Monday, July 6, 2009

Recommended Resource For A Small Business Start-Up Kit

You're a new start-up small business filled with excitement and anticipation .... a healthy dose of anxiety and stress too.

So much to do .... so many choices to make .... where do you turn to keep it all together?

What you need is to have everything in one place ... that would make it so much easier to manage and stay on course.

But how can you do that?

Well ..... here's a recommendation:

The LaunchX System is a complete small business startup kit comprised of a Handbook, Workbook, Employer’s Manual, Marketing binder, Business Entity Records, an annual planner, five key software packages, and three marketing reference books. The LaunchX Handbook is the cornerstone of the program, with over 650 pages packed with critical startup know-how. Each topic in the Handbook is coupled with fill-in-the-blanks worksheets in the accompanying Workbook that walk entrepreneurs step-by-step through the planning process.

The Handbook begins with getting organized and determining the image and culture of the new business. As it progresses, the soon-to-be business owner selects and registers their business and domain name, starts networking, and selects their Big Five support professionals. The next major topics are an informal business plan, a complete and detailed marketing plan, and pro forma financial statements. At the end of the planning section is a highly informative chapter covering all the ways to finance a business, starting with your own resources all the way through venture capital.

Once the planning phase is complete, the Handbook contains chapters on putting the plans into action and specific issues that will arise during operations, including financial management, marketing, and ongoing planning. Finally, there are reference chapters that contain more in-depth information on topics such as selecting the correct business entity, operating a business from home, selecting commercial real estate, internet and website development, supporting professionals, and international trade.

In the Employer’s Manual, the same step-by-step processes and fill-in-the-blank worksheets are used to take the entrepreneur through the process of becoming an employer, including legal and tax issues, alternatives to direct employees, writing job descriptions and job advertisements, interviewing, hiring, and managing employees. The included Office Policy software provides a complete collection of HR necessities – policies, forms, posters, and state-specific clauses for the employee manual.

Also included is a tabbed binder to contain all the marketing research and plans along with extra copies of all the marketing Workbook pages so that future marketing campaigns can be planned using the same process. The Business Entity Records Binder contains sample agreements and forms needed by both LLCs and corporations, along with custom tabs to keep it all organized and compliant.

The five software packages cover the areas that all small businesses will need – accounting, marketing, business forms, and human resources. Peachtree Pro accounting software provides a firm foundation for financial management, with its GAAP compliant structure and ease of adding users for growth. ACT! contact manager supports all types of marketing efforts, and allows the small business owner to provide personal service to all their customers. The two packages from TemplateZone contain templates for all types of office and human resources forms, as well as the ability to craft an employee manual quickly and correctly. Finally, The Logo Creator from Laughingbird Software is a quick way for the small business owner to create a logo.

The tone is friendly and accessible, and the system encourages new business owners to maintain control and responsibility throughout the startup process. There is an emphasis on bootstrapping along with a balanced acknowledgement that using outside professionals is sometimes necessary. The workbook pages are designed to be completed by hand rather than on a computer, but the LaunchX argument that writing ideas out longhand increases creativity and clarity has merit. There is a lot of information here, and the majority is relevant to an entrepreneur in any industry.

Overall, the LaunchX System has all the components that a small business startup needs to turn their idea into a successful business and to then build a successful company.

If this sounds like just the "hand up" you need to get off on the right foot .... you can learn more here:

LaunchX System

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