So you want to start a business? It’s a great goal to have – but many people don’t quite know where to startor what to do to actually start that business. Here’s a quick and easy guide to follow as you begin your entrepreneurial journey. While there are many other ways to go about it, steps you can add or people you can partner with to get started, these four steps are the basics you need to understand how to launch your business. 

1. Figure out your big idea.

You may have an idea – something you wish you had, like a product or service to make your life easier. But in order to launch a business, you really need to think through that idea and know what needs to be done to grow that spark into a big idea that can be acted upon. Figure out what this idea is and what should go into it (just one product, or many? One service, or are there others you can add?). All of this will help your business idea to grow.   

2. Put together a plan.

The business plan is one of the most important parts to starting your business. That’s why it’s so important for you to create an effective, complete document that can help you get funding, develop marketing plans, hit milestones and find success. There are guides and templates available online, but the best way to ensure a great business plan is to work with an expert like a business plan consultant, who can help you think through every aspect of the business plan and articulate your ideas in a way that will help you. 

3. Get financing

Once you have a business plan, you can start working on securing financing. You can go through investors or banks and other financial institutions for loans. With your plan, you’ll be able to answer all of their questions and show them how you plan to make your products, get in front of potential customers and go to market. This document can help ease any worries they have about their loan or investment, and show that you are prepared to make money!

4. Get started on the details.

A lot of different things need to be done to actually open a new business. After you have financing, you’re ready to get started on the details. These details can include research and development, hiring employees, marketing your business, getting leases/deeds and insurance policies, etc. These details need to happen before you can officially be in business, but each business has unique needs and those details may look different from business to business.

These four steps may seem intimidating, but they can get you on the path to starting a business from scratch! If you’re ready to get started, reach out for a free consultation with Bargain Business Planfor help creating a plan that will help you take these steps to becoming a business owner.