at an office to meet. If you take a client to lunch, experts suggest using a corporate charge card to pay for meals with clients. It’s more impressive and makes your expenses easier to track.

8. Accept credit cards
People don’t expect that from a sole proprietor. Besides, if you’re doing business on the Net, you’re dead in the water if you don’t.

9. Consider a toll-free number
It says you want people to inquire about your company to the extent that you’ll pay for the inquiry.

10. Exceed expectations
Answer their questions before the question is even asked.  Tell your clients all your assets, that you have online help, e-mail, and an 800 number for orders, for example. Make your key message customer service, ensuring each time someone uses your product or service, that’s it’s a positive experience and one they can pass along to their friends.

The other day as I was having a conversation with my friend who is a hair stylist and she was telling me how she pays to rent the space she uses to cut hair.  She also has to pay for her own supplies and pays a percentage of her services to the owner of the salon. She was a little surprised when I said, “Congratulations on running your own business.” She never made the connection between her work and being a business owner. She was so focused on the service that she never took the time to understand what being a business owner could mean to her.

In our business, we talk to many people in the same situation.  They don’t give themselves credit for running their own business. They work in a variety of professions; independent contractors, consultants, day care providers, technicians, multilevel marketers, or they might even work for someone else but also run a part-time business.  Well, if you have income coming from other sources beside W-2 income, you might be a business owner with all the benefits that come with it.

“You would be brain dead not to start your own business,” says Sandy Botkin, CPA, Esq.

The IRS wants to give you credit for running your own business. As a business owner you get all sorts of tax deductible benefits from the government.  If you take it one step further and incorporate your business, then you really start to see some savings…no more self-employment tax, 100% tax deductible medical reimbursement plans, paid life insurance, not to mention the liability protection a corporation can provide you.

So go ahead…admit you’re a business owner. Now take the time and really understand what that means to you and the best way to structure your business to take the greatest advantage of being a business owner.

In celebrating you as the business owner that you are, we will be offering special prizes, exclusive webinars, and business success tips during National Small Business Week this May 16-20, 2011. Stay tuned on our website and the blog as we will have new postings each and every day for this special event that honors those that we feel deserve the most recognition…you!

Consider where you want to take your business and what is it that you want most from your success. Is it more time with family? More flexibility in your day-to-day priorities? Extra time to pursue hobbies and interests outside of your company? These are all totally valid and we want to help you get there through our “Getting Down to Business: Be the Entrepreneur You Know You Can Be” Small Business Week Celebration. The kickoff for this event starts May 9, 2011 so start thinking about yourself as a business owner and the areas you really want to improve upon this year. We’re excited to become part of your journey as an entrepreneur now and in years to come!

Email me at sjohn@laughlinusa.com with what you would like to see from us during Small Business Week.

Research of late is showing that necessity is the mother of invention in today’s less-than-thriving job market. In fact, entrepreneurship is at a 15-year high and those finding themselves without a job are simply creating a job instead. Running your own business is risky and at times stressful, but who can argue with the increased freedom and flexibility you have when you’re your own boss. Thousands all over the country have found they enjoy the capability of setting their own hours, capitalizing on their business vision and even the high level of responsibility that comes with running a small business.

In this “Great Recession” as many commentators have donned it, starting a business seems to be most popular among two groups: Latinos and high-school dropouts. In fact, an article from www.CNNmoney.com reports the following on the rise of start-up businesses:

Who is starting what: Immigrants — particularly Latinos — were more likely to start their own businesses compared to Americans born in the U.S. The entrepreneurial activity rate for Latinos last year was 560 per 100,000, twice as high as for Americans born in the U.S.

High school dropouts also had a high rate of entrepreneurship. The rate rose 20% last year to 590 per 100,000, “suggesting an increased number of people entering entrepreneurship out of necessity,” the report says.

The construction and service industries had the highest startup rates; manufacturing had the lowest.

Nevada and Georgia had the highest rate of entrepreneurial activity (510 per 100,000 adults), while West Virginia had the lowest (170 per 100,000).

For more information, read the entire article here.