5-Steps to Self-Employment

While the U.S. economy continues to bump and grind keeping unemployment high, many individuals are turning to self-employment as a way to make ends meet. This can be a scary and somewhat risky undertaking, yet it doesn’t have to be.

The 5-Steps to Self-Employment is a no-cost, on-line platform that helps anyone considering self-employment, to assess their entrepreneurial strengths, test their business ideas, play around with financial projections using plug-and-play Excel worksheets, and complete a checklist for actually launching a new business.

If you prefer learning by using a physical workbook, the 5-Steps to Self Employment Workbook is also an option. For many individuals, using a combination of both on- and off-line learning is ideal.

Marketing Tips & Tools

Marketing Tips & Tools

Research Market Potential and Launch No-Cost/Low-Cost Campaigns

Discover how your local Regional Planning Commission, University librarian or other no-cost source can help you to determine the market potential for your products or services.

 

Read up on ideas for development no-cost/low-cost marketing strategies.

Connect with a local non-profit agencies that offers no-cost/low-cost assistance with developing and launching a marketing plan. Forms of assistance include marketing planning templates, 1-on-1 counseling, referrals to additional marketing development sources and hands-on training workshops.

Buzgate.org is an award-winning no-cost resource community for individuals seeking to start, grow and succeed in self-employment or small business. Content providers and sponsors include government and nonprofit small business assistance agencies, and leading providers of high value product and service solutions.

No-Cost Revenue Forecasting Tool

No-Cost Revenue Forecasting Tool

Make better business decisions, by evaluating the financial feasibility of your part-time or full-time self-employment or small business venture. Answer important questions such as;

1. How much do I need to sell to generate “X” amount of money in my pocket after all expenses are covered?
2. If I only want to produce “X” amount of products each month, will I be operating at a profit or loss?

These and other financial questions can be made more clear using a downloadable spreadsheet that allows you to play around with different pricing levels, production output – whether service hours or product units -  and cost variations.

Learn what you need to sell to break-even; revenues equal costs, and make a profit; revenues exceed costs.

Understand the difference between variable costs; costs that change in line with output, and fixed costs; costs that exist regardless of output

These and other important no-cost tools are made available by the Knowledge Institute in collaboration with the Foundation for Entrepreneurial Research and Development (FERAD). As an innovative agent for collaboration and transformative leadership, FERAD’s vision is to advance entrepreneurial knowledge and connect millions of individuals around the globe to the resources they require to start, grow and succeed in entrepreneurial pursuits

No Cost Low Cost Marketing

From the spoken voice, a message on a T-shirt, to the World Wide Web, small businesses have a lot more options today to get their messages across to new and existing customers and many options are at no or low cost.

Small Business Banking

Discover 10 great reasons for investigating savvy small business banking services from Key Bank.

1. Accessible customer service with state-of-the art technology banking
2. Resources tailored to the stage of business I’m at
3. Flexible loan and credit line strategies
4. Convenient online banking services
5. Fast, reliable access to a broad range of business solutions
6. Flexible checking accounts offering transaction levels, product/service discounts, and investment benefits
7. Customized payment processing solutions for my customers via credit card, Internet and other applications
8. Professional Investment Management Services
9. Having access to a competent Business Relationship Manager and quality services that I can rely on
10. Customized service, capital access, education and networking opportunities for women in business

As with any new business strategy, learn more by Emailing KeyBank, or Visiting a local branch.