Article Noodle

1.) Like a boyscout, be honest, trustworthy, and professional in all business dealings. In a small business your reputation counts for a lot. Customers will either think well of you and spread the word, or think poorly of you and trash your business - which would you rather have?

2.) While still at your original job and before you quit to go full-time at your new business you should be finding as many customers and potential customers as possible. Get going on all marketing efforts because this is what will dictate the success or failure of your business assuming you have a viable business to start with.

3.) Business research. Ideally you will run almost every important part of your business through Google to see what everyone else in the same situation is doing with their business. When you are piloting your own small business you will need to be an expert at everything after a fast period of time where you're learning everything you need to know. Joining business groups in your niche can be a big help. Online forums covering your niche is also a great place to get free information from people that want to help as they're probably not in direct competition with you.

4.) Follow passions. I'm talking in this case about doing business in a niche that you love. This may well be the prime determinant of whether your business succeeds or not. If you love what you do you are more likely to put the required effort into it and make it a winner because it is the ideal business for you!

5.) Don't break the bank! A clue that you're not going to make it and your business will fail is that you have already spent most or all of the money by the time you are ready to open to the public. That's a very bad sign. It's a sign that you need to keep working at your 'other job' too. Don't quit too soon.

6.) Don't walk alone. You, and every small business owner I have met - including myself, needs help. If, during all my website development over the last 12 years I was responsible for doing everything - I wouldn't have enjoyed the success I have. In fact, I'd probably not have been a web developer at all. Find help. You need it. We all do.

7.) Business plans are not optional. They are necessary whether you are going to a lender for funds or not. You'll need it to guide your business and to bring others on-board. Your business plan will be the in your face reality that you may need confronted with because many businesses are started on dreams. The business plan can help lead you to the place where dreams and reality mesh.

8.) Outsource tasks and entire projects you don't want to do, and that you're not competent doing. Outsource trivial tasks that take your time. Your time should be spent keeping an eye on product development, sales, and marketing, and managing customer service.

9.) Locate more funding resources than you think you need. Have some backups you can use if you reach a place where you cannot continue without more funding. Many businesses that would pull through the hard-times get stuck in a place where the funding dries up and the entire business dies. Don't get caught in that place.

10.) Find a good accountant, lawyer, and business advisor. Stay up on taxes and other legal points that could sink your business. Lawyers are good for advice on certain things, and business advisors like at the Small Business Administration are good for general advice.

The author is an internet marketing consultant that has created hundreds of business websites and helped incorporate hundreds of businesses over the past decade at Start Florida Business (StartFloridaBusiness.com).