Tag: Forbes

Categories
Business motivation

5 Key Factors To Kick-Start A Small Business Consulting Firm In 2023

5 Key Factors To Kick-Start A Small Business Consulting Firm In 2023
5 Key Factors To Kick-Start A Small Business Consulting Firm In 2023

Consultancy is a large and profitable industry. Organizations around the globe spent more than $155 billion in 2018 on consulting firms.

India has five of the largest IT consultancies in the world.  That is more than China, Ireland, and France combined. And it is two less than the United States if you consider the companies whose outsourcing practice is at the core of their business, like IBM for instance, according to a report published in Forbes.

In India companies like Wipro, Infosys, Tech Mahindra, and TATA Consultancy Services are the big names in the industry. However, where small and mid-level businesses are concerned, there are many industries and business owners who have plenty of professional challenges and are looking for business coaches to resolve their business challenges.

If you want to start your startup, starting a business consulting firm is a lucrative business idea. All you need to discover is your strength and expertise in a particular field.

Life as a consultant has a lot going for you in 2023. Here is a definitive step-by-step guide to starting your consultancy firm:

1. Choose your Segment

A consultant is a professional who is an expert in a particular field. It not just provides you an edge in the market but also helps you to differentiate yourself from all the other generalized consultants.

If you have a problem with your eye, would you go to an optician or a general physician? Optician, right? Similarly, when planning to start a consulting business, it is highly recommended to specialize in a niche segment. Knowing that you are an expert in their issue will give confidence to your clients. After all, they are going to invest their money to pay your fees.

Have a business idea? You can hire a business coach as well for your business.

2. Get Proper Certification & License

Based on your profession and specialization, you may need special certifications or licenses. For instance, you will have to register as a professional fund-raising consultant before starting any consultancy services.

3. Define your Consulting Services

Consulting is a broad and vague concept. But clients and potential clients do not pay money for vague promises. Hence, you need to showcase the specific consulting services you will offer and deliver to your existing as well as new potential clients. You can start by analyzing your skillset and brainstorming the general consulting services before you take up any new project.

This could be beneficial for both you and your clients. Your clients can make a comfortable, clear, and informed decision. You should also understand why clients hire consultants. Some businesses hire consultants to supplement their staff, identify and resolve problems, to promote change, to influence important decision-makers. As a consultant, your services and deliverables are foremost important for the business. Once you know what you will be offering to your clients, you are ready to take on the world with your next step- writing a business plan.

4. Write a Business Plan

When starting a business, entrepreneurs tend to make multiple mistakes and rush into things without considering the crucial element of their business – a clear vision and goal.

A clear and well-defined goal helps you to focus solely. And the focus comes from a business plan. Though writing a business plan is not necessary, it can help you crystallize your innovative ideas and avoid mistakes.

Entrepreneurs who take time to write business plans when starting a business are 2.5 times more likely to get their business off the ground. But do not get obsessed with writing every other small detail. You can write a concise business plan and start working on it.

5. Decide your Legal Business Structure

Before you start your small business consulting services, you need to decide which type of entity you need to register. As your legal aspect of business affects everything, do not rush yourself into deciding to register your business immediately.

Spend some time reading about all four types of business entities:

a). A sole proprietorship

b). Partnership

c). Limited Liability Company (LLC)

d). Corporation

Starting a business from scratch is not easy. Hence, pay some attention to developing your brand identity. Once you have defined your brand, you can start and run a consulting business. To learn how you can run a consulting business smoothly, you can take our ‘Business coaching program’. To know more about it, click here: www.badabusiness.com

Categories
Motivational

Meet Neha Narkhede; The Youngest Self-Made Woman Entrepreneur!

Success Story Of The Youngest Self-Made Woman Entrepreneur
Success Story Of The Youngest Self-Made Woman Entrepreneur

Summary: Co-founder and former chief technology officer of cloud company Confluent has become the youngest self-made woman entrepreneur in Harun India’s rich list.

Indian American entrepreneur Neha Narkhede (37) has made it to the list of India’s youngest self-made woman entrepreneurs on the Hurun India Rich List 2022. Born in Pune, Neha, co-Founder of Confluent- a streaming data technology company now figures in the IIFL Wealth list for 2022.

In June 2021, Confluent had risen to 25 percent on the NASDAQ, reaching a market valuation of US $11.4 billion. The eleventh edition of IIFL Wealth Hurun Rich List included 1,103 individuals this year, up by 96 from 2021, across 122 cities. With a net worth of Rs 13,380 crores, Neha is 8th amongst the top 10 richest Indian women on the Hurun Rich List.

The Kotak Private Banking Hurun Leading Wealthy Women List 2021, published by Hurun Report, is the third annual list of India’s wealthiest women entrepreneurs and professional managers. According to the list, nine of the 20 women under the age of 40 are self-made.

Her Educational Background

Born and brought up in Pune, Neha did her BSc in Engineering from SCTR’s Pune Institute of Computer Technology. In 2006, after graduation, she joined Georgia Tech and later joined Oracle where she worked till 2010.

In February 2010, Neha joined LinkedIn as a software engineer. In two years she donned various hats on the professional social media platform. In September 2014, along with her colleague she left Linkedin to build Confluent, a multi-billion dollar tech company. She was the CTO of the tech giant until January 2020. Currently, she is an independent consultant to tech enterprises and helps them scale.

Her Father Was Her Inspiration!

When she was asked about her biggest inspiration, Neha excitedly replies—‘My Father’. She shares that her father has been the single largest influence in her career. He would narrate her stories of trailblazing women and has cultivated a sense of empowerment in her.

Neha is also 55th on the 2022 America’s Self-Made Woman list by Forbes. In 2018, she was inducted as World’s Top 50 Women in Tech and also America’s Top 50 Women in Tech. Neha is also the winner of the 2022 Technology Entrepreneurship Abie Award.

Her dedication and self-belief are the major contributors that made her successful. If you too want to achieve something bigger in life, be persistent, passionate, and dedicated towards your goals.

The idea of managing a business is easier said than done and we completely agree with you. This is why to help you move forward with your business goals, we at Bada Business offer an exclusive Business Coaching Program that comes with Foundation courses, specialized courses, and value-added courses. These courses will act like tools meant for rising stars just like you. Our apps and services let you manage many aspects of your business with the minimum investment of time and money, leaving you free to focus on the larger picture. To know more about our courses, visit: www.badabusiness.com

Categories
Startup

5 Ways Digital Marketing Helps Startup in Business Growth

5 Ways Digital Marketing Helps Startup in Business Growth
5 Ways Digital Marketing Helps Startup in Business Growth

Internet today has become an indispensable tool for almost any consumer who has to make a purchasing decision. According to a report by Forbes, people are spending time online more than ever before, and internet usage is increased by 50-70 percent. They use the internet for three hours on average for communication, research, entertainment, and information.

The data above indicates that business owners today must focus on connecting with their consumers digitally. Even if you are not selling any products or services online, your target audience is present on the internet and looking for the products you are selling.

Given the pace at which the market technology is changing, small business owners need to update themselves with go-to-market strategies.

Everyone has realized the power of digitalization in the crisis, from large organizations to small companies. The adoption of digitalization will be the key to unlocking a brighter future and many entrepreneurs are now working with the best business coaches in India to build strategies aligning with their company’s goals.

This is why Digital Marketing is defined as the future of marketing. You can learn how to do digital marketing without burning a hole in your pocket efficiently!

But First, Let’s talk about Digital Marketing.

The concept of marketing has always been about connecting with your audience and meeting them at the right place and at the right time. Digitalizing everything means connecting with your audience and building a solid customer relationship where they are already spending maximum time- on the internet.

Any marketing tactic that uses electronic devices to promote their business services or products on the internet is called Digital Marketing. Businesses use digital channels such as search engines, email, social media platforms, and other websites to connect with existing and potential customers. Many small companies also take assistance from a business coach for entrepreneurs to leverage the power of digital marketing.

What makes digital marketing crucial for startup growth?

When you purchase an advertisement on a billboard or physical newspaper, you reach a limited number of subscribers. It is distinct from the traditional marketing methods and targets potential buyers. It is more cost-effective than conventional advertising methods and enables you to measure daily success.

If you are an entrepreneur, here are the top five ways how innovative use of digital marketing can help you in business growth:

1. Reach Your Target Audience @Minimum Investment

As we have mentioned above, picking traditional advertising methods like billboards, magazines, or TV does not guarantee to hit your target audience. Also, the conventional techniques give little control over who sees your ad. Though you can measure demographics like viewership, readership, or population in a particular area, it is still a shot in the dark.

Digital marketing allows you to identify and target a particular audience interested in purchasing your products or services. It also lets you send personalized, customized, high-converting marketing messages as it allows you to research and identify your buyer`s persona. Implementing these strategies by working with a good business trainer is easy.

2. Helps You Achieve More Results with Minimum Investment

With digital marketing, you can track campaigns in real-time and collect data to analyze what works and does not work with your target audience. It can also give you complete control over where you spend your money and of what amount.

Work in a small company or have a small business with a limited budget for advertising. You can try investing in blogging, social media, or SEO that can guarantee high ROI even with minimal spending. It is a beautiful way to build your online presence. You can also work with a business coach for entrepreneurs to make powerful marketing strategies.

3. Helps You Understand Your Competitors Better

Small business owners or entrepreneurs can use digital marketing to stay ahead of their competitors even if they do not have millions of dollars to spend on advertising. With effective digital marketing strategies like content marketing, SEO, and social media, small brands can create awareness and strong brand identity. Search engines do not care which brand is the biggest and work on a simple algorithm.

4. Lead Generation

One of the primary reasons behind advertising and marketing is lead generation. Though many advocate that traditional methods generate more leads, there is no way you can measure it. Media buyers may say that people saw your commercial, but how do you prove it?

A digital ad allows you to create an ad, track its engagement, and generate leads. The digital ad tells you how many people got engaged with your ad and enables you to add them to your email and phone lists. You can contact them to qualify the lead, which is critical for converting a lead to a sale. If you are working with a good business mentor, they can help you develop robust strategies for lead generation.

5. Stay Connected with Your Customers

“Out of sight is out of mind,” which is why it is essential for brands to stay connected with their customers, especially after they have done business. Social media platforms give a golden chance to every business to engage and build relationships with their customers.

Digital Marketing has the power to turn the tables around for startups if used strategically. We hope the above reasons will encourage you to actively and strategically incorporate digital marketing.

The idea of managing a business is more straightforward said than done, and we agree with you. This is why to help you move forward with your business goals, we at Bada Business offer an exclusive Business Coaching Program with Foundation courses. These specialized courses focus on business challenges like Digital Marketing and value-added approaches.

To know more, visit: www.badabusiness.com

Categories
Finance

5 Smart Ways To Eliminate Debt & Grow Your Small Business

5 Smart Ways To Eliminate Debt & Grow Your Small Business
5 Smart Ways To Eliminate Debt & Grow Your Small Business

If you ask any small business owner or entrepreneur to name their foremost hardest challenges that don`t let them sleep in the night, they will say without a second thought- money!

Paying off debts, growing business, increasing profitability, and achieving financial freedom are a few challenges that SMEs and MSMEs often face. This was true before the pandemic, but after it, it has become even more crucial for entrepreneurs to overcome money challenges.

According to a survey published in Forbes, “95% of businesses surveyed said the pandemic had affected their bottom line, and 53% estimated that 2020 revenue would drop by more than a quarter.”

Even the best business coaches often come across questions like ‘how to get my business out of debt’ or ‘how can I repay my loan as soon as possible’ by small business owners.

Most entrepreneurs begin their start-up by arranging funds through debt funding, equity funding, loans, or through other less formal sources like friends & family. But the experience of being in debt can be scary as well as overwhelming.

If managed smartly, borrowing funds can help you accomplish your goals. On the other hand, mismanaged business debts can not only affect your financial wellbeing but can also cause mental stress, especially to small business owners that are worse affected due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

There are many government schemes to help small business owners with loans. The Indian government had offered relief to MSMEs in the form of subordinated debts, collateral-free loans, and equity infusion through its Fund of Funds (FoF) scheme in 2020. This scheme proposes to purchase up to 15% growth capital in high-credit MSMEs.

You can watch this video by Dr. Vivek Bindra on “How to Pay Off Your Loans”:

If you have a well-thought financial plan, you can solve the cumbersome process of taking your business out of debt, just like others. Here is how you can chart your way out of debt:

1. Manage Your Debts

The first step that will take you closer to managing your debt is to organize all the details of exactly what you owe. Make a list of your debts with EMIs, interest rates, and tenures. This will help you recognize the costliest debts.

2. Settle Costliest Debts First

After sorting out your debts, pick the costliest one! Costly debts, if not paid on time, will extract the highest interest. This can drain your finances. Hence, settle your costliest debts on a priority basis.

3. Plan Monthly Budget

One of the most vital debt management techniques is to plan your monthly budget. Make a list of your income & expenses while deciding your monthly budget. This will give you a clear picture to think about ways to reduce your daily expenditure. Having details of monthly cash inflow and outflow can help you save money that you can use to clear your debt.

4. Consolidate Loans

Sometimes keeping a track of all the loans can be difficult. If you have too many loans, consolidating them into one can be a good idea. This will leave you with just one EMI. Business loans, personal loans, and credit cards provide you with this option. It will remove various debts and leave you with just one loan to track.

5. Insure Against Economic Shocks

The future is uncertain and it is wise to protect yourself from uncertainties that you might be exposed to. E.g. a loss of a job could lead to delayed EMIs. So, to avoid such situations, create an emergency fund to help you sustain yourself during a bad phase. Ideally, this fund should be 3-6 times more than your current monthly income.

Repaying loans is a moral, legal, and also financial obligation. With smart and effective debt management strategies, you too can get your business out of debt. Learn how to manage your debt with the top-industry leaders from our Problem Solving Courses.