1/15: Starting a Business Intro
2/15: Benefits of Starting a Business
So, you've thought about starting your own business. However, that raises one big question: how? Entrepreneurship is an incredibly broad topic, and it's easy to get overwhelmed if you don't know where to start.
Running a business can be incredibly rewarding for people who really have the passion to do it. Before we discuss how exactly to get started, here are some of the benefits of being your own boss.
3/15: What to Know Before Starting a Business
If you're reading this article, you probably have one question on your mind: "How do I start a business?" However, the first question that needs answered is whether you should start a business. While it does have several benefits, business ownership isn't for everyone. Some people enjoy working for an employer because of the structure it gives them, as well as the divide between work and life. If you own a business, you'll be responsible for everything, and your work can become your life.
4/15: What to do Before You Start a Business
Now you've decided you want to start a business, you'll need to get started. To ensure you don't get over your head in the entrepreneur world, you should make sure you have the right info and a plan of action. Here are a few things you can do to prepare.
5/15: Get Going on Your Small Business
Now that you've prepared to launch your business, you're ready to get going! However, the process of getting your company off the ground can be complex. Here are some things you'll need to do to start your business.
6/15: Running Your Business
Now that you've officially launched your business, you're ready to start being an owner! Running a business is an active, highly involved process with countless aspects to it, so you'll need to be prepared.
Since running a business is a complex topic, we will cover some common areas below. Make sure to do additional research to ensure you have all the steps covered. Let's get started!
7/15: Service Finder for Employers
The Illinois workNet Service Finder is a free resource for Illinois businesses and employers. This is a great resource for you to use so that you may start, grow, or improve the current status of your business and connect with others.
8/15: Virtual Job Fairs
The Virtual Job Fair (VJF) tools are a new opportunity for Employers to easily advertise their organization and connect with qualified job applicants at no cost. Employers will be able to setup virtual job booths where interested job seekers can learn more about their organization and available job openings. Request webinar assistance when hosting their Virtual Job Fair events.
9/15: Find Employee Based Training
Businesses in Illinois may benefit from programs and services that include employee-based training programs. These programs make employee skill upgrades available to businesses in order to avert layoffs, remain current in new technologies and business practices, or to provide job skills to new hires.
10/15: Illinois JobLink
Use Illinois JobLink to search for qualified candidates. Search through resumes and receive email updates as new job seeker resumes are added to the site.
11/15: Entrepreneurial Programs
View this article to learn more about free resources that you can use to start and grow your business.
12/15: Building an Online Presence
Now that your business is up and running, you should start thinking about your online presence. The internet is a staple commodity when it comes to running a business today, and it isn't going away any time soon. Here are some tips for establishing your business online.
13/15: Growing Your Business
The first thing you should know about growing your business is to never stop growing. While we mentioned this in the previous article, we can't stress enough how important this is. Growing means constantly changing, expanding, and evolving. Never let your business become stagnant. If you do, it could spell bad news, after all.
There are several ways you can grow your business. Here are a few examples to get you started.
14/15: Business Hub and Business Partner Emails
Learn more about the Illinois workNet Business Hub; the one stop shop for your business needs. This site includes numerous resources, articles, and other information to help you and your business. Be sure to also sign up for workNet's Business Partner Emails list. Click "Learn More" to get started.
15/15: More Resources for Small Businesses
For additional resources on how to start or grow your business, click the buttons below.