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Startup

Top 3 Low Investment Small Startup Business Ideas

Startups are proving to be a lucrative opportunity among millennials who are passionate about starting their own business with low investment. Especially, when the past two years have been like a nightmare to the entire world.

Many people have lost their jobs and many businesses have shut down too. However, there have been so many new low investment business ideas that young entrepreneurs are trying and making profits.

If you have a great idea and are determined to make it work, you can start a business online or offline. From Steve Jobs to Mark Zuckerberg some of the most powerful business leaders once started their businesses from in a garage or a dorm room.

If you too are looking for some of the most amazing startup business ideas that need minimum investment, here is a list:

1. Online Bakery

During the imposed lockdown, many people discovered their love for cooking, especially baking. Once, I was reading an article written by Vir Sanghvi, where he mentioned how people have started baking their bread during the lockdown. Want to know what is more fascinating? These breads are as good as the loaves of bread that are produced by chefs from high-end restaurants.

So, if you too think that you are passionate about baking, you can start a bakery. As the online food business is one of the most popular and profitable businesses in India, bakeries are also enjoying their fair share of popularity.

The best thing about starting an online bakery is that it is a low investment business idea and can be started from your kitchen itself. All you need is an oven and ingredients. As cakes are a vital part of all the celebrations, you can expect orders in great numbers because people these days prefer to purchase homemade food. You can also share online recipes to increase engagement and customers online.

2. Dropshipping

Dropshipping is one of the most successful small businesses in India. It is a retail fulfillment method where you don`t need an inventory to open an online store. Hence, you need limited funds and can start a business with pretty much a low investment. Whenever a customer placed an order, the product is purchased from a third party and directly shipped to the customer.

As you do not need an inventory store, you can entirely focus on marketing tactics. However, make sure that the quality of your product is excellent. As your store`s trustworthiness will entirely depend on the quality of the products that you will offer.

3. Handcrafted Products

Another brilliant low investment business idea is to sell handcrafted products. If you want to start a business that not only benefits you but also opens the doors to the local artisans, you can try selling products that are crafted by the expert hands of local Indian artisans.

From candles to soaps, pottery to DIY décor items, there are lots of choices, to begin with. You can connect with local craftsmen and create unique and customized products to make your customers fall in love with them. This will not only promote the Indian arts and craftsmanship but will also help local artists to earn a decent amount of earning that they truly deserve.

Apart from these three ideas, there are lots of other ideas that can help you to start your own business. Many successful businesses in India once started on a small scale. With true determination and passion, you can begin your entrepreneurial journey.

Categories
Startup

3 Mistakes To Avoid While Picking A Business Name For Your Startup

Summary: Choosing a name for your startup business might seem like an easy task. However, the reality is quite contrasting which leads to multiple mistakes.

What`s in a name? A lot! Especially, when you are planning to come up with your startup in the market. Choosing your startup business`s name is one of the most important decisions that you will ever make, as it sets the tone for all your future branding initiatives.

Your business name creates the first impression with potential investors and customers and plays a crucial role in the business world. Hence, it is a decision that every entrepreneur should not take lightly. Once you decide on a name for your business, it can`t be changed easily post your legal paperwork. However, it is much easier to choose the correct name from the get-go.

Here are three top mistakes entrepreneurs make while naming their business and how to avoid those errors:

1. Picking a Difficult Name

Whether it is difficult to pronounce or write, picking a fancy name for your business is something that entrepreneurs should avoid. A tricky name is not only hard to remember for you, but also your consumers. Difficult metaphors, your customers won`t understand without explanation. And hence, it should be avoided.

If you want you can make a brand new word for your business name. Select carefully, and be ready to spend more time on advertising.

2. Selecting an Unavailable Name

Many entrepreneurs pick a business name only to find that the name is unavailable in the very end. To avoid disappointment and trademark issues related to your preferred choice of name, you can check the availability of the name online on a government`s website. Keep the availability of the related domain names as well while shortlisting the name for your small startup business.

3. Choosing a Name that is Too Simple

Sometimes to keep a general name for the public to remember, entrepreneurs often go for a very local business name. Avoid it at all costs. While picking a local name can help to boost your search ratings and generate leads, it can exclude potential customers who assume your business doesn’t apply to them.

When choosing a domain name for your business, always pick “.com” rather than alternatives such as .net, .org, .biz, or other domain extensions. If you are thinking about the reason behind it then customers tend to associate a business website with the “.com” domain with a more established business.

Are you looking to find solutions for your burning problems? Get practical solutions easily with our step-by-step learning strategies, action plan, frameworks that are designed to empower you with various business functions.

From finance to HR, Digital Marketing to IT & Sales, find creative solutions to prominent business problems easily with our problem solving courses. Click here to know how these courses will benefit you: https://www.badabusiness.com/psc

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Startup

How To Automate Business Processes & Why Is It Crucial For Startups?

If you have a small startup business with 3 or 4 employees then the automation of business processes is a low priority. But if your business has more than 10 employees, then your company needs to consider a few must-have processes and take a hard look at which business processes can be automated.

Why every startup business needs a process?

When a business is small, there is less possibility of making mistakes. But when you think about scaling, some of the tasks that are repetitive and are done manually they need to be automated. Automation can improve efficiency. Business automation of a few processes can also reduce errors that come with business expansion. If you are confused, you can also take help from the best business coach in India Dr. Vivek Bindra to understand the concept in detail.

So what are some strategic ways to automate business processes? And which processes should be automated first? Well, we are going to answer all your queries.

But first things first!

What is business processes management and why your startup needs it?

Processes are the heart and soul of a successful business. Business process management is how you effectively manage all the processes. It impacts multiple teams and employees as all the activities in your company happen as processes. When you start taking processes seriously, a BPM becomes a tool that can help you achieve your business goals.

Business process management is a practice of managing all business processes that help to achieve an outcome. It is an ongoing activity that helps to identify key areas that need improvement.

Business process management works in multiple forms. Though some processes can be completely automated, others need human input for making decisions. Here are three types of business process management that every organization must have:

1. Human-centric BPM

As the name defines, this type of business process involves human inputs. The decisions are made by humans and most of the heavy task is performed by humans. The scope of the business automation process is limited here.

To help employees understand and manage the process easier, it offers a visual interface too. Since this process impacts employees directly, this process needs more attention as compared to others.

2. Document-centric BPM

A document-centric business process is built on the foundation of a particular document. The main agenda is to send the multiple approvers who are involved in the process and get it approved. The document-centric BPM helps to reduce the need for emailing documents back and forth and increases efficiency.

3. Integration-centric BPM

The integration-centric business process management is centered on the integration of different software systems. Its main focus is on creating a smooth flow of data between the networks and software tools.

Now, when you are well aware of business process management, which processes should be automated first? Here are 3 ways in which you can automate critical processes in your business:

a). Find Functional Areas of Operations- Though it may sound tempting to replace roles with artificial intelligence to save cost, that is not how automation works. Human intervention will remain imperative. So, identify functional areas in your business that may have opportunities for improvement. This may include accounts payable, sales teams, inventory management, customer service, and other areas of business operations. You can also get the guidance from an expert or the best business coach in India to help you find areas that needs to be automated.

b). Create Standard Operating Procedures- SOPs as popularly known is a document that explains the exact steps to carry out a certain task and complete the responsibilities within a role. And many business coaches advice to create SOPs by employees for their designated tasks. To work smoothly, a process needs to be clearly defined with steps and actions to take.

c). Identify Repetitive Task– identify tasks that are repetitive and exist within the roles of each department. This will help you to gain perspective in areas where you are most exposed to risks or operational deficiencies. Go through the SOPs that your employees have created. Spend the time to complete tasks according to SOPs to weed out the repetitive tasks.

A successful businessman needs an efficient team and organized business activities. If you need to reduce expenses and focus on your core business by making processes and introducing business automation.

Are you looking to find solutions for your burning problems? Get practical solutions easily with our step-by-step learning strategies, action plan, frameworks that are designed to empower you with various business functions. Solve your problems in just one click: https://www.badabusiness.com/psc

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Finance

5 Key Things Entrepreneur Should Know Before Applying For A Small Business Loan!

In a report published by Economic Times, “the Indian economy is expected to be a $5 trillion economy by 2025 and the MSME sector is expected to play a very crucial role in this growth story.” The MSME sector in our country has been the backbone of the economy. It contributes around 30 percent to the GDP and employment generation.

With the government`s ‘Make in India’ initiative, this sector is set to play an important role in supporting domestic companies and foreign multinationals to set up manufacturing units in India. Till now, 83 startups have entered the elite Unicorn club which has made India the third largest startup ecosystem in the world after the US and China.

But not every startup joins the Unicorn club. Some struggle to sustain themselves due to the lack of funds. And for an entrepreneur, the constant lookout for sources of working capital is like a nightmare, especially for those who run a small and medium-sized enterprise (MSMEs) with limited assets or collateral, finding different ways for fundraising.

So, if you are an entrepreneur and want to take a loan from a bank or a non-banking financial company, here are 5 things to improve your chances of getting a business loan from a bank or a non-banking financial company:

1. Maintain a Healthy Credit Score

A credit score symbolizes the creditworthiness of a person or business. It is assessed based on the payment history of the individual or business. So, the personal credit score of a person or a business is collected from the multiple institutions that maintain the records of the payments. These records can significantly affect the business’s eligibility for a loan.

If you pay your EMIs regularly and on time then you will have a healthy credit score which indicates that you are financially disciplined and are unlikely to default on repayment. Although the credit score that is required to take a loan varies and depends on the lender, a credit score above 700 will enhance your credibility.

2. Maintain Adequate Cash Flow in the Business

When you apply for a small business loan, the financial lender will investigate your business cash flow (past and future projections). An adequate cash flow will determine if the size of the loan that you are seeking is appropriate. Your previous loan history and existing debts will also be analyzed to determine whether you will be able to pay the loan`s monthly installments without defaulting. To ensure your loan approval, maintain the adequate cash flow in the business.

3. Keep all the Documents Required for Loan Application

One of the most important steps is you keep all the necessary documents ready when applying for a business loan. Keeping all the documents ready and in place will streamline the process and will make things smooth for you as well as the lender.

The following is the list of documents for verification:

  • Identity proof
  • PAN card
  • Address proof
  • Proof of business
  • Business and personal bank statements (last six months)
  • Business and personal tax return records
  • Business’s financial statements
  • Business’s legal documents such as commercial lease, and franchise agreement.

4. Be Insured

Being an entrepreneur involves a lot of risks. Hence, personal or business insurance is a must so that the loan can be paid off in case of any unfortunate event. Your probability of getting your loan approved is directly related to the risks associated with you and your business. The less risky your business is, the higher the chances of your loan getting approved.

5. Know the Best Time to Apply for a Loan

Many entrepreneurs often waste their time contemplating the ideal time to apply for a loan. However, there is no best time to apply for a loan, as the time of applying has minimal effect on the chances of your loan getting approved. Many business owners believe that the best time to apply for a loan is when your company is in the need of finances.

Many startups have to close their operations due to a lack of funds. But with a business loan, you can ensure that your business sustains in the market. There are many government schemes as well that offer business loans at nominal interest charges. So keep the above-mentioned points into consideration when applying for a small business loan.

Are you looking to find solutions for your burning problems? Get practical solutions easily with our problem solving course, action plan, frameworks that are designed to empower you with various business functions.

From finance to HR, Digital Marketing to IT & Sales, find creative solutions to prominent business problems easily. Click here to know how these courses will benefit you: https://www.badabusiness.com/psc

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Startup

7 Expert Tips To Allocate A Marketing Budget For A New Startup Business!

According to a report in the Times of India, “India is home to 81 unicorns as of now, with a total valuation of $274 billion.” With so many startups joining the league of Unicorns, it has become essential for the existing ones to focus on their branding and marketing game.

Branding and marketing are those two pillars in an organization that help a business to reach out to its potential customers. But as there are so many marketing avenues, small startup businesses often face the challenge to determine where they should invest their limited marketing resources.

Startups often lack clarity at early stages on how much time, money, and effort they should spend on their advertising, public relations, branding, social media planning, and content strategy at the outset.

So, if you have a startup business made from your dreams, passion, and determination, here is a list of some of the most effective strategies to help entrepreneurs and founders to develop first-time marketing budgets to optimize their investments and achieve maximum results:

1. Master One Method First

Just like when we learn driving, we want to do everything at once. But, as the primary rule, we learn to control the steering wheel. Similarly, as an entrepreneur, you should pick one thing and do it well. Once you have mastered it you can start focusing on building out the other options as you begin to get more business. Focus all your efforts, time, and money on a single method and use that as your power to get more business and break through the noise.

2. Pick Measurable Outcomes

When looking out for the best marketing choices, it is best to find out what you want for your measurable outcomes to be. For instance, if you want to sell 200 products in your first month, with an average value of INR 500 per customer, you should provide this to a marketing company to receive quotes on actions, and not just marketing services. It will help them to filter out the options deemed best for your business on actual budget samples.

3. Allot a Budget to a Few Targeted Areas

It will be unrealistic for any business to allot a budget without considering their revenue. A new startup must need to consider its targeted areas and how much budget should be allocated. It is best to focus on one target area and then grow into others as traction is gained. You can also take an online business course for entrepreneurs to learn more about marketing and advertisement.

4. Find Out How Each Strategy Will Impact Your Business

While budget allocation initially is a smart decision, understanding how each strategy is going to impact your business is paramount. Dedicating between 10 to 20 percent of gross revenue is a good starting point to invest in marketing and advertisement. Basics such as collaterals should not go beyond 5% of your gross revenue unless a brand strategy calls for it. PRs, advertising, communications are all similar. But to determine what will help your business to grow and attract your potential customers is essential. Focus on what is going to help you succeed.

5. Build a Scalable & Multi-Year Strategy

In the first year, you need a logo, a website, and some basic branding elements. But one most essential thing is content. You need great content for any marketing strategy to work. And as your company grows, you can spend more on advertising and promotions. When your company begins to scale, you can increase your budget.

6. Know Your Customer Journey

One of the most crucial things that every startup must do is that they should have a solid understanding of their customer journey. Run test ads on social media platforms and Google to find out how much you will have to spend to acquire a customer. You can also take an online course for entrepreneurs for marketing.

Investing in PR and branding can help you to lower your ad expenditure, only if done right. It will also increase your conversions, and give you a better idea of how much you must invest and in which medium of marketing.

7. Begin with Organic Marketing

There is no magic formula or shortcut to marketing your brand and advertising your products to increase your revenue. Startups should always begin with organic efforts, such as content marketing, PR, SEO, before diving into big ad spending. Why? It offers three benefits:

a).  It reduces your budget

b). It lets you find out what works by trial and error before investing in advertising.

c). Delivers ROI

Every single penny plays an essential role in a startup budget. Hence, it is important to allocate the budget carefully for marketing and advertising. Hope the above-mentioned techniques will help you to seek out choices that will give you the best results for your startup business.

Having a compelling marketing idea is great. But you know what is even better? Personal guidance to increase your brand presence consistently to facilitate sales, engage your customers and close leads. Our Problem Solving Courses can help you to overcome marketing and advertising challenges.

Categories
Startup

4 Big Common Legal Mistakes Startups Make

Starting a new business is no less than a marriage. Initially, everything is rosy and smooth, but as soon as the honeymoon period fades away, the real hustle begins. This is the reason startups need to have a clear legal agreement in place.

A startup business can face significant legal challenges due to plenty of mistakes made by its founders. These mistakes are generally made at the initial formation of the business, at the early stages of growth, and when dealing with staff. You can also hire the best business coach to get the right guidance.

If you are an entrepreneur and planning to start your dream venture, here is a list of common and legal mistakes you must avoid at all costs:

Mistake #1: Not Making an Agreement with Co-Founders

If you are starting your business with a co-founder, then you should have all the agreements in place at the initial stage of your business relationship. Not doing it can lead to various legal challenges down the road. A founder`s agreement is just like a “prenuptial agreement.” Here are the key legal terms your founder agreement must involve:

  • What are the roles and responsibilities of the founders?
  • How will the equity be split among the founders?
  • What is the overall goal and vision for the business?
  • What salaries are the founders entitled to? Factors that will lead to change salaries?
  • Is each founder’s percentage ownership in the company subject to vesting?
  • If one founder leaves, does the company or the remaining founders have the right to buy back the departing founder’s shares? If so, at what price?
  • How will a sale of the business be decided?
  • What time commitment to the business is expected of each founder? What constraints will be imposed on outside commitments?
  • How will key decisions and day-to-day decisions of the business be made? (by majority vote, a unanimous vote, or are certain decisions solely in the hands of the CEO?)
  • Under what circumstances can a founder be removed as an employee of the business?
  • What assets or cash does each founder contribute or invest into the business?
  • What happens if one founder isn’t living up to expectations under the founder agreement?

Mistake #2- Not Deciding the Structure of the Company

Because founders often start businesses without consulting lawyers, they do not decide the structure of their businesses. One of the very first decisions that any entrepreneur should make is in what legal form to operate the business. Due to the incorrect structure of the company, startups often incur higher taxes and become subject to significant liabilities that could be avoided by structuring their startup business as a corporation or a Limited Liability Company (LLC). You can also take help from the best business coach who can help you navigate with legal formalities.

Mistake #3- Choosing a Disputed Business Name

It is very important to do research when picking a company name as it helps to avoid trademark infringement or domain name problems. It also ensures that the name you select is available to use. Here are some steps that you can do to avoid naming issues:

  • Conduct a Google search on the name to check if it is already in use.
  • Before picking a domain name, search GoDaddy.com or other domain name registrars to see if the domain name you want is available.
  • Ensure the name is distinctive and memorable.
  • You can shortlist 5 names and test market them with prospective employees, investors, partners, and customers.
  • Avoid unusual spellings of the name as it can cause confusion and problems down the road.

Mistake #4- Not Adhering with Securities Laws When Issuing Stocks

If founders form a corporation, LLC, Limited Partnerships, or any other structure the sale of stocks, limited partnership interests, or LLC interests to the investors will be subject to state securities laws. Most laws require that such sales comply with certain disclosure, filing, and various other form requirements unless the sales are exempt. If any business fails to comply with these laws, it can result in significant financial penalties for the entrepreneurs and the company.

Founding a company is not much different from getting married. Everything looks promising in the beginning, but as the business evolves, complexity and stress become a part of everyday operations. So, with all of the things that go into launching a startup, one must get the Founders agreement, right!

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 exclusive problem solving courses that come with Foundation courses, specialized courses, and value-added courses. To know more, visit www.badabusiness.com

Categories
Private Equity Funding

6 Things You Must Know About ESOPs Before Signing-up!

Have you come across employee stock ownership plans? Are you being offered one by your organization but are not sure what it is? Whichever is the case this article will tell you everything about ESOPs?

What exactly are employee stock ownership plans?

ESOP is the term that offers employees a chance to have ownership in the firm. It recognizes the best-performing employees and rewards them with an equity stake or cash based on an equity stake. If you have been offered ESOPs in your current organization, it means that the company values your contribution and they wish to make you direct custodians of the company`s long-term growth.

The definition of ESOP was originally introduced in the Companies Act, 1956, which underwent a complete change in the Companies Act, 2013.

There are two types of ESOPs- selective plans and all-employee plans. While the selective plan is only for the senior executives, all employee plans provide the same facility to all employees of the company.

Key Factors you must know before you Sign-up

a). Grant Price- One of the main benefits of getting access to ESOPs is the discount between the grant price and the fair market value, at the time of exercising ESOPs. The lower the grant price, the greater profits you can make while exercising ESOPs.

In the case of startups, the grant price is decided at the face value of the unlisted stock or as value by a Sebi-registered merchant bank. For companies that are listed, the grant price is decided based on the average stock price for a certain period before the issue date.

b). Vesting or lock-in period- ESOPs generally come with a vesting or lock-in period before you become eligible to exercise your option to purchase the stock. The structure varies, depending upon the organization and employee profile. Hence, it is essential to understand what the vesting rules are for the stocks offered to you.

Startups often offer a 1+4 vesting period, which is treated as a minimum period. It maximizes the contribution of an employee in line with the value of ESOPs offered and improves employee retention.

c). Exit Options- When an employee leave the organization before the lock-in period, they lose their right to gain ownership of the ESOPs at the discounted price. If you have vested a certain portion of the ESOPs, they will be held in trust and will be available only after maturity.

However, various myths and facts are revolving around ESOPs need to be addressed. Here are 3 facts every employer and employee must know about ESOPs:

1. ESOP is for Every Organisation

ESOPs are for every organization that is generating profit to support the annual costs of maintaining the ESOP. The profitability of the company is more important than a company`s size. In a profitable ESOP organization, the tax savings alone can be enough to offset the annual costs.

2. Offering ESOPs Does Not Effect Operations

Many company owners feel that after establishing an ESOP, they will have to consult their employees on regular basis regarding the company`s operations. However, the matter of fact is that the management remains in control of the company. Even when the ESOP owns a majority, there is no loss of control of the company.

3. Disclosure of Finances Is Not Required

An ESOP is a qualified retirement plan. Hence, the participants must be provided with the annual statement demonstrating the number of shares and the value for their benefits. No other financial disclosures are required by the organization to its employees who are share-holder.

The companies offer ESOPs to attract more qualified employees. They do it in a phased manner and provide stocks at the end of the financial year to reward their impressive performance.

Many companies startups and companies that can`t provide high packages, offer ESOPs to their employees. We hope we have shed some light on the current trending term- ESOPs.

Are you looking to find solutions for your burning problems? Get practical solutions easily with our step-by-step learning strategies, action plan, frameworks that are designed to empower you with various business functions. From finance to HR, Digital Marketing to IT & Sales, find creative solutions to prominent business problems easily. Click here to know how more about our problem-solving courses: https://www.badabusiness.com/psc

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Leadership Building

5 Skills Entrepreneurs Must Seek In Their Employees!

As the pandemic has changed the world forever, it has also forced the world to think beyond the obvious and come up with something revolutionary.

In the first and second quarters of 2020, there have been mass layoffs by the companies. According to a report by the International Labour Organization (ILO), around 81 million jobs are wiped out in 2020.

We are in 2022, but every year, one or the other virus variant keeps giving us surprising visits. Thankfully, in India, a significant amount of the population has been vaccinated and the economy has also begun to look promising.

Many startups are doing well and have joined the Unicorn club. Other startups like Nykaa have got themselves listed on the stock market.

Needless to say that building efficient manpower would be one crucial step to transform the businesses. The process of hiring criteria post-Covid is going to be a demanding exercise.

For large businesses or small businesses, the pandemic has paved way for smart thinking. If you are an entrepreneur and looking to expand your team, these set of skills you should be looking for in your prospective employer:

Reliability

Any business becomes successful when it is being consistent in its customer service, product performance, and the productivity of its employees. If your employees are not consistently performing well or focusing on their productivity, your startup business will not experience growth. So always hire people that show consistency in their behavior and resume.

Analytical Thinking

You don`t need hands & legs to drive your organization, you need a head and heart to drive your organization. Thus, people who can think critically, quickly, and can solve problems with ease should be given preference. Complex problems need creative solutions and this new hiring trend will focus on such analytical skills.

Agile & Flexbile

The smartest business decision you can make is to hire qualified people. Therefore, hiring the right people is very important.

Apart from looking for qualifications and skills ‘flexibility’ is what you should be aiming for. Flexibility is the need of the hour, and we all must look for people that can easily adapt to the new working norms.

Hire people who come for the love of the job. A person who loves challenges will deliver the service and products just the way your customer needs and would be the right fit for the business.

Creative Mindset!

Modern problems need creative solutions. If there is one thing that can never be off-the-shelf that is Creativity! Thinking out-of-the-box will always bring a sense of innovation in every dimension of business. Creativity can take you to places and help you discover practical solutions to various business problems. Hence, bringing in a creative mindset will take your business to a whole new level.

Versatility

Courtesy to Covid-19, new tasks, roles, and responsibilities have emerged suddenly. Hence, we all must stretch ourselves to the optimum level considering the hiring trends post-Covid. But, of course, we just can`t expect a CA to fix our desktops. But, yes, an employee must have a vision and a perspective. The prospective employee must bring a set of multiple skills that will outdate role titles and definitions to benefit your business.

Making a comeback from a struggling situation is not easy, but reaching out to the right people is. Shift your perspective from the mainstream recruiting process to a creative one.

As the hiring trends have changed, make use of Twitter and Linked In to interact with job seekers and connect with them on a personal level too.

For other business problems, you can take online business courses for entrepreneurs. 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 exclusive problem solving courses that come with Foundation courses, specialized courses, and value-added courses.

To know more, visit: https://www.badabusiness.com/psc

Categories
Business motivation

5 Ways To Determine Which Franchise Business Is Best For You!

Two years ago, Ram Prakash Misra from Kanpur decided to quit his job in a multinational company and start his own business. But, due to a lack of experience in starting something new from the scratch, he decided to consult with an old colleague who was thriving as a franchise owner of a popular food chain.

After a quick meeting with him, Ram Prakash Mishra decided to get into the franchising business, too. After four months, he says his career change has been a profitable one.  He now spends his time cleaning the ducts of air conditioning and heating systems. So, though Ram Prakash Mishra is happy cleaning air conditioners, it is not for everyone.

But, if you want to get into a franchise business, you are in luck. There are thousands of different types of franchise businesses that you can buy into at various levels of investment of both time and money. But, how would you determine which franchise business should you invest in?

Here is our ultimate guide to choosing a franchise business.

1. Choose the Right Franchise By Knowing yourself

Before you decide to jump on any franchise business opportunity, you need to first understand yourself. You will need to take more than just a step back to analyze your interests, requirements, and many other aspects of your personality. Be brutally honest and introspective about what you are trying to accomplish by buying this business.

2. Ask yourself what do you want out of a franchise business

People buy a franchise for multiple reasons. Ask yourself is this something you want to do out of the hobby? Will you want to make it a primary source of income? Are you looking to build equity? Would you eventually want to buy more than one franchise?

These questions might appear simple, but the type of business you eventually pick is the result of what you are trying to accomplish.

3. How much you are willing to invest?

You might have an idea or you might be contemplating on what type of business you want to get into, but calculating how much capital you are ready to invest will give you a clearer idea and a realistic sense of franchise opportunities that are possible for your budget.

Like any other business, you should not expect that your business will be profitable since day one. Also, loans will not be easy to come by. So make sure that you have enough money to live off while you get off the ground.

4. What is your exit strategy?

This is a common yet the most neglected question that potential entrepreneurs fail to ask themselves. It is important, to be honest about how long you would want to continue it. Is this something you would want to do for 4-5 years? Or is this something you will continue as a legacy? Having a clear answer is very important because different franchisors have different restrictions on selling to other franchisers.

5. How much risk are you willing to assume?

This is one of the most important questions; you must ask yourself before investing in a franchise business. Once you have reviewed your financials, you can probably get a sense of how much risk you can take. Some well-established franchises are working for many years and have a great record of franchising success, but they are not exactly on the cutting edge anymore. Similarly, many new companies are riskier, but they can potentially offer higher returns. By keeping your risk-taking abilities into your consideration, decide on investing in a franchise business.

A franchise business is a wonderful option for those who want to start their own business, but don`t want to begin from scratch. To decide and choose a franchise, you will need to evaluate the pros and cons of both of them. Hope the above-mentioned questions will help you discover and select the best franchise business.

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.

Categories
Startup Strategy

5 Powerful Growth Strategies To Grow Startups

Scaling and expanding your business is some different ball game. It is extremely difficult, but having your own startup business is all worth the pain. Being an entrepreneur initially means wearing multiple hats, sometimes all at the same time. At the end of the day, this tiring process will drain all your energy. However, if you want to scale and grow your business, there is still light at the end of the tunnel.

So what is that one thing that can help you sustain your startup business in the market for a longer duration? The only answer to this question is by creating a growth strategy. If you want to be a successful entrepreneur then having a growth strategy is paramount. Having just a profitable business is not an achievement and is not sufficed to continue it for long.

Though, there are many existing startup strategies, here is a list of 5 strategies that will add fuel to the fire and grow your business:

1. Stay Unique

There must be plenty of other business owners selling the same product as yours. Then why a customer should buy your product? Creating a unique experience for customers is necessary in the business world.

How your product will solve the burning challenges of the consumer in the market will make the ultimate difference. Sell the benefits and not features. Tell your target customer how their life will be changed after they will purchase your product. Consumers want to know the stories behind your product, and not about your product.

2. Identify your Niche Market

You want to start a business with a certain product or a service because you saw an opportunity to make a profit from it. You might have also identified the type of audience. But are you sure that your target audience will be your ideal customer? If yes, where are you going to find this audience? Where is your potential customer and who is it?

Well, make a list of your ideal customer and then make a network through which you can let them try your product or services. You can take their feedback to determine if they are your potential customers.

3. Analyze Your Competition

“Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer”. Knowing about your competitors is necessary to stay ahead. Hence, do a market analysis and research about your competitors. Find out their key selling points and build a strategy that will work for your product. This is an excellent growth hack for small business owners who are in the early stages.

4. Review Business Model

It is very important for entrepreneurs to make a dedicated section in their business model to check if they are achieving your goals and assumptions. It is very important to review your goals and analyze if your business has made any progress or not? Always make a revised business model. If you think that they are becoming outdated, update, and upgrade them.

Employee training is another thing that you must conduct on a regular basis. Keeping your employees upskilled and upgraded with the trending technology and skills will help you to achieve your organizational goals. You can hire the best corporate trainer to bring in a new perspective and strategies in your company.

5. Update & Upgrade Marketing Strategies

In this digital age, creating a marketing strategy that is tailor-fit for your brand is a little tricky. But, if done properly, it can fetch more customers and boost sales. Small business owners can deploy creative growth hacks to pull more customers to their platforms by email marketing, product recommendations, visually appealing ad creative, and identifying high lifetime value (LTV).

Most of the business growth hacks state with a simple idea that emerged in the conversations. These growth hacks, if implemented quickly, can be quite effective for small business owners. A planned approach is necessary to scale these experiments.