Low Cost Businesses To Start


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Starting your own business can be a rewarding venture, but there's usually a laundry list of administrative and business-orientated tasks needing completing before launching. Some businesses require more financial outlay and intense market research, while other business types are much easier to start. 

Examples of Easy Low-Cost Businesses To Start

•             Web development and design. If you are a designer or developer, you can set up your own website and social platforms, and offer logo design services, 

•             Digital media. You can keep overheads low when you start a digital media business, as you can run it from home. This kind of business can incorporate managing a business's social media accounts, Google Ads, and other digital undertakings. 

•             Sell a service. Service businesses perform an activity to help people or businesses. Oklahoma City is a sprawling metropolis and epicenter of business. Starting a small, luxury airport transfer company or concierge for businesses could work. Other business service companies to start could include a personal shopping service, delivery service, and tutoring. 

•             Wedding planner. With an array of sought-after wedding venues in Oklahoma City such as Rose Briar Place and The Barn at the Woods, there's always room for another wedding planner. 

Getting Started With Business Ownership

Your head might be swirling with business ideas, but it's important to define your exact business offerings, and how you're going to get started. Your first step is to conduct thorough market research to see if there's scope for your business idea. You could use online surveys or simple word-of-mouth marketing to see if your idea is viable. 

When you've found your niche, you'll need to draft a solid business plan, and also decide on your location and the area you'll serve. Sections to include in your business plan include a summary of your business, strategy, target market, and finances needed. 

Even if your business is low-cost, you will need some capital to get started. Securing a strong business domain name, developing a website, and online marketing can come at a cost. Getting funding will give you peace of mind, and it means you won't need to work two jobs to make ends meet.

Registering your business is a necessity, as it means you can do business with the government industries and corporations. It's also vital for tax purposes and the legal side of your business. To manage workflow, it's worth researching software tools for your business's needs. Slack for project management, Quickbooks for accounting, and Zoom for meetings are just a few reliable programs worth investigating. 

If you feel a little out of depth with owning a business, or need more time to enhance your business skills, try enrolling in an MBA program. An MBA can accelerate your skills, boost your confidence, and hone your leadership skills. There are also online degree programs that will give you the flexibility to complete the degree in your own time.

Becoming An Entrepreneur 

Becoming an entrepreneur or business owner requires planning. A low-cost business is one without products and stock and no high rental costs. Offering an intangible service or solution is the best way to start an easy business. 

Visit Betty and Rose Refour's website to learn about how two artists used their creativity to start their own successful business. 

How to Eliminate Your Small Business Debt in 4 Steps

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 When you run a small business, taking on debt is sometimes necessary. After all, debt can help you get through a sales slump, finance a new growth avenue, or purchase more inventory to keep up with holiday demand. But holding onto too much debt for too long can overwhelm your small business and keep you from meeting your financial goals.

 

If you’re concerned about your small business debt, one of the best things you can do is talk to a finance professional. An accountant can help with a wide range of financial tasks, from payroll to tax planning, which can facilitate the repayment of your debt and promote good financial wellbeing. In the meantime, Betty and Rose Refour share some great tips to help you get a better handle on business debt!

 

Safeguard Your Personal Finances

 

Before you worry too much about your business debt, make sure your personal finances are secure. If you’re running your business as a sole proprietorship, you may be personally liable for any financial troubles facing your business. Shield your personal assets by structuring your business as a separate legal entity. For example, forming an LLC is a great way to improve your financial standing by minimizing your personal liability and generating special tax savings.

 

Increase Your Revenue

 

Since you will need more money to pay off your debts, try looking for ways to raise your revenue. For example, you could create a promotion to generate sales from existing customers, offer coupon codes to new shoppers, or launch a referral program. If you decide to offer a discount, be careful to avoid discounting your products so much that it hurts your ability to generate additional revenue. In fact, you might be able to increase your prices without driving off customers! Focus on creating incredible value for your customers and you should be able to increase your rates without hurting your sales.

 

Additionally, make sure you have a plan in place to deal with the unfortunate circumstance of customers not paying you. There are some things you can try, like adding late fees, as well as helping to set up payment plans. Make sure you take advantage of a free invoice template to help you save money while maintaining records.

 

Find a Loan with Better Terms

 

If increasing your revenue isn’t enough to get your debt paid down, consider consolidating your debt into a lower-interest loan. Taking out a larger loan with more favorable terms and using the money to pay off all your other debts can help you get a better handle on things. Instead of keeping track of many different loan balances and monthly payment requirements, you will only need to remember to make one payment every month. And with the opportunity to lock in a loan with a better interest rate, you’ll be able to funnel less money into interest payments and more into paying off your balance.

 

Take Advantage of Support Programs

 

One of the best ways to control debt is to avoid it in the first place. Fortunately for small business owners, there are plenty of resources available for entrepreneurs who need financial assistance. Whether you’re looking to get through a seasonal sales dip or you need money to take your business to new heights, a government grant might cover your bases. The benefit of grants is that you don’t have to pay the money back. You do, however, have to navigate a lengthy grant application process.

 

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce breaks down the various small business grants that you can receive, including those reserved for businesses in specific industries. Take a look at your options and consider applying for a grant that you think would best fit your business. Keep in mind that you can also take advantage of tax credits and government loans if you can’t find a grant that works for you.

 

Expand Your Awareness

 

Pulling your business out of debt is a great feeling. The last thing you want is to experience this again, so put safeguards into place to ensure you stay in the black. Again, an accountant will be an invaluable resource in helping you keep your books on track. Familiarizing yourself with well-rounded accounting software will make a difference too. If you want to learn more about accounting, and how to take your business to new heights, consider online courses to boost your knowledge and skill set. An MBA can even be the perfect choice, providing you with a wealth of knowledge and business connections.

 

Eliminating business debt won’t happen overnight, but with these tips, and a little patience, you can winnow down your debt into nothing. The important thing is to make a plan and stick to it, and never lose sight of your business’s true potential.

 

Hello, and welcome to our site! We offer an eclectic assortment of Original Art, Note Cards, and Jewelry, by visual artists and sisters, Betty and Rose Refour. If you have any questions, please contact us.

Earning Extra Income: Tips for Artists

Do you find yourself struggling to make enough money as a multi-talented impasto artist? If so, it’s time to think outside the box and start drumming up new ways to earn income. Take a look at these resources from artists Betty and Rose Refour for new business strategies.

 

Marketing Resources

 

Learning how to market yourself is just as important as creating great art. These tips will help you find customers on social media.

 

●     Facebook can be an effective platform for promoting your art through ads.

●     A visual platform like Instagram allows you to showcase your best pieces for your followers.

●     You can even use Twitter as a personal branding tool and outlet for your art.

 

Expand Your Services

 

What can you offer to potential clients? It’s time to think about utilizing your skills in new ways.

 

●     Designing logos will enable you to work on fun projects with companies of all sizes.

●     Clients that need high-quality photos for branded materials may want to hire a photo editor.

●     Many companies need infographics to share data with their customers and clients, and you can capitalize on this!

●     To protect your personal assets, consider starting an LLC before you broaden your business repertoire.

 

Create an Art Studio

 

Should you decide to turn your work into more of a business, you’ll want a proper workspace/studio area that offers plenty of space and room for inspiration.

 

●     If you choose to add on a space or renovate an existing space in your home, you could see significant ROI when the time comes for an appraisal.

●     Along with all of your supplies, your workspace should also have a desk where you can keep files and business transactions organized.

●     When creating a space in your home, make sure your windows let in plenty of sunlight, and find window cleaning near you to ensure you find a reputable pro

 

Savvy Networking

 

Connecting with other artists is a fantastic way to learn and grow your business. Here’s how to start networking.

 

●     You can set up a booth at craft shows to meet fellow artists while selling your work.

●     Want to get in touch with other creative business owners in your area? Register with your Chamber of Commerce!

●     Get ready for networking events with this guide to making long-lasting professional connections.

 

Figuring out how to make money consistently as an artist can be challenging. But if you’re creative, you can open up several streams of income. With these tips, you’ll be able to boost your monthly income from your art.

 

 Written by Carla Lopez BoomerBiz.org

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Something for your Valentine

Three hundred sixty-five days round the clock gives us plenty of time to tell the ones we care about how much we love them. Just like we appreciate each other every day, there is always a day, your birthday, where we celebrate you. We should also celebrate love that way, and that is why the 14th of February is an important day on the love calendar. Everybody loves to be loved, and just saying the words "I love you" to others is not enough; to some, it is even hard to say those words to anyone out loud. Actions speak louder, and what you demonstrate will speak volumes of how you feel inside.

This is a day to express love and affection to our family, friends, and significant others. We send beautiful and thoughtful messages to them to show them how much we care. We hope that we make them feel exceptional. Over the years, valentine's has become more for couples. They organize romantic dates with beautiful flowers, a picnic, chocolates, adorably big teddy bears, and candlelit dinners in a room full of rose petals. Being a day dedicated to love, many marriage proposals are often made on Valentine's day.

This year, why not take your valentine’s plan a notch higher with our Hearts note card. Spread the love to your special ones with a unique handmade card that expresses love and happy thoughts, especially after a tough year; remind them how much they mean to you. When gifted to someone, it makes them feel like the only person in the world that matters. The thought put into a handmade card sets it apart from the other notecards. Forget the extravagance that comes with valentine's day, how people try so hard to make it memorable and end up stressed about how it would turn out. Start simple with this notecard for only $4.00 and beautiful genuine words of affection and see how it sets the valentine mood from 0 to 100. Made with love, this card will undoubtedly be a memorable valentine's gesture.

 

Myeloma Awareness Month

In late 2004 I decided to go back to school. I wanted to study Graphic Design. I was doing graphic design for our Noteworthy Crafts site, but wanted to learn more and have some other marketable skills. I was planning my escape from my job that I had been at for 15 years.

I started school in January of 2005 at Northlake in Irving. I'd go to school on Tuesday and Thursday and fly Friday-Sunday. One day in painting class my phone rang. I looked at it and it was my mom. I wondered why she was calling me since she knew I was in class. She told me she had an appointment with an oncologist and then she segued into something else. I was like, wait what? Go back. Did you say you have an appointment with an oncologist? She replied "yes," and kept going with whatever else she was trying to change the subject to. I asked what type of cancer she was being tested for. She replied, "Myeloma," and changed the subject again. Then got off the phone. I went to the bathroom and cried. Pulled myself together and went back to class.

I knew it was a rare type of cancer but didn't know much else. I looked it up. I thought to myself "Dear God." Got home. Called her back. And asked 1001 questions. I asked what she thought. If she thought she had it and if she had symptoms. "Oh, no" She replied. "You don't need to come home now." I knew she was lying. But I still couldn't bring myself to come home. When she was diagnosed a few weeks later she called me in class to tell me. And hurried off the phone. It was Thursday. I went to work the next day. Got back Sunday. Flew to OKC. She was sick. I was devastated. I couldn't believe it. I usually came home every month but hadn't since I was in school. I was shocked that she had deteriorated so much since I had been home in February. It was August. A week before my birthday. And I was crushed that no one told me.

For the next few months, she would be in and out of the hospital. For the first few weeks or so I couldn't cope. I couldn't think clearly. I was in shock. Then one day I went and bought a sketch pad and started drawing. My thoughts became clear. And we did everything we needed to do. We were told she had two to three years. I knew that was not accurate. She was deteriorating rapidly. Turns out I was right. She had lymphoma as well. She died peacefully while my cousin Mike and I sat by her bed on June 23rd, 2006.

This is one of the drawings I did in her hospital room. I titled the series my "HR" series. This drawing is titled HR 5. March is Myeloma Awareness Month. Do something to help if you can. Volunteer. Donate.

Source: https://www.bettyandroserefour.com/note-ca...