How to Build a Business in Just 10 Days Get a thriving company off the ground with this plan.
By Nina Zipkin
The decisions you make in a split second can be just as valuable as the ones you spend days, weeks or months mulling over. If you've decided that you want to start your own company, seize the day and get going.
The process can be daunting, but we've broken it down into 10 steps -- a 10-day plan to making your business a reality.
Day 1: Write a business plan. This is a critical step in your success. You might want to eschew the napkin for something a little easier to copy and distribute to potential investors and colleagues.
Day 2: Study the market. Figure out where your products and services stack up compared to your competitors. Find out who your target customers are and what rules and regulations are unique to your industry. But remember, there is such a thing as overdoing it.
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Day 3: Create your brand. To build your identity you need a name, a logo, a website and a social-media presence to get going.
Day 4: Get your legal affairs in order. Hire an attorney to incorporate and draw up documents for legal agreements and ideas you want to trademark.
Day 5: Keep overhead low. Keep startup costs at a level that gives you room to maneuver. If you have to work from home, or in an office space without furniture for a while, find a coffee shop or restaurant to frequent for your meetings.
Day 6: Network, network, network. Get the word out about your business anyway you can, from social media to a company launch event. Find the conferences and events you need to be at to meet fellow industry peers.
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Day 7: Media exposure. Find the outlets and writers whose readership will be interested in your products and services, and pitch them in an engaging and dynamic way.
Day 8: Be your own self-fulfilling prophecy. If you think you can do this, you will.
Day 9: Focus on earning income. If possible, find a way to make some hires to help with the day-to-day tasks so you can focus on the big picture.
Day 10: Celebrate. Get feedback and be proud of yourself.
For more tips on starting up quick, check out the video above.
Related: Delivering World-Class Service on a Startup Budget
