Starting a Business: How to Become an Entrepreneur
Starting a business can be extremely exciting, challenging and fulfilling. The Web sites below will help you weigh the sense of ownership and accomplishment associated with entrepreneurship against the long hours and potential stress. These resources will also help you start your business and provide the necessary information to keep it running smoothly. Finally, this guide can connect you with the entrepreneurial community.
Expand All Guide SectionsEntrepreneurial Self-Assessments
Have you ever had a great idea for a business, but weren’t sure if you should or could take the steps to implement it? The first part of this section can help you decide whether you’ve got what it takes to start your own business, while the second part can aid you in choosing what kind of business to start.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Certainly, online self-assessments are not foolproof. After all, there are many varieties of entrepreneurial personalities out there. If the sites indicate that you’re not the entrepreneur type, don’t give up. Use the sites as guides, not mandates.
- Maybe your business idea is on a particularly small scale: you’re interested in becoming a freelancer. The findingDulcinea Freelance Web Guide can help you find work, file taxes or manage your clients.
Dulcinea's Picks
To help you decide whether to start a business …
Business Owner’s Toolkit
has a “Small Business Guide” that includes a section on “Starting Your Business.” Visit each section to find a general overview that links to more specific articles. For example, “Do You Have What It Takes?” should help you make up your mind whether to start a business.
The U.S. Small Business Association
provides an article called “Is Entrepreneurship For You?” This short introduction points out if your skills and personality are those of an entrepreneur. Once you've made up your mind to establish a business, use the "Small Business Readiness Assessment Tool" to get started.
To decide what kind of business to start …
Entrepreneur.com
offers the article "Choosing a Product or Service to Sell," that asks you 29 questions about your potential new business, including "Would you sell…[the product] to your mother, your best friend, your next-door neighbor?" and "Do you personally like the customers who'll be buying this product or service?"
CNNMoney.com
has an article, "5 ways to start a company (without quitting your day job)," that presents five real-life examples of employees who have used their know-how, connections or salaries from their jobs to start companies of their own.
Starting the Business
Now that you’ve decided entrepreneurship is for you, it’s time to start your own ... read more »
Connecting With the Entrepreneur Community
You’re certainly not alone in your business endeavors. There’s a large community of ... read more »
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