Business Opportunities Weblog

August 29, 2007 by Rich Whittle | 1 Comment

Clarion Ledger:

Nancy Tanner Crisco and Janis Burgess lacked a written business plan when they opened What’s Cookin’ in Brandon in 2005 but nevertheless took a hands-on approach.

The two women visited a similar business in Starkville for menu ideas and a lesson in how to start a business that specializes in preparing and stocking ready-to-go casse-roles, side dishes, soups and desserts.

“I truly recommend going to work for someone else for six months to a year and learn on someone else’s nickel about the business,” said Rhonda Abrams, author of the book, Six-Week Start-Up: A Step-by-Step Program for Starting Your Business, Making Money and Achieving Your Goals.

“You want to find out what’s really involved. How much time and money it takes, what the day-to-day operation is like and what the industry is like.”

Starting a business doesn’t have to mean taking out a second mortgage, Abrams said, and making yourself responsible for dozens of employees.

“Start with a business that has low expenses such as consulting,” she said. “I call it the training-wheel business. That’s how I started. Start off as a personal chef before you open a restaurant.

Sell goods at crafts fairs or house parties before you open a gift shop. Those are all ways to learn if you like working for yourself and handling risk.”

Even if you’re establishing a low-cost business such as consulting, keep in mind you’ll still have living expenses to pay, she said.

Photo by MSDesigns.

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Tags: Planning, Small Biz, Startup