This guide may have started out with 20 resources, but there are many more now. If you are have your own business or are thinking about starting one – this appears to be a gold mine.
Funding Issues and Options for Women Entrepreneurs
Source: Ladies Who Launch . com
by Victoria Colligan
Traditional Venture Capital
Problem: it is an old boy’s network and access to it is limited.
The traditional Venture Capital (VC) structure is not conducive to women’s businesses which tend to be passion-driven, and less focused on exit strategies requiring high returns in short periods (5 years or less). Women typically want to balance money with fulfillment and may focus less on high returns if this means giving up specific lifestyle characteristics.
Solution: Some venture capitalists that “think out of the box” and focus on funding women owned companies are alternatives to consider.
Starting a Business is Similar to Running
I remember back in high school in order to try out for the basketball team you had to run a 6 minute mile. That was just to try out for the team. You still had to be one of the top 12 players to make the team.Â
I was never fond of running just for the sake of running. However, I could run on the basketball court all day without a problem. I remember running that mile to qualify for try outs. Matter of fact, that may have been the first time I had ever run a mile. It just didn’t seem to make sense running that far without a ball in your hand. Four times around the track equated to a mile. As I was rounding the track on the fourth lap, I could hear the coach calling out the times. A couple of guys were under 5 minutes. Another group finished between 5:15 and 5:30. Next he yelled 5:45. It dawned on me that if I didn’t get in gear he was going to yell 6 minutes before I crossed the line. Continue reading “Starting a Business is Similar to Running”
Entrepreneurial Success : Mucho Dollars in Simplicity
Often aspiring entrepreneurs become bogged down trying to create the next “new thing”, while mucho dollars may be staring them in the face. Sometimes taking a simple problem and jazzing it up with technology can lead to riches.
That is exactly what Brian Scudamore did, in 1989, when he started 1-800-GOT-JUNK. His goal was to become the “Fed Ex” of junk removal. His father almost had a coronary initially, but he is very proud today.  His son’s business has spread across North America with 95 franchise partners grossing $32 million in 2004.
Scudamore has a goal of reaching $100 million by the end of 2006. I have an old freezer in my basement that I need to get rid of, so I will probably be contributing to his bottom. Especially, since they come highly recommended. My Mother-In-Law just used them and was quite pleased.Â
Five Places You Should Never Meet with Clients
Where is a budding entrepreneur to meet with their prospective customers? Apparently Starbucks or Barnes and Noble will not cut it.
Â
Source: Reuters
by Jeff Landers
I recently came upon several columns from different publications urging home-based entrepreneurs to find creative places to have business meetings with their clients. In one publication, an entrepreneur, John N. from Tacoma, Wash., said he meets with clients in a diner down the street from his home-based office.
He and his clients talk business over stale coffee and grilled cheese sandwiches. “It’s not the best scenario,” he said, “but it’s cheap and my clients don’t seem to mind.” In fact, many professionals agree with John and say small-business owners should take advantage of cheap public spaces to handle client meetings.