UP AND RUNNING
A PROFESSIONAL GUIDE TO SETTING UP & RUNNING A PROFITABLE BUSINESS.
J.L Fenna
Published by J.L Fenna Publications at Smashwords
Copyright 2012 J.L Fenna, All Rights Reserved
Discover other titles by J.L Fenna Publications at Smashwords.com
Discover other titles by J.L Fenna at Smashwords.com
We have made every effort to ensure that the information contained in this Manual reflects the law of 2012.
This Manual is to be used for guidance & education purposes only and is not intended to replace your own independent legal advice. Phoenix Publications cannot and will not be held responsible for any loss or liability perceived to have arisen from the use of this information.
Up & Running
By James L Fenna
Copyright 2012 James L Fenna
Smashwords Edition
This book and many other of our titles are also available in a print edition.
Available at most online retailers.
No part of this Manual may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system or otherwise or by any other means whatsoever, without the prior written permission of Phoenix Publications in accordance with the Copyright Act 1956.
The Preface
THE LIST OF CONTENTS
1 The Psychology of Success
2 Having What It Takes
3 What Can I Do?
4 Financial Freedom
5 Setting Up
6 Testing the Water
7 Raising Money
8 More about Finance
9 The Winning Image
10 Selling Success
11 Taking Control
12 Practical Prosperity Guide
PREFACE
It is fair to say that absolutely anyone can start their own business. You simply choose a name, inform Inland Revenue and the DSS, and away you go! The problem comes in making it into a profitable enterprise.
Although anyone can start a business, not everyone will be successful, and get rich. I had always thought there must be some big secret to getting rich and successful. And I was right! I spent nine months asking the rich how they made it and I'll spend the rest of my life being glad I did!
Getting rich is NOT the product of good fortune. It is the outcome of putting certain principles and secrets to work for you. Within this book are the secrets and techniques of the rich and successful.
If you are serious about wanting to make your fortune, and are willing to put in a hell of a lot of hard work, this book is just what you need. Making the transition from employed to self-employment is not always easy, and useful advice is often hard to get.
Within this book you will find all the information you need. Apply the principles given, and there is no reason why you won't become richer than you could imagine.
I am forever indebted to the people who gave me their valuable time. They have shown me that success is possible for anyone who really wants it.
I could have written the book in a documentary style, but I felt that it would sound excruciating. Constant references to Mr. X and Mrs. Z. are fine in small doses, but for a book this size it would eventually drive you mad. In the end I decided on a simple.
'How to...' style, using fictional examples to explain the facts.
1. THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SUCCESS
In Up and Running you will find out what makes one person successful in a field where other people fail. How a 'self-made man' can rise up through adversity to be incredibly rich and successful, you will discover the special characteristics that are needed to be successful.
Yes, there are special characteristics that set people above others. Without them, your chance of being rich is practically nil. But the good news is that these characteristics CAN be acquired and put to work for you. Up and Running will show you how you can transform your life, but it is up to you to apply what you learn.
Most people never get past the first step to success - They will never get rich because they will not allow it to happen! They do not possess the most powerful characteristic of all successful people - belief. They refuse to believe that they will ever be any different to how they are now. As a result of this negative thinking, they never are.
Because of their way of life, they have become conditioned for failure - accepting it as a fact of life. If you really want to be rich - you must start applying a few important rules. Follow these steps and success will follow.
VISUALIZING YOUR FUTURE
Everybody has a dream. A fantasy, if you like, usually it takes the form of something we would like to have, or something we would like to happen to us. How we respond to this dream will decide whether we are successful, or whether we remain as we are. We could continue to dream and say 'If only ...’ knowing that we will never see our dream come true. In this case our dream becomes a SUBSTITUTE for action or we can act on our dream and try to make it happen. In this case our dream becomes a MODEL for our action.
I think we all have a dream. Be a millionaire, own a cottage in the country, own a Rolls Royce, whatever ... That dream will remain only a dream for as long as we let it. In most cases this is forever.
Many people think that a dream is just a pleasant fantasy. Well, it can be, but the most important aspect of a dream is that it is a signal for action. The most incredible success stories all began with a dream. A dream is a goal for us to achieve, a purpose in life - a destination.
That last point is very important. A goal is essential if you are to achieve great wealth. And it is important that you focus on a specific goal in your dream. It is no good just saying you want to be rich. This is not specific enough. That would be like going into a bank and asking for plenty of money! To set an effective goal it must be a specific one. Your ultimate goal will be reached via many smaller, short-term 'goals'. Remember, a goal is a destination, and you can't get there if you don't know where you're going.
POWER OF DESIRE
Once you know what you want, you must then imagine what life would be when you have it. If you want to be a millionaire, think of how you would spend your free time, and the luxuries you would enjoy. This brings into play the Power of Desire. This is an enormously strong emotion. When we desire, we tend to make much more positive attempts to attain the object of our craving.
Buy a small exercise book and write about a typical day (or day off!) when you are rich. Imagine what you would be able to do with increased spending power! Write everything that you would love to do, given the chance. Be as explicit as you like, and write it as vividly as you can.
When you have finished, read it back. What does it do to you? Can you feel yourself aching to be able to live life that way? Does it make you really jealous of those who are enjoying that sort of life? If it does, then well done! You have just created desire. If you have done it well enough, you should want that life so much that it hurts!
Read this exercise book every day. Add more to it if you think of something else you would like to do. Your book will motivate you through desire. It will remind you of the reward waiting for you - and it will inspire you to succeed.
So now go back over your dream of the future. You are now going to focus on the things you desire. You no longer want a luxury car - you want a Rolls Royce. It isn't a house; it's the house, the one on Acacia Avenue that you pass every day on your way to work. You must now start to focus on your 'goals'.
OBSERVE THE REALITY
The next stage of action is to observe the reality. If there is a house you would like, then visit it often. By this I don't mean you should stand under the adjacent lamp-post and leer ghoulishly at it, until the police arrive! You need only walk past it. Plan what changes you will make to it when it is yours, mentally re-arrange the garden and picture how you will change it to suit you.
If you know what sort of car you would buy, look at a model in a garage. Find out about it. Get the specifics. Find out how much it costs, what extras are available and other relevant facts. Remember, you are converting your dream into hard facts. You are creating a specific destination. You will know how much the car will cost you; how much the house is worth; what sort of suit you would buy, and how much it will cost.
By doing this, you will be taking a positive step towards achieving your dream. Whereas before, you were a thinker, now you are a doer. Positive action is characteristic of a successful entrepreneur.
THE DANGER OF HATE
As you bought this book, it would be safe to assume that you want to change your life. You want more money - more control over your life - more respect. But just as we each have a dream, we also have a reality. Unfortunately for most people, the reality bears no similarity whatsoever to the dream. In many cases, the dream exists as a means of escape from the reality.
Think now of your reality - the life you lead every day. What do you do? How do you feel as you awake? Do you have any enthusiasm for your way of life? Do you enjoy your work, or are you on the dole? Then ask yourself the important question: Do you resent having to live in this way? If you answer 'Yes' to that question, then you are in danger of succumbing to the most destructive human emotion - hate. If you hate the life you live, the people you deal with, the actions you are forced to take, then you may well find yourself rapidly rushing towards disaster. When you hate, you may as well be drunk! You no longer function in a creative manner. Your mind is geared toward destruction. Instead of aiming to create a new life for yourself, you will become obsessed with the act of revenge.
The more that you hate the people and the situation around you, the more your mind becomes poisoned with the purpose of getting even! Logical thought is impossible and hate then becomes a substitute for action. Avoid hate at all costs. It will destroy both you, and your dreams of success.
You must learn NOW, to resist the urge to hate. It achieves nothing constructive. Take a good look at your way of life. Do you find you always have to make do with what you have got, because you can't afford a replacement? Do you always have to put off paying bills until next week? Have you never enough money to enjoy yourself? Are you unhappy with the area in which you live? You may find you are regularly having to write a cheque on Monday and hoping that you will be able to cover it by Thursday.
Or you may just be sick of the daily grind of early mornings, or the regular night shift. If most of these apply to you, then you probably hate living this way. So now make a POSITIVE effort to achieve success. Only through positive endeavor and thought will you achieve your goal.
Hate is negative and destructive.
Although you’re current way of life is hard, think not of how to get rid of it, but how to REPLACE it with a better way of life. Think success - not revenge. Assess what you resent about life now. You may even resent the things that you would normally enjoy, were your circumstances different. Occasions like Christmas, birthdays, Bank Holidays, and Easter can be very trying times when you have no money to spend. Children don't understand the restrictions of a tight budget, and it can cause great distress to a parent who is unable to give his child the gift, or day out, that they would like. Now imagine the difference in these circumstances when you are rich. When you have achieved success, you will wonder what all the fuss was about!
There is no harm in imagining the difference your wealth will make to your lifestyle - but approach it lightheartedly. Say to yourself: I will work to be a success so I can have the satisfaction of being able to tell the TV rental man where to stick his television! And so I can see the look on the rent man's face when I tell him to not bother calling next fortnight! This attitude is positive, but don't hate the way things are, or the people it involves. That would only make things worse. You will have plenty of time to reflect on your past when you are rich!
These things that make you miserable and depressed will be all behind you when you put the secrets of success to work. Imagine life without all these annoying and trying times. You will be able to enjoy Christmas, and give your kids what they want. That squillion function, water-resistant, fire-proof, solar-powered digital watch with compact disc and stereo speakers, (that they have always wanted), will be a drop in the ocean for you!
THE POWER OF THE POSITIVE
Despite how you may feel about yourself, you haven't always been a loser. Nobody is here to be a failure. The difference between a winner and a loser is their attitude to life.
A winner will always be thinking positive things - planning for the future, and taking pleasure from previous successes. A loser, on the other hand, never thinks of success. He will be able to remember his failures, but views any success as a stroke of luck.
As you will find out later, there is no such thing as luck, either good or bad. If you are in the position of this loser, then you must now begin to think in positive terms. You can change your thinking.
LOOK TO THE FUTURE
An important part of visualizing your dream is the ability to look to the future. In doing this you are applying the same technique as millions of other successful people. You must see your life as it will be when your dream comes to fruition. You are preparing yourself to accept your own success.
Many of the people who buy books on starting a business actually have no chance of starting up. They can't imagine themselves ever running their own business and earning unlimited wages. They never see things how they can be - only how they are. Don't make this mistake. Know what you want, know how to get it, see how it will be, and then go for it!
THE SENSE OF SUCCESS
Cast your mind back to your last success. It doesn't matter how insignificant it might seem. A success is when something happens to you in just the way that you intended it to. Even the perfect boiled egg is a success!
Once you have established what your last success was, try to remember how you felt at that moment of triumph. Did you feel elated, surprised, shocked? Was it an unexpected triumph, or a carefully calculated success? It doesn't matter how the success struck you - only how you felt afterwards. You should have felt proud of yourself. At that moment you were a winner.
It is this feeling that you should seek to remember as often as you can. It was a time when everything went right for you. It will remind you that you can succeed and that you are not a loser or a failure. I urge you to remember the feeling of success. The feeling of superiority, the urge to say 'I did that'! You must savor the memories of ALL of your successes. It is these sensations that you will learn to enjoy all of the time. Very shortly, success will become a way of life for you.
Make a habit of recalling all your successes. Surround yourself with memories of your achievements. Remember, an achievement can be anything. The time when you managed to get dates with the best looking boy or girl in the school how you were awarded top marks in a test at school.
The first job you managed to get. That was a success. The interviewer obviously saw that you were a capable person - the best of all those he had seen. All of these happy memories are important keys in the psychology of success. They are the building blocks to your success. Each one is a dream made reality.
There is a saying that goes, 'Nothing succeeds like success'. In that saying there is a wealth of truth. There is also a very important secret in there too. The key to success is to see it from a whole new angle.
We see the principle of success at work in so many ways. An athlete will set a personal best. He attains a level never before achieved. Yet within weeks, or even days, he surpasses even this record. He has programmed himself for success. His mind has been ordered to expect success. As a result, he will not accept defeat. He will persevere until he reaches new heights of success. They will come because he expects them to.
THE SENSE OF SUCCESS 2
I prefer to think of success not as a favorable outcome, but as a sense. In the same way that you can smell a flower, you can also create success. As we find our place in society, the vast majority of us lose this sense, while a select few develop it. The manual worker in a factory may decide that he has no chance of promotion in his job. Once he has accepted this as a 'lost cause' he will lose his sense of success. He has accepted failure. The man will NEVER achieve wealth.
Once he has lost the sense of success, he will never entertain the thought that he could be rich. He has conditioned himself to accept what he has. He thinks the only way that he would get rich is by winning the Lottery. Even if somebody gave him the instructions for making a fortune, he most likely wouldn't act on them. His mind is not geared for success. He has forgotten what it feels like. Because he doesn't believe he can get rich, he will fail to apply the information he is given, and he will remain forever in his rut.
On the other hand, this man may decide that he will not accept things the way they are. He may work at the job, saving part of his wage to go towards starting his own business. The highly successful entrepreneur develops his sense of success and applies it in everything he does. This man has the right attitude to attain enormous wealth. As a result, his first success is rapidly followed by another. Success follows success. It truly does become a way of life. He finds that one success becomes a stepping stone to the next one. It becomes a natural progression - and he is well on his way to becoming a millionaire. If you can cultivate this attitude within yourself, you CAN become a millionaire!
GET THE SUCCESS HABIT
In order to develop your sense of success you must first have remembered your last triumph. Once you can savor the feeling of success you must go out with the FIRM conviction that you will taste it again in the next thing you do. Then you must begin to anticipate it in everything that you do. You must tell yourself:
I DON'T ACCEPT FAILURE
I EXPECT SUCCESS
IT IS MY RIGHT
Motivating yourself to succeed is the key to continued success. Without that, you are unlikely to win again.
Look again at the slogan. Memorize it and apply it in everything that you do. Soon it will become part of your personality. It will drive you to new heights and victories. Write it on a piece of card, and place it where you will see it every day. Put it beside your bed so they are the first words you see when you start the new day. Put another card on your desk so you are reminded as you work.
Your new way of thinking will reflect on others. They will see a determined man or woman, hell-bent on achieving their goal in life. Respect will come your way, and success will automatically follow.
I CAN AND I WILL
When your next challenge arises, apply your new attitude to it. NO matter what it is, say to yourself: 'I CAN DO IT - AND I WILL DO IT'. Go into it, knowing that you will succeed.
Positive thought and determination has won more success than all the crossed fingers. Have the courage of your convictions. If you believe in something, then say so. If you are sure it will work, show them how if you go into a task with a positive attitude and confidence in your ability, you'll come out a winner.
Remember:
I DON'T ACCEPT FAILURE
I EXPECT SUCCESS
IT IS MY RIGHT
DON'T TRUST LUCK
All losers think that the only way they could get rich is by winning the Lottery. If you are thinking the same way or even consider it a good chance, I beg you to think again. Your chance of winning the lottery is many millions to one.
When they speak of what they would do when they get rich, what they are really saying is when they win the Lottery. Don't ever rely upon winning a fortune. As much as the Lottery companies might have you believe, more "X's" don't give you any significantly better chance of winning the jackpot. The Lottery is exactly what the name implies a lottery, There is no law of average either. Don't be fooled into thinking your numbers will 'come around' in time. All games are different every week.
The only sure way of getting rich is by earning it - and it really can be great fun as you will see. Leave the Lottery to the losers, and set about getting some real money. It's a lot easier than you think!
JOIN THE CLUB
You must now begin to see yourself as different from how you were. You are now taking the greatest challenge of your life. Commit yourself to success, and ignore the losers. If you look back over the years at man's courage and determination to succeed, you will soon see that success comes from within.
Success in every field is a result of the psychology of success. World records are being broken every day in sport. Scientists make new discoveries through their determination to succeed. The will to win makes champions of us all.
2. HAVING WHAT IT TAKES
There are many more self-employed people now, than ever before, because running your own business is no longer the unattainable dream it once seemed. Of the whole working population, over one in ten is self-employed! Contrary to popular opinion, you don't need vast amounts of cash, or business experience, to set up on your own. Practically anyone can do it.
It is not strictly true to say that nobody ever got rich by working for someone else. What is true is that the chance of getting rich is much higher when you run your own business. As you know, almost anyone can start their own business, but it is their motivation that will decide whether they make a fortune from doing so.
MOTIVATION
What motivates you? In other words, what are you aiming to achieve from your own business? If you have a clear-cut idea of the benefits you are hoping to receive, then you are more likely to succeed in making a success of your venture.
There are many benefits to be enjoyed once you have your own successful business. Some will appeal to you more than others. You may place independence very highly on your list of benefits. Many people start their own business with little regard for wealth, but place their independence at the top of the list. These people may never get rich, but they have achieved their aim. They no longer have to rely upon anyone else for their income. If you are not sure of your priorities, it is important that you discover them now.
Most people starting their own business are looking for great financial reward. There is no limit to the money you can make in your own business. You yourself are responsible for how your business develops. You may settle for a certain level of income, being quite content to generate a steady and regular profit, without the desire to expand. Alternatively, if wealth is your priority, then you will be motivated by the desire to make higher profits, and increase them at every available opportunity.
With higher profits will come, status? This may come as a surprise to you at the time, but with greater wealth comes, greater respect from others. You will be looked up to as an important member of the community. With wealth comes power. Whatever it is that you seek, remind yourself often! It is vital to your success.
ARE YOU POSITIVE?
Now that you know where you are going, let's see about getting there. Firstly, check your luggage. Are you carrying anything likely to slow you down?
If you have already mentioned to your friends at the pub that you will soon be rich, you will already know their reactions. For a start they will laugh at you, they will certainly try to put you off and if you listen to them long enough! They will!
I think we all know those people who talk endlessly about what they will do when they become rich. They always seem to know what they want out of life, but they never take any positive action in order to try and achieve it.
These people never achieved anything. Yet they feel qualified to tell you that you will never make it. Why? The answer is simple. Because THEY never will! And they know it.
NO EASY RIDE
Running your own business is a supreme test of the will. You will find yourself having to work much harder and longer than you ever had to before. This is vital to your success. Starting your money machine - your own business - is no easy ride. There are no freebies in the success business. It takes great self-discipline to overcome the early problems related to setting up a business, sometimes it can take years before a particular business is able to provide its owner with a good income.
Money can be a rare commodity in the early days of a business. What little there is will probably be needed to finance your venture, and you may have to prepare for an initial drop in your income. How soon you start to make money will depend on you.
You need to exercise tremendous self-discipline when you start your own business. You are accountable to nobody but yourself. There are no bosses on your back, watching over you to see you do your work. Everything is down to you - and it is very easy to just please yourself.
There is no nine-to-five in your own business. You are your business, and as such you are always open. It is very likely that you may find yourself working very long hours in the early days. There is also no guarantee of being paid. These long hours will probably stretch into your weekends and nights, leaving you little chance to socialize, and less chance of a holiday.
If the prospect of all this fills you with dread, then the chances are that you are probably not suited to the discipline of self-employment. Finding this out after you have already put all your available cash into a business can be devastating. It is therefore very important to understand the sacrifices involved at the outset, before committing yourself to going it alone.
3. WHAT CAN I DO?
Having read this far, don't be put off if you can't imagine anything you could possibly do, in a self-employed capacity, that would earn you a living. Many successful businesses are simple, home-based jobs requiring little, or no, technical knowledge. You don't always need experience. Over half of all people starting their own business actually choose something to do different from their previous job.
By putting your mind to work in the correct manner, you will be able to find the business idea that is right for you. Even if you have already chosen your work, please do read this chapter. It will help evaluate your idea - and may even change your mind!
Practically everything that you do is a skill. Whether it is something you did for a previous employer, a hobby, or even looking after the home and children. To find out what you are best suited to, let's go through a brief list of activities and skills that you may possess, and try to formulate some ideas from them.
SKILLS ASSESSMENT AND PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT
* Hairdressing or beauty treatment.
If you have experience in this field, you may be able to start seeing clients in your, or their, home. If you work from your own home, you may need planning permission from the local authority. Obviously you will need to have sufficient room to allow customers to wait in comfort, and to be treated. A telephone would be essential, as would an appointment book.
* Teaching.
There are a great many opportunities for teaching. Private tutors can command high prices for the privilege of their personal attention. The most popular subjects for private tutoring are languages, music, typing and driving. It is advisable to know your subject extremely well before starting out as a tutor. For some subjects you need to satisfy certain conditions. Always check first.
* Typing.
There are endless opportunities for the proficient typist. Working from home, and with the right equipment, you can earn very good money. Many typing agencies started out as 'one woman from home' ventures. If you can offer excellent quality and can meet deadlines, then you can be assured of a good regular income.
* Book-keeping.
If you have knowledge in this field, you can do well as a free-lancer, offering help to small businesses or even larger ones. Little capital is needed and if you have your own computer, then a good accounting program can significantly increase your work-rate. By advertising locally you should easily find work.
HOBBIES AND PASTIMES
* Craft-work.
If you are a keen and skillful maker of craft-work, you will probably already know of its popularity among the buying public. If you wanted to reach a larger audience, consider mail-order selling, or perhaps a market stall. If you can find a popular product, then you can be sure of a good income. Many firms started as market stalls and are now exporting millions of pounds worth of goods to other countries.
* Writing.
By combining your literary skill with any specialist knowledge you may have, you can write articles for magazines and trade journals. Here is an endless list of writing opportunities ranging from freelance article writing, to publishing your own book! Joining one of the many local writers’ clubs can give you vital feedback on what work is selling. A good word processor can greatly improve the quality and presentation of your work, and save you considerable time and effort.
* Photography.
Just as in writing, photography offers a wealth of business opportunities for very little outlay. You could offer freelance work to magazines, newspapers, and estate agents - or you could give a wedding photo and portrait service. If you are good at writing as well, then you could offer to design and produce publicity manuals and booklets for shops and businesses. There is a lot of fun to be derived, as well as a lot of money to be made, from being a freelance photographer.
SKILLS FROM THE HOME
* Home Manager.
An aptitude in household management can offer itself to many job ideas. Carpet cleaning, upholstery cleaning, furniture repair, and a whole host of related skills, are widely advertised in local newspapers. A home help could offer service to the busy professional people who have little time to do the job themselves.
* Child Minder.
If you enjoy the task of looking after children, then child-minding could be your answer. A job that requires immense patience and tolerance, but the pleasures are many for those who love children.
* Cooking.
If you enjoy cooking, you could possibly find an outlet for your wares in the local bakery, pub, health-food shop, or restaurant. Traditional home-made items are more popular than ever with a public tired of tasteless instant foods. Transport may be an important consideration for those larger orders.
* Gardening.
This is one of those hobbies that you either love or hate. If you love it, appeal to those who hate it! Tell them how lovely their garden will look after you have spent a day in it. People, who haven't time or are disabled, would appreciate someone landscaping their garden - or even just weeding it or mowing the lawn. You could specialise in a particular type of work; e.g. rockery, planting vegetables, or weeding. You could even offer a complete landscaping service.
* Painting and Decorating.
Another of those love-hate jobs! There will always be a great demand for painters and decorators. If you like this job then tell those who don't! In the same way as for gardening, you can offer to specialise in a particular aspect: e.g. artexing, or offer a discount for the whole house re-decorating.
OTHER JOBS
* Buying and Selling.
One of the most popular types of self-employment is the old 'in-and-out' selling technique of the second-hand salesman. You advertise as a buyer for all type of household equipment, electronic equipment, furniture and so on. You buy them for a low price, and re-sell them at a higher price. Profit-margins are usually high.
There are many unscrupulous dealers who will knowingly try to cheat people out of a fair price for their belongings, and honesty is always the best policy if you find this job appealing. Premises are often essential, as is transport.