What’s the best age to be an entrepreneur?
Posted on May 13, 2008
I don’t think you remember, but a while ago I wrote an article about Entrepreneurship age - when is better to start a business.
Well, I’ve turned 30 since I wrote that article, and getting older made me smart enough to write a guest post on Ben Means Business about What Is the Best Age to Start a Business? I actually didn’t re-read my original post, if you read them both, can you tell me if there are any differences?
So, how old are you?
- What’s next on Small Business Entrepreneur blog?
- So, what’s wrong with the Top 100 Business Blogs?
- Entrepreneur interviews
- Entrepreneur interviews
- You’re not a regular sale guy
» Filed Under Entrepreneurship | 1 Comment
Interview with Web 2.0 entrepreneur Wei Yang
Posted on May 9, 2008
Wei Yang accepted to make an interview about EasyAutoSales, Georgia’s fastest growing web 2.0 automotive startup that he thinks it will change the way cars are offered on the web. He Co-founded EasyAutoSales.com, together with some local entrepreneurs and started with no outside investments. The site launched its beta in March and garnered a million cars within just one month.
Here is the interview.
- Interview with Small Business Entrepreneur Becky McCray
- What’s next?
- Featured bootstrapper on www.bootstrapme.com blog
- Entrepreneur interviews
- I’ve attended Bob Walsh’s presentation on Blogging at SIC
» Filed Under Interviews | Leave a Comment
Some more thoughts on Romanian Workforce
Posted on April 29, 2008
If I remember well, this is not the first time I write about the workforce in Romania. In fact, yes, here is my previous post about Worforce in Romania. The reason I’m writing again now is a Manpower survey that really shows how the situation is over here.
On one hand we have several big companies moving here for the cheaper workforce (probably the most known is Renault making the Logan here) and more recently Nokia moving from Germany. As I said in my previous post, you can still get unskilled cheap labour force here.
On the other hand I have my own experiences trying to hire, and the Manpower results that says: “Romania faces biggest labour shortage in the world“. “Engineers’ salaries reached as much as over 1,000 euros a month over the last few years, and in certain fields, such as IT&C they may go up to as much as 2,500 euros. In terms of top management, a CEO of a multinational makes at least 10,000 euros per month.”.
So what can I say? Labour is cheap but you can’t find it. Which is kind of a paradox. I wonder what exactly I’m missing from this picture.
- Work force in Romania
- Romanian Entrepreneurship blog
- Nominated for the Best Romanian Business blog
- Small Business Blindness
- Reply to “Romania in one post” blog post
» Filed Under Doing business | Leave a Comment
Commenting on Ben’s 10 Commandments of Surefire Home Business Success
Posted on April 20, 2008
Ben has some interesting points about running a business from home in his “10 Commandments of Surefire Home Business Success!“. I found them (and actually his entire blog) as an interesting resource for running a home business, so now I need to comment on his points:
- Be Professional. People usually find it difficult to maintain the same level of professionalism at home as they do at a 9-5. But believe me, professionalism is key to your success as a home business owner.
Correct! The thing that usually happens is that because you are small, you tend to do some things on a lower level, some sort of “well, it’s going to work this way as well” in which “this way” is not very good. Of course, in some cases, you simply can’t perform better, but if you let this add up, you will get a messy business. You will have not so good contracts, not so good offers, not so good customer care, not so good supplies and then, you’re not so good either.
- Separate Business from Pleasure. You have to be able to separate your business hours from your personal time. Take it from me, getting the two of these mixed up is both very easy and very costly.
Balance in life is probably my biggest issue right now. So yes, you should separate business for pleasure, even if you work with your family. Ok, you are colleagues at work, but as soon as the work is over, don’t forget they are your family. Or other way put, don’t bring your business into your family, but you can bring your family into your business.
- Location, Location, Location. If you do not have an office in your home, I suggest that you at least get a computer desk and arrange all of your business valuables around that. This is important because it helps to keep you focused on your tasks. You can be a lot more professional if you are not constantly reminded that you are at home.
Agreed. If you are working from your couch, your commitment, way you solve things and everything else goes down. Also, usually, home, means your private place where you can feel safe away from any outside dangers. And this is going to modify your perception about the outside world. Not sure if you become lazy or something, but for sure you develop some sort of autistic behavior.
- Demand Respect. Don’t sell yourself short. The minute you pay your incorporation or DBA fees, you are officially a legitimate business in your industry. You must demand the respect of your competitors as well as your customers.
Moreover, in some parts of the World you can’t do business without incorporating. Also, you need a name to put on your business cards.
- Spend Less, Make More. Be frugal with your spending in the beginning. I guarantee you that hard times are coming and you will want to sell that $300 chair and $4,000 laptop when they arrive.
I have approached this subject on several occasions. There is a saying: “if you buy a BMW from your first year, it’s a sure sign you will get down sooner or later”. Don’t make any investments that don’t have a direct result in the production. Better invest in something to grow your business.
- Build Relationships. Trust me, people are usually more loyal to people than they are to companies.You should be able to identify with the customer a lot better than the corporation that has 50,000 employees.
Well, yes. Word of mouth is a very important sales tool when you are small. It doesn’t matter what you do, but it always matter who you know.
- Separate Accounting. Be sure to keep your personal funds and your business funds separate. It is very tempting to get your companies money mixed up with yours(especially when they are kept in the same account).
I said that as well, in an article over www.boostrapme.com - Bootstrappers should keep finances separate
- Monkey See, Money Do. Success is duplicatible, so make sure that you don’t let your competitors leave you behind. Everyone copies everyone, so if you see a technique or practice that could work for you, copy it. Add it to what you are doing because I guarantee you that they will duplicate your next big breakthrough.
I don’t have anything against getting inspiration resources from your competition. In fact, the business that do well are business that do the same like all the others, just a little better!
- Business is Business. Oftentimes friends and family, who are all well-intentioned, will hinder your business from being successful. It is OK to allow your friends and family to benefit from your labor.
Fully commented on this over here.
- Visit “Ben Means Business”
Ok, a little nice self promotion 
You can read more stuff on Ben’s blog about interesting subjects: Choosing the Perfect Business Name, The Seasons of Your Business and many more
- Ben Means Business comments on my Delegate in a small business article
- Motivating a sale team through success
- Reasons not to start a business
- Blogging for charity
- 5 reasons not to be a part time entrepreneur
» Filed Under Knowledge resources | 1 Comment
Ben Means Business comments on my Delegate in a small business article
Posted on April 20, 2008
I’ve got a comment on my Delegate in a small business from Ben saying: “I am skeptical about delegating to family. From my experiences that usually doesn’t turn out well. I expressed my thoughts on hiring family in a post a while back. I was called Ten Commandments to Surefire Home Business Success. Check out the 9th Commandment and let me know what you think.”
Here is Ben’s 9th Commandment: “Oftentimes friends and family, who are all well-intentioned, will hinder your business from being successful. It is OK to allow your friends and family to benefit from your labor. However, “free stuff all around” every time they enter your premises is not a good way to get this done. Believe me, all those freebies add up pretty quickly. So keep an eye on the “benefits by association”. Friends and/or family are usually your first employees also. This is another area where they can hurt your business more than they help it. You will find that some people will come to work late, leave early, and do absolutely nothing in between. They have no fear of being fired because of their personal relationship with you. You have to make sure that your acquaintances know that business is business and that you will protect the well being of your business like any good owner should. Even if it means releasing them from their duties with your company. ”
I should know best about working with your family in a business as my company co-owners are my girlfriend and her sister. And I can say that yes, working with your family is probably more complicated than hiring outsiders. But then again, if you don’t build a business that does something for your family, it might be pointless.
So, let’s say it like this: You have to be very careful before deciding to work with your family. Unlike a simple employee, you can’t fire them and sometimes you can’t impose your way of doing things.
Actually, it depends! On your family, your business and yourself!
- Delegate in a small business (part 2)
- Delegate in a small business (part 1)
- Commenting on Ben’s 10 Commandments of Surefire Home Business Success
- Comments on Fred Wilson’s Ten Questions About Entrepreneurs
- What’s the best age to be an entrepreneur?
» Filed Under Entrepreneurship | 1 Comment
