Some say that the only way to move up in life is hard work. They
would be right. However I find they usually mean working long hours to make
some employer happy so that you can get a promotion. While that can lead to a
bigger income and a stronger resume making more money down the road, the
reality is that incomes really are not increasing the way they used to.
You don’t have to give yourself away trading more of your time for
a portion of someone else’s money. Starting a business has never been easier
than it is right now. If you have an internet connection and a creative mind
you can invest that hard work into yourself.
It seems to me that the steps anyone can take no matter your
current social class are simple… difficult? Absolutely, but here are the
ingredients for starting your own company and changing your family’s future.
1.
Come up with an awesome
idea – This is where
you think of what kind of product or service you have some skill, expertise or
passion about. For some this is an easy step and some people will look for
lists of other people’s ideas to keep from having to do it.
2.
Legal Zoom – Get your idea incorporated quickly and
cheaply. Their basic LLC service runs $99 plus the state filing fee which all
told should be under $500. This step provides some legal benefits as well as
adding a motivation and legitimacy factor. (This step can be delayed in certain
situations)
3.
Build a website – Wix.com offers a great template format
for building professional websites that you can make yourself. The best part is
that you can set up a site for FREE. I however recommend signing up for the
Yearly Unlimited Premium account. Your website will be one of the most significant
pieces of making money. If you are selling something that people can buy from the website use Shopify to integrate e-commerce simply and without taking people away from your page.
4.
Create
– We live in a content driven world. When you create a great product or have a
great idea you instantly have something of value. To build a business that is
worth something (even if it’s a blog or podcast), you must spend a lot of
effort on creating content.
5.
Connect – Some people call this marketing, but
for me it’s about more than generating random traffic. Connecting with people
on a personal level will increase your ability to sell them on your idea or
purchasing your product. If you connect with them well enough they can become
an advocate for you and will begin creating a bigger following for you.
6.
Ask – (a.k.a. Sell) Once you have created
something of value and connected people to what you have to offer at some point
you have to ask something of them. It can be something as simple as clicking on
a link, or using an offer code on something they were already interested in
purchasing, or asking them to purchase something from you. It doesn’t matter
how much value you have created if you never ask the people you have connected
with to take action on that value either by voice or by money.
7.
Repeat Steps
4,5,6 – To change your
families future, to achieve the American Dream, it will take a lot of Hard
Work! Invest that hard work in yourself. Always continue to Create Connect, and
Ask. Grow your business. Grow your income. Give yourself a promotion
Good Luck.
