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Making a career switch can be a daunting experience. However, if you feel that you’re stuck in a rut in your current role, making the transition towards pursuing something new and meaningful such as starting a business, will be the right choice. By leveraging the right tools and techniques, as explored in this article by Brandy Over 40, you’ll be able to make a smooth transition toward entrepreneurship and begin an exciting and fulfilling chapter in your career.
Find the Right Opportunity
From low-capital businesses such as digital marketing to more hands-on endeavors like starting a construction company, you have a plethora of options to choose from. In addition to preference, you’ll need to factor in your experience in the field, current plus future market trends, and the amount of money you’ll be willing to put into the business.
The best approach will be to keep working on your job until you’ve ironed out the business details. This allows you to continue earning while setting up the business and prevent any undue stress on finances. Here’s a great resource by MailChimp, exploring the best ways to find a business idea.
Additionally, don’t let your lack of expertise regarding an industry deter you from pursuing a business opportunity, as you can always enroll for online certifications and seminars to learn from industry leaders and implement the knowledge in the business.
Invest Time Towards Networking
As any experienced entrepreneur will tell you, networking plays a key role in making a business successful. Having connections in your industry can open up opportunities that aren’t publicly advertised. Additionally, as a new business, securing a client through networking can not only get your foot in the door but pave the way for future success and develop instant credibility.
Here are some useful tips on how to build a professional network:
Reach out to family and friends to receive client referrals
Attend local networking events such as conferences, start-up meetings, professional meet-ups, and more. You can sign up for digital conferences as well.
Research incubators/accelerators and industry leaders on LinkedIn and reach out to them for a networking call.
Learn to Leverage Software Solutions
As a one-person team, manually managing all major operations of the business is impossible. The good news is that there is a range of software solutions in the market to help entrepreneurs in the day-to-day functioning of their businesses.
For instance, if you choose to start a construction business, here are two of the best software to consider:
Takeoff Software: Rather than spending hours creating plans for each client, takeoff software allows you to design them in a matter of minutes. Additionally, it provides a high level of customization, using which you can create personalized plans for each client according to their budget and expectations. Check this out if you’re interested in learning more about this software.
Estimation Software: As the name suggests, this tool helps to create accurate estimates for construction projects. It pulls data from online procurement databases to provide you with a list of prices and availability of material required for the project. An estimation software minimizes the risk of miscalculations and allows you to promptly submit bids for projects.
Create Business Cards
In today’s social media-driven world, investing in traditional modes of marketing, such as business cards, does not seem like a good choice. However, as a new business trying to stand out from the crowd and establish strong customer relationships, business cards can play a key role. This is represented in research conducted by Graphics Zoo, which states that organizations experience a 25% increase in sales for every 2000 business cards handed out to customers.
You can further improve this statistic by conducting market research, finding your niche, and creating targeted online and offline (business cards) campaigns to convert prospects into paying customers.
Pursuing your passion through starting a business is bound to be a rewarding experience. But, before you get into the thick of things, remember to create strong foundations by conducting ample market research, learning to use software such as takeoff/estimating software, and the best marketing activities like business cards and social media.
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