Start Your Business Using This GuideWritten by Maria Marsala
Business Start-up GuideHow do you start to plan your business? What is required? What should you research? Where do you start? Use checklist below to guide you as you build a strong, solid business foundation. Check your Personal Foundation. Make sure you are ready mentally, emotionally and financially to begin your new venture. -- Make time. -- Budget your income. -- Create balance in your life. -- Know your strengths, weaknesses, top 5 values and needs. -- Order a copy of your credit report. -- Choose your ideal business. Get organized. Any new business venture will go more smoothly if you know right from start what you have to offer, who you want to offer it to, and how you want your business to be organized. -- Read a few books on business start-ups and marketing http://www.coachmaria.com/businessbooks.html. -- Check need for your services. -- Prepare a business plan and ideal client profile. -- Price your service or product. -- Develop a customer service policy. -- Create an Operations Manual. -- Plan for your office - location, supplies, utilities, and set-up fees. Develop a strong network and referral base. From support to legal advice, starting your own business is never something you do all by yourself. -- Look for assistance: employee, independent contractor. -- Legal: licensing, business type, contracts, trademarks, copyrights, patent, service marks. -- Build support: family, friends, business coach, consultant, advisors, business and social networking. -- Insurance: health, home, car, income, liability, risk, disability, loss of pay. -- Money: taxes, accounting, banking, billing, cash flow, loans. -- Marketing: copywriter, proofreaders, website designer, graphic designer, an assistant, Toastmasters, etc.
| | Information SecurityWritten by Trevor Barre
Another ‘Leadership Today’ free monthly E-zine brought to you by Trevor Barre – Life CoachIssue 12/2001 INFORMATION SECURITY This month, I would like to take opportunity to address need for organisations everywhere to have a good, hard look at their level, or lack of information security. Just this week, yet another worm (virus) attacked PCs around world, causing havoc. As a leader, it is our responsibility to set example, and lead from out in front. Take time this week to see where you stand individually, and corporately, with such things as: -Up-to-date Information Security policy -Business Continuity Plans (get top level commitment, initiate BCM process, identify & manage all risks, develop strategies, etc) -Current anti-virus software, and ongoing subscription -Employee training -Employee Internet access (a huge issue!!) -Firewalls to prevent unauthorised access to your records -Disposal of PCs, and deletion of data.
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