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From Small Business People
We are small business people. CTG-Design started in 2019 and is growing our outreach each month. Our staff brings experience and different perspectives forward when working together. Having a variety of people on the team has helped us curate a set of tips that are helpful when owning a small business. We’ve included some of these tips below for you.
Get Organized From The Start
Organization is a key foundational point your business must-have. When starting, you have the initial paperwork to get your business certified. Then as your business progresses, the paperwork and files start to pile up. Creating a system where you can keep track of everything will set you up to remain organized in the future. Google Drive is a great tool for storing documents since they will be safe if your computer crashes. You can also create a shared Google Drive so other people in your business can have access to the same documents.
Setting Up Your Company
When beginning, you'll want to have an idea of how big or small you'll want your business to be. Once you have that figured out, it will be easier to formalize your business by registering as an LLC or a Corporation for example. You will also need to look into registering as a business in your state. But, this will require a lot of paperwork so having an organized system will really come into play here.
Assembling Your Team
It’s said to never work with friends or family. When having a small business that line can get a little blurry at times. Especially if your business specializes in something that you are very passionate about. Whether you have friends or family on your team, creating a strong core base of employees will help your business succeed. Working with and for good people in an environment that encourages innovation and growth will lead to a higher quality of work.
Money, Money, Money
Having a start-up investor or an amount set aside by you to start your business will be how you kick-start everything. You need start-up capital to get everything up and running as well as a safety net when things may get tough. As many businesses experienced during the height of the pandemic, having a safety net will help you in case unprecedented hard times arise. Having an accountant or being constantly aware of your business's financial situation yourself will help with this too. You never want to end up in a situation where you thought you had more money than you actually do.
Prepare Yourself for What May Come
Starting and running a small business is hard. Before starting down this path it’s important to be aware of the stress and anxiety that may come. This is especially true if you are quitting a stable job to focus on your small business. The beginning is the most tumultuous time because you aren’t sure if your business will take off and grow or crash. Either way, it’s important not to ignore the long hours and emotional roller coaster you may go on. This is also a conversation to have with your family and loved ones so they can be prepared to support you in times of struggle.
Spreading the Word
Starting a business means getting the word out about what you are offering. Today we have social media to spread the word farther and faster than ever before. Creating social media account and a website makes your business much more accessible*. Telling people in your personal life and local area about your business will increase interest. In turn, this will kickstart the process of gaining your first clients. Staying active on social media as the business grows will also benefit you. More businesses are being discovered online than ever.
Persevere - Even When You Don’t Want To
You may hit a point in your small business journey when you want to throw in the towel. When you feel this way, remember why you started this business. Reconnect with the passion that you turned into your job. Take a break if you need to but don’t give up. All great success comes from struggle. Sticking it out when you reach a breaking point will only make you stronger. Once you get out of that place and start thriving again, you’ll be grateful that you stuck through it.
We hope you enjoyed our blog post this week and found some of these tips helpful! We can be found on Instagram, Facebook, and our website if you’re interested in considering a website/logo designer as well as social media management!
Written by: Jordan Basham
*CTG-Design can help with social media management and website creation. Check out our website to see how we can help your small business grow!