What’s the first thing you did when you decided to start your business? 🧠

[isabelle]

Hi Seller Community! 🎃 Today we're wondering...

What’s the first thing you did when you decided to start your business? 

Can't wait to read your replies 🤓

[MONOGRAMPLUS01]

First, 

I opened business email,

Than, applied for business license, called all people I know, that I am starting a new business.  

started from home, than looked for a store front affordable, 

finally, I got the lease, rent a store 

started buildup day and night after 4 weeks of struggle opened my retail shop, 

I have no business plan, but I got the creative imagination!

I just like to serve the customer; That is my #1 plan. 

[Trucker2014]

Need help setting up my account

[Trucker2014]

Need to set a password

[PetitePaws]

Market research, including segmentation and demographics, thorough competitive analysis, and a solid market penetration strategy. This went into a business plan. I didn't want to get into it only because I knew it would be something I love doing. I wanted to determine if it could have a high probability of success and was a business with expanded potential over time. After this, then I spent time and money on all the other things that come with establishing and launching a new business. 

[TerrorTacos]

Created a budget/business plan. 

[wooshrooms]

Did the legal things with state, federal, etc. Registered some domain names. Ordered supplies and started making stock. Made sure to remember to have fun and enjoy making things my customers will love. Happy stress equals success

[ARI24]

I was happy bc ma life was down nd i was trying  help ma fam so yh💖

[Lavender21]

have my clients love the skin they are in

[GourmetOnWheels]

Got my business license, got incorporated, called my suppliers to 30 Day net.

René

[Christian_CDG]

I started a web/graphic design company that serves small business owners with digital marketing needs, and it is a partnership with a friend of mine. We had to file for our partnership at the county courthouse, then open a business bank account. We did this using a very barebones business plan. We had the website and social media networks already up and going before we incorporated; and we also made a list of what equipment we would need to buy.

[AnnaB]

Business plan.  With financial projections ran 24 pages.  Who what where when how why plus financials. 

Caught a lot of issues and problems before they appeared, and had the solutions already thought through. 

[Anthem]

Learn what you're good at, what you want to spend time on, and what you don't. Finding a good bookkeeper & CPA will save you countless hours and mistakes if that isn't what you enjoy spending your time doing. Identifying the key responsibilities, who will own them, and how you'll handle any cross-training needs will allow you to work on your business rather than being tied down by putting out fires and doing things that steal the joys that got you into your business. I've found the money spent on contract staff to do the things that don't bring me joy is far less than the money I'd have spent doing (fixing) issues if I'd have done it myself and I enjoy running my business far more.

[Abigails_stl]

I was working what I like to call "regular retail" in a mall... I was so burned out but I knew I still loved retail at heart. I had always wanted to open my own store, and after working on Thanksgiving day for the 3rd year in a row, I took a vacation and visited my favorite gift stores. I asked the owners for their advice and across the board it was "I wish I would have done it sooner" and "create a budget, then double it." With my decision made, and my parents guaranteeing I could live in their basement if I failed, I went back to work and turned in my 2 month notice...I would have felt horrible leaving during the Christmas rush. I moved back to my home town, signed a lease within a week and was open within 6 weeks. 

[ThanatosX33]

Decided I was commited enough  to be doing this until it kills me things work and pay out or life on earth is a scam and completely garbage. I’ll be gone soon motherfvckers^*

[KeenTaxService]

STREAMLINE. I inherited a tax business. I cut out a lot of unnecessary expenses, such as a shady card processing company that basically punished us for being a seasonal business and charged $50+/month during our off-season for not having transactions. (Gotta love Square, so much simpler and more fair to us little businesses.) I also started scanning documents and reduced our paper trail as much as possible to cut costs and be more environmentally friendly. I set up an online appointment book and forwarded the office phone to my work cell phone so I could be more available, and signed up to a secure online drop-box for more tech-savvy clients to send their documents to me. (Never email your sensitive documents!!)

When all the elderly preparers retired and it was just me, I decided to change the name since it was named after one of the retired preparers. I did a domain name search to make sure I got the URL I wanted, reserved my business name with the Secretary of State after verifying my chosen business name was available, incorporated with a lawyer (LLC), got my EIN, got the business banking account open, designed and ordered business cards, and then updated all the old accounts, bills, insurance, etc. And then alternated between panicking over being by myself and relishing my freedom to blast my music as I wanted when there weren't clients in the office! 😛

[HairbylauralynL]

I got a chair a hair pic and started braiding.  Completely back to front.  I don’t even think business was my intention. But people kept asking me to do their hair…. So I did, I now I’m here.  And very tired. But still love it.