Becoming an Entrepreneur
How to Create a Killer Elevator Pitch
A "killer elevator pitch" is something that every entrepreneur needs to have in his or her back pocket for those critical chance encounters with a potential investor, business partner or ally. Learn the essential ingredients for crafting an elevator pitch that makes a great impression in the most minimal amount of time.
How to Start Up While Still Employed
A good hedge against the risks of starting your own business is to start up while you still have a job that pays a regular salary and benefits. If you’re in a position to do that, you’ll have the best of both worlds. There are some simple Do’s and Don’ts that can guide you as you walk a sometimes fine line between your career and entrepreneurship.
Steps to Starting Your Own Business
Increasing numbers of people are coming to realize that corporate America has changed. If you are among them, here are seven key steps to starting your own business.
I Have a Great Business/Product Idea: Now What?
The critical steps to get your business or product idea from conceptual stage to the marketplace.
How to Know if You Have What it Takes to be an Entrepreneur
If you’re thinking of taking the entrepreneurial plunge, it’s important to know to what it takes to be successful before you make what could be the biggest financial and emotional commitment of your life. Here five ways to know if entrepreneurship may be right for you.
Are You an Entrepreneur?
Compare the characteristics of successful entrepreneurs to your own attitudes and habits.
Five Resources You Need to Succeed
Anyone can start a small business. But to be one of those businesses that succeeds and continues to flourish isn't so easy. If you're going to start a business that has staying power, there are five resources that you must have in place before you open your literal or figurative doors. From our Small Business: Canada Guide.
So You Want to Start a Small Business?
Thinking of starting a small business? You're on the right track. There's a lot of thinking to be done before you plunge into entrepreneurship. Three basic questions you can ask yourself will let you know whether you're ready for the entrepreneurial lifestyle or not. From our Small Business: Canada Guide.
Starting Your Own Business - Do You Have What It Takes?
Entrepreneurs come in all shapes and sizes and personality types. Some are full of big ideas while others are better at execution. Some take big risks while others play it more safe. But there are a few things most successful entrepreneurs have in common.
Keys to Success: Hire Well, Watch Out for Bad Contracts, Fail Fast
Striking Out on Your Own: Becoming an Entrepreneur
Our Career Planning Guide provides food for thought and links for exploring the decision to become an entrepreneur.
Starting Your Own Business - Do You Have What It Takes?
Entrepreneurs come in all shapes and sizes and personality types. Some are full of big ideas while others are better at execution. Some take big risks while others play it more safe. But there are a few things most successful entrepreneurs have in common.
Starting a Business Doesn't Have to Take Long or Cost a Lot
Ideas for low-cost businesses you can start quickly.
How to Get Your Inner Steve Jobs Working
Business communications coach studies Apple CEO Steve Jobs for secrets to innovation
The Facebook Movie Reveals Keys to Entrepreneurial Success & Failure
The movie The Social Network offers excellent lessons in entrepreneurship and how some people fall short as drivers of new concepts.
13 Rules for Creating an Entrepreneurial Game-Changing Company
Silicon Valley investor and author Andy Kessler explains new rules for entrepreneurial success.
Swinging for the Fences: Risk, Reward, and Entrepreneurship
Are you a Hank Aaron or a Ty Cobb? A Barry Bonds or a Hugh Duffy? Do you consistently get on base or do you swing for the fences? The answer will tell you a lot about whether entrepreneurship is right for you, and if so, what style will best suit you. Understanding your attitude towards risk and reward is essential for a happy life as an entrepreneur.
6 Tips for Deciding Whether to Continue an Entrepreneurial Venture
Entrepreneurs often reach a stage in development of their business where they have to put in additional financial resources beyond what they intended. This brings up a go/no-go decision point.
Wicked Start Launches Free Service to Make Startup Business Planning Easier
A free online site offers templates and tools to help early-stage entrepreneurs map their product and a path to launch.
How to Turn Your Good Business Instincts into Great Innovations
Entrepreneurs often get stuck by not thinking big enough. They need to find ways to allow their impractical ideas to take effect.
Kris Ruby's Advice for Young Entrepreneurs:
24-year-old Kris Ruby runs a fledgling social media and PR agency and has advice for fellow entrepreneurs that has as much to do with lifestyle as business -- including eating right and avoiding bad romantic relationships.
Are You Entrepreneur Material?
Tolerance for failure, appetite for risk and other important entrepreneurial qualities from real life figures like Steve Jobs, Anita Roddick and Ben & Jerry.
I Have a Great Idea For a Business. Now What Do I Do?
You've got a great idea for a business. Now how do you get started? From finding the right strategic alliances to business planning to fundraising, here are a clear set of steps to help you get started.
How to Create a Killer Elevator Pitch
A "killer elevator pitch" is something that every entrepreneur needs to have in his or her back pocket for those critical chance encounters with a potential investor, business partner or ally. Learn the essential ingredients for crafting an elevator pitch that makes a great impression in the most minimal amount of time.
Get a Competitive Edge
Defining the competitive environment for your business is a critical step in business planning. This article demystifies the process through free online tools like research reports, social media monitoring, keyword trends and more.
Are You Entrepreneur Material?
Tolerance for failure, appetite for risk and other important entrepreneurial qualities from real life figures like Steve Jobs, Anita Roddick and Ben & Jerry.
Are You Entrepreneur Material?
Do you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur? Do you know what it's like, and are you prepared for the risks as well as the rewards? Our Small Business Canada Guide's interactive quiz will help you assess your attitudes to see if you're ready.
Swinging for the Fences: Risk, Reward, and Entrepreneurship
Are you a Hank Aaron or a Ty Cobb? A Barry Bonds or a Hugh Duffy? Do you consistently get on base or do you swing for the fences? The answer will tell you a lot about whether entrepreneurship is right for you, and if so, what style will best suit you. Understanding your attitude towards risk and reward is essential for a happy life as an entrepreneur.
Seek an Edge by Finding Your Niche
The ability to clearly differentiate yourself from your competition is the key to long-term survival as an entrepreneur. Otherwise you end up competing on price, and that's hard to do against larger competitors. In this excerpt from his book, "The Engine of America", former SBA Administrator Hector Barreto offers his tips and some case studies on finding your niche.
Failure Makes Choices
Since 80 percent of all new businesses fail within five years, you might as well learn to handle it. In fact, if you can start building this mind - set before you fail the first time, you’ll be ahead of the game.
Seek an Edge by Finding Your Niche
The ability to clearly differentiate yourself from your competition is the key to long-term survival as an entrepreneur. Otherwise you end up competing on price, and that's hard to do against larger competitors. In this excerpt from his book, "The Engine of America", former SBA Administrator Hector Barreto offers his tips and some case studies on finding your niche.
Do Entrepreneurs Need Good Luck?
Just how much of a role does good luck have in entrepreneurial success? And just how much of a role do we play in making our own luck. Alex Rovira and Fernando Trias de Bes, authors of "Good Luck: Create the Conditions for Success in Life & Business", say that there are five things entrepreneur can do to help create their own luck.
Do Entrepreneurs Need Good Luck?
Just how much of a role does good luck have in entrepreneurial success? And just how much of a role do we play in making our own luck. Alex Rovira and Fernando Trias de Bes, authors of "Good Luck: Create the Conditions for Success in Life & Business", say that there are five things entrepreneur can do to help create their own luck.
Failure Makes Choices
Since 80 percent of all new businesses fail within five years, you might as well learn to handle it. In fact, if you can start building this mind - set before you fail the first time, you’ll be ahead of the game.
Are You Entrepreneur Material?
Do you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur? Do you know what it's like, and are you prepared for the risks as well as the rewards? Our Small Business Canada Guide's interactive quiz will help you assess your attitudes to see if you're ready.
Striking Out on Your Own: Becoming an Entrepreneur
Our Career Planning Guide provides food for thought and links for exploring the decision to become an entrepreneur.
So You Want to Start a Small Business?
Thinking of starting a small business? You're on the right track. There's a lot of thinking to be done before you plunge into entrepreneurship. Three basic questions you can ask yourself will let you know whether you're ready for the entrepreneurial lifestyle or not. From our Small Business: Canada Guide.
Five Resources You Need to Succeed
Anyone can start a small business. But to be one of those businesses that succeeds and continues to flourish isn't so easy. If you're going to start a business that has staying power, there are five resources that you must have in place before you open your literal or figurative doors. From our Small Business: Canada Guide.
Are You an Entrepreneur?
Compare the characteristics of successful entrepreneurs to your own attitudes and habits.
Kris Ruby's Advice for Young Entrepreneurs:
24-year-old Kris Ruby runs a fledgling social media and PR agency and has advice for fellow entrepreneurs that has as much to do with lifestyle as business -- including eating right and avoiding bad romantic relationships.
Entrepreneurship for Kids
Fostering entrepreneurial values in kids is easy says the author of the new book "Kidrapreneurs."
Unusual Ways to Develop Your Entrepreneurial Side
Some great ways of developing your entrepreneurial side, including meditation, public speaking, volunteering and more.
7 Reasons to Give Thanks You're an Entrepreneur
7 reasons to give thanks you're an entrepreneur including getting to wear whatever you want, making your own hours, taking charge of your success and more.
Twelve Months of Entrepreneurial Resources and Action Plans
Twelve months of tips and action plans on the areas of highest importance to entrepreneurs, including Research, Business Plan, Funding, User Acquisition, Productivity, Customer Service, Pivoting
Setbacks, Scaling and taking Stock.
Essentials for the Entrepreneur's Bookshelf
Ten essential books on business planning, marketing, productivity and more.
Questions to Ask Yourself Before Starting Your Business
Key questions that entrepreneurs need to ask before starting a business
Why it Pays To Work in a Startup Before Launching Your Own
What entrepreneurs can learn from an apprenticeship at a startup.
they are moms who juggle the demands of raising kids and a business.
Mompreneurs are everywhere -- they are moms who juggle the demands of raising kids with the demands of raising a business. While that's no easy task, mompreneurs apply their creativity to earning cash while bringing up babies. But what are some of the best gigs for "work at home" moms? From blogging your passion to freelance writing to affiliate marketing to call center work, these are some of the best jobs for entrepreneur moms.
Who's Got Your Back?
From coworking to forming a business support group, here are ideas on keeping your motivation strong while working on your business vision.
Ideas For Consultants Who Want More and Better Work
Book Yourself Solid has for a long time been an invaluable system for consultants looking to book more and better work. A new illustrated edition adds another layer to the useful guide -- offering a visual roadmap to a much more profitable consulting business. Here are some of the highlights of the book.