In order to help with what I believe is your situation, I'll share what has worked for us, and then point you to the 'steps-to-follow' so you can have both sides of the equation.

There are a few essentials in any business venture, no matter how small or challenged it is. By thoughtfully choosing a name, creating an emotionally rich statement of purpose, setting up a bank account, etc., you're telling people you're committed to your business - even if it's a lemon.

Slow Down And Listen Well
If you don't already have a good idea of your purpose and passion, or if you can't tell someone what your 'success' looks like, then go to the previous lessons and spend quite time listening to your 'knower'. Writing down what you want, and what it feels like will strengthen your beliefs, attitudes and behavior. Believe me, those are all on the test!

The Bosses List Jim Rohn says; "Life expects from us measurable results within a reasonable time. That's why they make those 2nd grade desks so small."

Learning to manage your time is absolutely critical to success. Daniel and I have different styles of working, but we agree that without a weekly 3x5 card of to-do's, each task marked by priority and sequence, we'd never have gotten here. Find some of those cards. Ask yourself (the Boss) to prioritize them and then reward you by crossing them off when finished.

When a new task comes up, you'll have to refer to your 'card' to OK the new work. If the Boss marks it a C priority, not an A, then just accept it and write it down.

If the Bosses card says you're supposed to be doing something else first, then go back to what you're supposed to be doing. Over time, you'll learn to trust what your 'Boss' is telling you to do. Just to be sure, meet with yourself at least once a week to set them straight! Otherwise, you'll be working for a disorganized imbecile, putting out fires rather than building your empire.

Picking a Name
We all know about Levis Denim Jeans. Did you know that Levis real first name was Leob? Did you know that Denim and Jeans are two different kinds of fabric? Some brand names evolve, like Levis Denim Jeans. Other brand names are made to describe a unique product advantage.

If there ever was a company that invented and then dominated a product category, it was Xerox. Plain paper xerography transformed document duplication and eradicated competing categories mimeograph, carbon paper, wet transfer copying. Xerox literally invented a product, named it and made it household brand.

We all know about Microsoft 'Windows', but did you know where it came from? Windows was a simple way to describe a unique characteristic of the Microsoft Operating System. Bill Gates actually got the idea from Steve Jobs at Apple Computer. Apple had been using the 'windows' graphical interface to help it's customers stop typing commands a single character at a time. Steve Jobs wasn't the first to dream up the windows graphical interface though. Xerox introduced Steve to the idea for it's own printers. So you see how a brand name and marketing work together, right?

Consider these names: Hot Wheels, Yahoo!, Amazon, Band-Aid, Big Mac, Kool-Aid, etc. They describe the product.

Question.
What about your product or service is immediately recognizable and could be used as a name?
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An LLC offers much more protection from the inevitable law suit because your personal assets aren't at risk when the company is attacked. Most LLCs cost about $350 to register. Taxes are still simple, as are most issues, and that's why this is a popular form of small business structure.

If you have partners, will have substantial assets at risk, need grant money, or have questions, then an Attorney that specializes in business issues should be consulted.

In any of the cases, you can get instructions from your phone book or online regarding locations and documents to file. You can also call your local Tax Authority for information. They'll know exactly where to send you.

Opening a bank account
The question seems to be how you want to be treated, versus how accessible do you need your funds to be. Small banks tend to be much more personal, but limited in locations around the country. Big banks tend to be convenient, but will bounce a check for a single penny overdraft. Be sure that the bank you choose has online banking that matches your accounting software, as you'll use this feature more and more.

Computers, Software and a Web Site
You've got an old 386 tower. Will it work, or should you buy a new Dell on your charge card? Should I build a web site or hire someone? The answers depends on what you need to do with the PC and what kind of Internet connection is available in your area and what kind of business you are starting.

Question.
Do you know how to avoid wasting lots of time and money?
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Who Needs A Plan?
You may be surprised to learn that 9 out of 10 successful startup businesses didn't have a business plan. Companies like Microsoft and Wal-Mart. If you're in a new industry, who are your competitors? If you don't have a history, who's going to loan money on a plan? The DotGone era taught that plans are a bad reason to pour millions of dollars into a plan that isn't working.

Question
Do you need a business plan?
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My Place or Yours?
Choosing the location for your business depends on budget and need. Ask yourself if you really NEED an office or retail location as much as you want to carry the stress of the monthly overhead. In most cases, you should grow your sales to the point that you have to have a location. Another factor is noise. If you pick up the phone, will fighting kids be heard by the caller? When the kids are home for the summer, will you be able to move to a coffee shop, or the garage?

Daniel moves his workstation around based on the season and the lighting. I seem to always stick to one place and put up with less than the best lighting. I'd suggest carving out a place where you feel organized, focused and productive - not like my office!

Another discipline to practice is taking breaks from your work. Get up every hour and move around. Dance a bit, ride a stationary bike, or clean house aggressively. Not only will the blood flow help, but your mind will change gears and you'll better able to continue when you go back to the Bosses list.

Money Matters
I was once told it's harder to collect for your work than to do the work. If you're in the services business I hope you'll figure collections out. It's really tough. Having a simple computer accounting system can really help. They've become quite easy to learn - as long as you follow your Bosses list and DO the work each week. A basic rule of accounting is to pay yourself first. That's pretty easy when you have enough money for the bills, but next to impossible when the cash isn't flowing. This is a great topic for the Forum!

A few words of advice: Don't quit your job! Did you hear me? DON'T quite your job. DON'T max out your credit cards, thinking you'll fix it later. We've built all this on cash flow. It's a tough discipline, but a valuable way to learn to listen to your knower. Listening? DON'T max out your credit cards. This is another good topic for the Forum!

Question.
How do you feel about faith and finances?
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