Whether you're looking for an excuse to quit your day job or just a side hustle, here's a complete guide for starting that business you’ve been dreaming of. Where to apply for copyrights, patents, and trademarks. How to build a business plan or shop a Hollywood script. How to launch an e-commerce website or an Etsy shop, find and keep customers and promote your products on social media. Whether it’s registering your business, designing your logo, understanding the tax implications, or getting on Shark Tank, this comprehensive guide will help you become the entrepreneur you always knew you could be.
Congratulations… You’re an Entrepreneur! • If you’ve got a great idea, the skill to back it up, and a willingness to work hard, you might just have what it takes to grow a prosperous business from the ground up.
Success Path NO 1: LEVERAGE YOUR TALENTS • Ready to start your own business? Focus on what you’re good at, but remember: skills and talents alone aren’t enough. There are a few other important factors to consider. Here’s a simple, effective tool for identifying your sweet spot based on a Japanese concept called ikigai (‘eye-ka-guy’). Start by drawing four overlapping circles, just like you see in the image on this page. Each circle represents an element in your success matrix.
Start Your Own Etsy Shop
Launch a Tasty Food Truck • You don’t need a restaurant to get your culinary concept rolling. You just need a set of wheels, solid branding, and a delicious idea.
SUCCESS STORY
Become a Standup Comedian • Making a career out of being funny is no joke—you’ve got to be willing to seriously hustle.
The Boring Stuff: How To Get a Company Off The Ground • Paperwork, licenses, business plans: It’s all par for the course when you’re striking out on your own. Here’s what’s important and how to get it done.
Start a Dogwalking Service • Being a dogwalker is rewarding for animal lovers, but getting the ball rolling is no walk in the park. Here’s how to set yourself up for success.
SUCCESS STORY!
Start a Cool Coffee Shop • Whether it’s a trendy truck concept or a neighborhood haunt, opening up a java joint can be a rich and satisfying endeavor.
HOW TO GET: A LOGO
Become an Interior Designer • If renovating a kitchen or furnishing a living room gets your gears turning, it might be time to take your prowess to the next level.
Success Path NO 2: LEVERAGE YOUR IDEAS • We’ve all had that “Eureka!” moment in the shower—that mind-blowingly brilliant idea you can’t wait to think through, sketch out, build a prototype of, and maybe tell a very trusted friend about. But as every business book on Earth takes great pains to make clear, an idea is not a business. So how do you round that corner and turn your bright idea into a valid excuse to quit your day job forever?
Create Your Own Board Game • Any business idea is a roll of the dice. But if you want to end up in a hotel on Boardwalk, a little planning and hard work can put you way ahead of the game.
SUCCESS STORY!
Write a Killer Screenplay • Every cinematic success story starts with a great script. Here’s how to tell stories that capture people’s hearts and minds.
HOW TO GET: A COPYRIGHT
Mass-Produce Your Product • You’ve created something your friends and family love—now, here’s how to share it with the rest of the world.
SUCCESS STORY!
The Boring Stuff: Finding The Money • A little secret: Almost nobody has all the funds they need to get a business safely up and running. Here are some solutions for getting the fertilizer you need to help grow that money tree.
Launch a Successful App • Got a bright idea for a useful or entertaining app? Here’s how to get it into the hands of customers everywhere.
Invent Something...
