Hello all.......

I have been racking my brain to come up with a business that I believe will work in a small area. I have finally come up with a service business that incorporates my previous clerical, management, and organization skills. I plan on offering a broad variety of services to start in order to determine where my largest niche market is, and then I will focus in on that. Because of living in a small rural community I believe that is my best option. I felt starting a service business would elimate having to have a large amount of start up investment.

Here is the problem...........I am currently working in a job that offers me absolutely NO potential to even fathom setting a side a little cash each week for a start up investment. So basically at this point in time I have no start up money to invest into my business. I know that continuing where I am at currently will only dig me in a deeper hole finacially, so realistically I have to get out. I have searched high and low for a job that would spring me forward but to no avail. I feel that starting my own business is my only REAL chance of making it finacially, and it has long been my passion to do so.

My credit history is far from favorable due to previous illness, and job changes. I need about $5000.00-$10,000.00 for start up for my business in order to purchase equipment, software, advertising, and start up expenses, in addition to allowing me a small cushion to get off and running. I want to pursue this full force once I am ready to move forward, but I lack the funds to do so and I am very limited on ideas for sources willing to finance a new business, especially when you consider my personal credit is rather lackluster. I am hoping someone can offer me some suggestions regarding this matter.

I am passionate about running my own business. Ideally, I would eventually like to own a larger scale business once this takes off and I can show a favorable business credit history and successful business history. I want to be able to offer employment opportunities to others and expand growth in my community. I have decided to start on a small scale to start in order to establish myself as a successful business owner and entrepreneur. Please offer me some advice or suggestion.

Thank you very much,

Tam

Hi Tam,
My name is chris of SC. I'm in the same boat as u r. I have a small business and with little to no money to put towards it. I made my own business cards and passed them out to everyone and anyone. Word of mouth is first. Think of it this way. You know about 250 ppl so, they know say 250 ppl, and so on. Pass the word around. Flyers up in stores, businesses too. Let me know what happens. Chri

Living and learning.

>Hello all.......
>
>I have been racking my brain to come up with a business that I
>believe will work in a small area. I have finally come up
>with a service business that incorporates my previous
>clerical, management, and organization skills. I plan on
>offering a broad variety of services to start in order to
>determine where my largest niche market is, and then I will
>focus in on that. Because of living in a small rural
>community I believe that is my best option. I felt starting a
>service business would elimate having to have a large amount
>of start up investment.
>
>Here is the problem...........I am currently working in a job
>that offers me absolutely NO potential to even fathom setting
>a side a little cash each week for a start up investment. So
>basically at this point in time I have no start up money to
>invest into my business. I know that continuing where I am at
>currently will only dig me in a deeper hole finacially, so
>realistically I have to get out. I have searched high and low
>for a job that would spring me forward but to no avail. I
>feel that starting my own business is my only REAL chance of
>making it finacially, and it has long been my passion to do
>so.
>
>My credit history is far from favorable due to previous
>illness, and job changes. I need about $5000.00-$10,000.00
>for start up for my business in order to purchase equipment,
>software, advertising, and start up expenses, in addition to
>allowing me a small cushion to get off and running. I want to
>pursue this full force once I am ready to move forward, but I
>lack the funds to do so and I am very limited on ideas for
>sources willing to finance a new business, especially when you
>consider my personal credit is rather lackluster. I am hoping
>someone can offer me some suggestions regarding this matter.
>
>I am passionate about running my own business. Ideally, I
>would eventually like to own a larger scale business once this
>takes off and I can show a favorable business credit history
>and successful business history. I want to be able to offer
>employment opportunities to others and expand growth in my
>community. I have decided to start on a small scale to start
>in order to establish myself as a successful business owner
>and entrepreneur. Please offer me some advice or suggestion.
>
>Thank you very much,
>
>Tam

If you are looking for grant funding then it will probably make you happy to know that your credit doesn't factor into getting a grant. What DOES factor into getting a grant is showing how serious you are?

Have you taken a lot at the grant program offered by this (Business Owner's Cafe) website? They are very proud of their grant program and they mention it often.

There are more and more grant programs opening up to help people start their own business. The last one I found for a client was from a state program that just started that is going to offer a grant program for those that want to start their own business - Why was this program put in place? Because the state wants to help their residents get out of poverty and into more productive lives.

Are you a woman or a minority? There are many grant programs for starting a business that you should be checking on.

I also do know that there is a government grant program that is related to building up business in the rural areas so you should go to the government's website to find out more about that program.

You sound very passionate and dedicated to what it is you want to do however you have to convince the people that have the money that you want to apply for that you are serious. Most of the grant programs that I mentioned above require - at least - that you submit a business plan. The government grant program that I mentioned will require a bit more and will be a bit more complicated as far as applying for but if you do manage to be eligible the government grants usually award the most in money.

Rose
Grant Basics 101
http://grantbasics101.bravehost.com/grants.htm

Thank you for your input Rose.

I have considered the Grant route myself, but a lot of the information I have been reading seems to point to grants not generally being award to begin new small businesses. Perhaps I need to dive a bit further to find the most accurate information. If you have any ideas to legitimate websites that may offer some of these grants, I would appreciate it.

Thank you!
Tam

>Thank you for your input Rose.
>
>I have considered the Grant route myself, but a lot of the
>information I have been reading seems to point to grants not
>generally being award to begin new small businesses. Perhaps
>I need to dive a bit further to find the most accurate
>information. If you have any ideas to legitimate websites
>that may offer some of these grants, I would appreciate it.
>
>Thank you!
>Tam

Unfortunately "diving deeper" is what you are going to have to do. Also you didn't mention whether or not you looked into the grant program offered right here on the Business Owner's Cafe site.

I can tell you right now that there is a government program to help provide better economic conditions in rural areas so if your area qualifies as a rural area then you should look into that grant program.

There is a grant program to help people fulfill their dreams and entrepreneurs are eligible to apply. There are all sorts of legitimate grant programs out there but the problem seems to be in people finding these programs. Unfortunately just because one can't find them doesn't mean that they don't exist it just means that they haven't found them yet. The ONLY reason that I know about these grant programs is because I took the time to look for them.

As I replied before these grant programs don't look at your past credit history - it is not a concern of theirs but what is a big concern of theirs is how serious you are about starting your business. A lot of these entrepreneurial programs require at least a business plan be submitted. And since you're not automatically guarenteed a grant just because you apply for one means that you have to make your submission the best that it can be.

Unfortunately there is no secret to finding these grant programs. You have to take the time to look for them.

Rose
Grant Basics 101
http://grantbasics101.bravehost.com/grants.htm

Hello

First I would decide on what business I wanted to start.
What are you passionate about?
You can't have exact funding ideas without knowing exactly
what you want to do.
A home cleaning service might help with time and money.
I would think you have most supplies to start already.
Plus you could do it on weekends to make extra startup money.

Or some of the home parties for extra money.
Best wishes
John

John,

Thank you for your input. I do have a couple of ideas as to what direction I want to go. I am thinking of either doing a service type business, such as assisting business with HR services, collecting, screening, interviewing applicants in order to assist busy professionals muddle through all the applicants that apply for any given position. In addition, I would do reference checks, employment verification, education and license verification and so on for prospective employers and a miriad of other HR related tasks (updating employee files, tracking when employees are due to receive benefits and/or raises or reviews, completing paperwork, and so on) Also, I was going to possibly incorporate errand services and perhaps personal shopping/acknowledgement of employees, referral source, clients, etc.

The other idea I was considering was creating and selling gift baskets, targeting again businesses to create promotional gift baskets for marketing purposes, and for employee, client, referral source recognition, holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, special occasions, and in thanks. I would focus a small amount on perhaps the private sector if there was a demand or need for it.

So this is why I am seeking funding for, one of these ideas.

Thanks,

Tam

Tam,

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Tam

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