Starting a small business is an exciting journey many Americans hope to make a reality. More than six in 10 U.S. adults say they would prefer to be their boss, according to a Shopify-Gallup Entrepreneurship study.
However, launching and sustaining a business can feel intimidating in an ever-changing landscape. That’s why The UPS Store, which has supported small business owners with the resources they need to grow, thrive and reach their goals for 45 years, is offering these tips to put your entrepreneurial ideas into action:
1. Refine your idea: Coming up with an idea is the first step toward establishing a successful business. This phase involves recognizing market needs and determining how to fill a gap. Refining your concept will help establish a solid groundwork for everything that follows, ensuring that your enterprise aligns with your vision and values.
2. Identify your passion, skills and purpose: Your passion and purpose will fuel your entrepreneurial journey, and your unique skills will allow your business to stand out in a crowded marketplace.
3. Evaluate the competition: A thorough understanding of the competitive landscape is crucial. By evaluating other small businesses, you gain valuable insights into their strengths, weaknesses and the strategies they employ. Start by identifying your direct and indirect competitors. Please take note of their product or service offerings, pricing strategies, marketing and SEO tactics and customer reviews. This information can illuminate gaps in the market and highlight opportunities for positioning your business. Remember, competition isn’t inherently harmful. It can provide motivation and inspiration.
4. Research market demand: To validate your business idea and ensure its viability, you’ll need to gather information about your target customers, competitors and overall industry trends. This market research will provide your business idea with potential customers, help you refine your offerings, and prepare you for market ups and downs. Remember, informed decisions today pave the way for a successful business tomorrow.
5. Utilize available resources: Let The UPS Store be your one-stop-shop in making your business easier to manage. Make copies of the necessary paperwork, arrange to shred documents you no longer need, pack and ship products to customers, or secure a mailbox to provide your business with an actual street address. Whether you need to print marketing materials or have documents notarized, faxed or scanned, The UPS Store offers time-saving services and exclusive deals so you can focus on the big picture.
6. Seek opportunities: Unique opportunities can help you grow and evolve your small business. Right now, the Small Biz Challenge, sponsored by The UPS Store and Inc. magazine, is inviting game-changing, innovative, and hard-working entrepreneurs and creators nationwide to apply for the business opportunity of a lifetime, which includes a share of a total prize pool of $35,000, incredible mentorship opportunities and networking connections, and an editorial feature in Inc. From March 17 to April 4, anyone can vote on their favorite semi-finalist. For full official rules and guidelines on how to enter, visit inc.com/the-ups-store-challenge.
“Discovering the next wave of unstoppable small business owners with bright futures ahead is one of the most exciting outcomes of this year’s competition,” said Michelle Van Slyke, senior vice president of marketing and sales at The UPS Store, Inc. “Staying true to our long-standing practice of empowering our franchise owners at more than 5,300 locations, we’re thankful for the opportunity to help other small business owners actualize their big ideas into success.”
