|
Can Buying Groups Save You Money?
Let me give you a brief history of Group Purchasing Organizations (GPO). They have been around for decades. Do you know what types of businesses get the best pricing on all of the goods and services they purchase? The answer is healthcare...
Creating A Network That Works
Do you ever stand in awe of those people who seem to know everybody and everything? I know I do! Regardless of what you're looking for, these people have their finger on the pulse of the 'Net and know where to find it. Their network of resources...
Small Business Merchant Accounts
A small business merchant account may be just what your company
needs to edge out the competition. If your customer base is
growing or they are asking increasingly for credit payment
options as well as for information about your products...
Small Business Outsourcing: An Introduction
Outsourcing is the delegation of a business process to an external service provider. The service provider will then be responsible for the day-to-day running and maintenance of the delegated process.
Before outsourcing an IT function, look at...
The Top 10 The Top Ten Signs That Your Marketing Message Needs a Facelift
Is your marketing plan dull, flat, and downright boring? Is it lacking the zest and appeal which can penetrate the consciousness of your buyers? If so, you may be driving away folks who could easily buy your products or services. If so, these...
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
No Cash for a One Horse Race
No Cash for a One Horse Race - a real life business venture story
© 2005 by Harry S Richards
The kind of calls I get from the Helpline Service I have operated for the past ten years would leave many speechless.
Just last week I received a call from a client who said that he wanted to start a small business venture but had no cash at all. He was so excited with the prospect of the proposed business that he insisted on telling me all about it. He had every reason to be excited because it seemed that there was no way that he could fail to make a success of it.
However, he wanted me to help him with the financial aspects, such as how could he possibly get a loan and how he had such a poor credit rating that no one would give him a loan. So why was he in such disparate straits? I asked.
Well he explained how he overlooked his telephone bill, and the red reminder so they were going to disconnect it. Then his vehicle has no road tax and the M.O.T ran out over a month ago. His wife is demanding housekeeping money and his bank has just returned a cheque he bounced for the electricity bill.
Not a good starting point to launch a business I had to explain. However, he went into some more detail about his proposed new business. He actually had people lined up who wanted what he was offering. The only problem with that was that what he was offering was in my own stockroom, and would I supply three units to him so he can get started? Well no, how will I know whether I’ll ever get paid along with all the others he owes money to?
Not to worry he explains, the business is assured and I would really be backing a one-horse race with odds of 4 to 1. Now I don’t gamble, but if ever there was such a thing as a one-horse race at those odds I would be sorely tempted – wouldn’t you be?
Now how on earth can I help this poor guy? Is he beyond any help at all? Surely there must be a solution somewhere without any risk to me?
Then it dawned upon me. Several years ago I had found myself in a similar predicament. I had just lost a well paid job and needed some start-up cash really bad. I had no savings because I was young and believed in the mistaken philosophy of “easy-come-easy-go”. I remembered what an old timer had once told me, “when the going gets really tough, sell your piano” he expounded.
Well, at that time I did not have a
piano. In fact I have never owned a piano, but I did have one of those early-style word processors. I advertised the word-processor and sold it to the first caller. That gave me the cash I needed to make a start in a business of my own and that business became so big I could hardly cope with the number of orders. I had complaints about slow service because there were just too many orders to fulfil. Before I knew it I got a call from the Bank to tell me I had achieved a seven figure turnover, and did I want to meet an investment advisor. I had to explain that I had no time even to attend to the orders let alone spare time to meet an advisor.
To cut a long story short, I told my errant helpline caller to sell his piano. He had no piano, so I asked him what other items he has of any value in his home. He explained that he had nothing of any value but his wife had an old Singer Sewing Machine that she never uses. Get her permission to sell it I told him and that’s what he did. He got a good price for it and bought some of my stock.
That caller to my help-line had a problem. The problem once resolved actually made him wealthy within just two years. The last time I heard from him was when I received a photograph of him enjoying a luxury holiday on a beautiful sandy beach with his wife and two lovely children
If you really have faith in a business, you don’t need any starting cash for a one horse race – you’ll find it anyway – right under your nose.
You can read other real-life stories on my website, just click on the link “Case Histories”.
*********************************************************************
Resource Box:
Article by Harry S Richards. Former Street Urchin and Founder of Beauforts PC Trading. Learn from his experience: Go to: http://www.beauforts.biz
*********************************************************************
Attn: Ezine Editors / Site Owners / Webmasters / everyone else
Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or on your site as long as you leave all links in place, do not modify the content and include our resource box as listed above.
About the Author
Harry S Richards started his business life as a Street Urchin and a failed salesman who became a millionaire later in life after being told a profound business secret. He is Founder and Principal of Beaufort Projects UK
|
|
|
|
|
| United States Small Business Administration |
| An electronic gateway of procurement information for and about small businesses. Search engine for contracting officers, marketing tool for small firms, ... |
| www.sba.gov |
|
| SBA |
| The Small Business Planner includes information and resources that will help you at any stage of the business lifecycle. ... |
| www.sba.gov |
|
| Main Page - SmallBusiness.com - Small Business Resources |
| Find Small Business plans, advice, tutorials about organization, corporations, entrepreneurship, and smallbusiness. |
| www.smallbusiness.com |
|
| Yahoo! Small Business: Domain Names, Web Hosting, E-commerce ... |
| Yahoo! Small Business provides products and services that enable you to establish and grow your business on the Internet. Services include domain name ... |
| smallbusiness.yahoo.com |
|
| Small business advice business start up small business finance ... |
| business start up small business finance start up advice. |
| www.smallbusiness.co.uk |
|
| Smallbusiness.gov.au redirect to business.gov.au |
| Business Entry Point - Helping small business in big ways. An Australian Government initiative. The content from this website has now been consolidated into ... |
| www.smallbusiness.gov.au |
|
| Business & Small Business |
| Online and print small business publication. Information to help start, grow or manage a small business. |
| www.entrepreneur.com |
|
| Microsoft Small Business Center |
| Your home for information about Microsoft's small-business products and services, tailored business advice, technology tools, and more. |
| www.microsoft.com |
|
| The Small Business Advisor - advice for starting and operating a ... |
| Advice and assistance for starting and operating a small or home based business. |
| www.isquare.com |
|
| SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business" |
| A nonprofit association dedicated to encouraging the formation, growth, and success of small business nationwide through counseling and mentor programs. |
| www.score.org |
|
| Small Business and Self-Employed One-Stop Resource |
| IR-2006-2, January 3, 2006 - Temporary and proposed regulations will significantly reduce tax filing burden for nearly 950000 small business owners. ... |
| www.irs.gov |
|
| Welcome to Small Business BC your business resource in British ... |
| BC Business Services offers assistance and resources for those running or starting a business in British Columbia and Vancouver. |
| www.smallbusinessbc.ca |
|
| Small Business Service | Home |
| Provides information and advice to help small businesses realise their potential. |
| www.sbs.gov.uk |
|
| NSW Small Business |
| A site developed by the NSW Department of State and Regional Development for small businesses. Topics include management, resources, current issues and ... |
| www.smallbiz.nsw.gov.au |
|
| Business Management & Advice: Small Business Resources & Information |
| Looking for business management and advice? Our website includes small business resources and information that can help you. Visit the small business ... |
| www.businessweek.com |
|
| Small Business Lawyer, Attorney, Law, Legal Help - FindLaw for ... |
| Information and legal sites relevant to small business. |
| smallbusiness.findlaw.com |
|
| Small Business Funding Opportunities (SBIR and STTR) |
| Links to Small Business Funding Opportunities and SBIR / STTR Applications. |
| grants.nih.gov |
|
| Microsoft bCentral Small Business Directory |
| Directory categorized by industry with company business card feature. |
| sbd.bcentral.com |
|
| Our site has moved! Please update your bookmarks! |
| Facilitates the sharing and exchange of information among small business development centers, the small business administration and other business-oriented ... |
| sbdcnet.utsa.edu |
|
| Small Business Development Corporation |
| Our business information services provides guidance to improve business skills and knowledge on advice on starting, buying, selling and expanding a small ... |
| www.sbdc.com.au |
|