subject: The New Business Start-up Checklist [print this page] It's unlikely that anyone who has ever battled through a morning rush-hour, or just missed that train home after a long day hasn't thought to themselves, "If I was the boss I would...". It's the most attractive part of being the boss, control of how a business runs. There is a caveat to this however, and that is that the decisions that are made need to be within the context of the business succeeding its goals and becoming successful - it can be more difficult than it may first seem from the outside.
There are things you can do to ensure that your business is not just a flash in the pan and has a chance of becoming everything you want it to be. One of the best things to do at the beginning is to get as much advice as possible from those who are experienced, have been there and done it. Get this advice, take it and learn from it, you will at least then have a chance at starting on the front foot.
You need to ensure you have the right equipment to do the work you are promising to do. This doesn't mean instantly going out and buying all the latest and greatest equipment, but it will involve investing in equipment that will last, be reliable and ultimately help you get the jobs you need to done both on time and to the required standard.
When it comes to putting money into the business it can be even more important to get some sound advice - especially if you haven't had much experience working with financial information before. This is where an accountant can come in; at first they should be able to assist with how you will manage the financials from the beginning as well as do the ground work to ensuring best practice with your books. This will save a lot of time and heartache later on, especially if you have to do a tax return!
When the business starts to win more and more clients and the work starts to flow in, the time will come when more staff will be needed. Hiring staff is relatively straight forward; hiring the right staff can be difficult. Don't be too worried if at first it takes a few different people before the right one comes along - trust your feelings and that no-one knows better than you what is right for the business.
There is of course more to starting up a business than the few simple steps mentioned in this article. It is important to remain focused at the start and to keep this focus of where you want the business to go and what you would like it to become throughout its lifecycle. Learn to take the rough with the smooth and learn from the inevitable mistakes that you will make along the way. Learning from such mistakes is all experience and will make you and your business stronger.
