My husband, Gregg, and his brother, Randy, decided to start a business to market Ring It! Golf, a flying ring game that mimics golf rules. I remember my husband saying he wrote more checks in the first month of organizing this project…and he wasn’t even in a position to make sales! I can attest to that free flow of outgoing dollars!
I work for a local city and I see many business license applicants come across my work place. They all seem to echo that same sentiment. I suppose it is just the first steps of trying to bring your passion to the marketplace. When the customer has completed the transaction, I offer a very sincere “Good luck with your business.” I know they are going to need it!
In the process of my husband’s business and at my own work, I can offer a few observations that might be helpful. I don’t claim to be any sort of business advisor, so take my offering with a grain of salt.
- Assemble your team. It just seems to be a fact that these days no small business will succeed on just one person’s idea alone – no matter how inspired. Use your resources to the best they can help you. Do you have an accountant friend? Does your neighbor’s daughter still go to college for marketing? Is your brother really great with computers? These can all be great assets to at least start formulating a business plan.
- Online resources are plentiful. Gregg used a popular legal paperwork processing web site to establish a trademark and get preliminary information on a patent. It was quick, cheap, and efficient. He had his accountant friend look over some of the documents to validate their worth. Gregg also took free online courses through the SBA web site to learn about marketing.
- Randy used Yahoo’s Site Builder and actually created the web site www.ringitgolf.com. Are there better web sites out there? Yes! But this one just cost time and the loss of several thousand (okay million) brain cells. Also, it has a homey touch that I believe imparts the spirit of brother entrepreneurs. And it works – Big plus!
- Check with your bank to see what programs, like SBA loans, they have for business start-ups. Gregg and Randy each opened business accounts and actually received a bonus deposit for doing so! Woohoo, they made some money finally!
- When dealing with regulators and government office staff, approach the folks with wide-eyed wonder and ask for their help. A little humility and patience goes a long way. I notice my co-workers really like taking someone under their wing and provide excellent customer service – especially when the customers seem to really need the guidance. Gregg, normally quite impatient especially with government regulatory agencies, tried this on his trip to get his resale license. He was completely astounded by the excellent treatment he received, the “nurturing” atmosphere, and high caliber of expertise on the part of the employee.
Part 1: The Pain and Passion of Starting a Small Business
