Business Topics & Grants

Steps to Starting A Business While Still in School

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by George Schaefer, Score.org Certified Mentor & CMStotheMAX

AI Generated & then Augmented

Steps to Starting A Business While Still in School


It can be fun to start a business while still in school. It lets you see if you have a business spirit early on. You also get helpful training and learn essential skills before you start working. Balancing school and a new business is hard but it is possible with careful planning and drive. Many students have done well by making intelligent choices, having clear goals and using their resources well. You can learn and make mistakes without fear when you start while in school.

 

Study Your Target Audience–To run a successful business you must know your target customer. You need to know who will buy what when you run a business. Find out what they want and what problems your business can solve for them. Talking to possible buyers and getting their thoughts is essential. Ask them questions to find out what they like, what their problems are and how they decide what to buy.

 

You can find this information through polls, online studies and social media. It is easier to make your marketing work for your audience if you know them well. This step helps you earn your customers’ trust and give them something useful.

 

Have A Clear Vision–Being clear about where you want your business to go helps you stay on track. It enables you to decide what to do and what to believe. Think about what you want to do with your business and your long-term goals. Your goal should give you hope and keep you going when things get tough.

 

Please make a list of your goals and remember them as you work. A clear goal also helps people understand what you’re trying to do. People who want to help work with you or invest in you will want to know your goal. Focus on what you see and it will lead you correctly.

 

Write A Leadership Statement-You must write a leadership statement to help you and your team stay on track. It shows what kind of boss you want to be. Your beliefs, principles and the type of company culture you want to build are shown in your leadership statement. This sentence keeps you grounded especially when things get tough.

 

A good leadership statement gives your business focus and direction. It also makes your team and possible partners more likely to believe you. What you believe in as a boss should be something you want to become better at. Your way of running the business will change as it does.

 

Financial Matters-For your business to succeed you need to handle your money well from the start. You need to make a budget and keep track of everything you spend. Planning will help you grow steadily even if you have limited money. Look into school funds prizes or contests that can help student businesses get cash.

 

If you look for them there are usually a lot of chances to grab them. It is also important to know about money. You must learn how to handle money, taxes, profits and costs to run your business well. Talk to teachers or financial experts who can help you if you need to.

 

Have A Business Plan-A business plan (marketing, operational & financial) tells you how to run your company. It spells out your plans, tactics and how you will run your business. There are also details in the business plan about how you will sell your goods or services and get them in front of the right people. Making a plan makes it easy to keep track of your work.

 

Your plan should have goals and essential steps to stay on track. Timing is very important when you are a student. Use this plan to make sure you have time for both school and work. A more organized plan will make it easier to change things and grow your business over time.

If you start with a marketing plan on how you will get customers, what referral programs and other marketing techniques, you will avoid many pitfalls.

 

Look for A Mentor-When you first start a business a coach can be beneficial. Mentors have been through and learned things you might not have yet. They can give you tips on many areas of having a business. A good guide helps you avoid making the same mistakes other people do and make better choices. There are non-profit and governmental agencies ready to help you at no charge. They include: www.score.org, SBDC-Small Business Development Centers, County & State Economic Development Centers.

 

You can find teachers at school networking events or the Internet. Getting to know people with much knowledge can lead to many possibilities. It would help if you weren’t afraid to ask for help or criticism. As an entrepreneur you can make your journey more accessible and satisfying by learning from others.

 

Be Flexible-Flexibility is essential when running a school or a new business. Only some things will go as planned. You might have to change your plans because of changes in your classes, the market or your personal life. Being adaptable means, you can change your mind when you need to.

 

Keep your eye on your long-term goals but give yourself room to change course if necessary. Being flexible will help you keep a good attitude when things get tough. Remember that your journey is special and that changing your plans can help you better in the long run.

 

 

Conclusion

It takes work, drive and planning to start a business while still in school. You can be successful if you know your audience, set clear goals and spend your money wisely. You will also grow if you have a guide and are open to new ideas. What you learn during this time can affect how well you do in the future. Balancing school and work is challenging but you can reach your goals if you stick with it.

Suggest you start with Affiliate Sales or Drop Ship sales where there is little risk while you hone your marketing skills

 

 

 

 

Link Section

Suggested Places to open an free account
Gmail.com – Gives you access to many free Google Products
Outlook.com – Gives you access to many free Microsoft products
Invideo.io – Outstanding AI video creator
Fiverr.com – Quality low price services

 

Other to sign up too

Facebook – The most popular social media expecially for folks over 40 years old

Youtube – 2nd to Google is searches and growing fast as folks don’t like AI in searches

Linkedin – A business focus social media platform

Google Voice – Gives a free phone number with transcription

Google Alerts – Have Google email you about topics you are interested in
Grammarly – Spell checker on everything including posts

Canva.com – Free advertising material generator
ChatGPT – Open AI Version 3.5 – Personal assistant and much more
Copilot – Microsoft’s version of ChatGPT 4
Gemini – Google’s version of ChatGPT

Hubspot – Great marketing tips and resources
Jotform – Internet Forms & Cellphone Apps
Quotationtemplates.net – Free Quotation Forms

Upwork
– Quality low price services

 

 

 

SCORE Resources

Is an SBA Loan Right for You? The Quick Guide | SCORE

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) | SCORE

About SCORE | SCORE

7 Ways to Grow Your Real Estate Business | SCORE
Pros and Cons of Forming a Series LLC for Real Estate Invest

Paste in a browser site:score.org & add your business type or subject

Score Mentor Industry Specialist Links
Real Estate Mentors or
Browse for a mentor

 

Top Facebook Related Groups

Largest Facebook Groups

Members

small businesses ideas and funding

137,000

SBA GRANT FUNDS 2k23

60,000

GRANTS – FUND BUSINESSES

44,000

SBA GRANT 2023

32,000

 

 

Related Businesses
https://mediahubnation.com/2024/04/28/real-estate-related-businesses/

https://www.xlbusinessbrokers.com/real-estate-related-businesses-for-sale-in-florida/

 

Unique Selling Proposition USP

https://carrot.com/blog/unique-selling-proposition/

https://www.followupboss.com/blog/unique-selling-proposition-real-estate

https://begreight.com/real-estate-usp/

 

Business Name Ideas

Business Name Generator – Create Business Name Instantly

 

45 Creative Real Estate Company Names (+ Generator) – The Close


300+ real estate business names and ideas to inspire yours


 

 

 

Grant Portals

Google Recommended Alerts (www.google.com/alerts)

  • Grants {your County or State}
  • {your type of product or service} Grants
  • {your type of product or service} NOFO
  • {your type of product or service} Grant “application open”
  • {your type of product or service} Foundation Grant
  • {your type of product or service} “Funding opportunity”
  • {your type of product or service} “Announces funds”
  • {your type of product or service} “Notice of Intent”
  • {your type of product or service} “Letter of Intent”
  • {your type of product or service} RFQ {in your Area Code or County}
  • {your type of product or service} RFQ {in your Area Code or County}
  • {your type of product or service} {in your Area Code or County}
  • {your type of product or service} Inkind
  • {each of your major suppliers}
  • {each of your major customers}
  • {your main competitor}
  • {the industry leader preferably in your state}
  • {your industry’s main magazine}
  • {your industry’s trade association}
  • {your local chamber of commerce}

 

Top Facebook Related Groups (copy and paste in a browser)

Facebook Groups – site:facebook.com/groups {your business type}
Facebook Groups – Grants – site:facebook.com/groups grants
Facebook Groups – In Your Area Code – site:facebook.com/groups {area code}

Facebook Groups – Business for Sale – site:facebook.com/groups {business for sale}

 

This is not intended as legal advice; for more information


For more information, email George Schaefer at or https://tinyurl.com/SCOREIE

All rights reserved but permission to use this can be requested Use at cmstothemax.com

 

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