| Week | action | notes |
1 Laying
the
foundation | Clarify your business concept:
| Â - |
| Â | Â Identify your personal goals | Â |
| Â | Â Spell out your business values | Â |
| Â | Â Remind yourself of your source of inspiration | Â |
| Â | Â Describe your business concept | Â |
| Â | Â Identify your strategic position | Â |
| Â | Â Decide whether you want partners | Â |
| Â | Â Decide whether you want investors | Â |
| Â | Â consider potential exit strategies | Â |
| Â | Â Discuss the impact of starting a business with your family | Â |
| Â | Â Make an appointment with an SBDC counselor | Â |
| Â | Â Create your company identity | Â |
| Â | Â Choose a name
| Â |
| Â | Â Check out trademarks | Â |
| Â | Â Secure a domain name
| Â |
| Â | Â Consider logos, taglines and colors
| Â |
| Â | Â meet with a graphic designer
| Â |
| Â | Â Get Organized
| Â |
| Â | Â Set up physical files
| Â |
| Â | Â Set up computer files
| Â |
| Â | Â Set up contact management system
| Â |
| Â | Â keep track of your company''s vital statistics | Â |
| Â | Â keep track of expenses
| |
Week 2:Get the
Information You
Need | Â Learn more about your industry
| Â |
| Â | Â Make a list of your research questions
| Â |
| Â | Â Contact your industry association(s)
| Â |
| Â | Â Do online research
| Â |
| Â | Â Research your target market
| Â |
| Â | Â Define your target market
| Â |
| Â | Â Determin if there are enough customers
| Â |
| Â | Â Check out your competition
| Â |
| Â | Â Identify your competitors
| Â |
| Â | Â Analyze your competition
| Â |
| Â | Â Compare competitors'' pricing
| Â |
| Â | Â Find suppliers
| Â |
| Â | Â Consider strategic partners
| Â |
| Â | Â Broaden / Establish your network
| Â |
| Â | Â Attend an entrepreneur or industry organiztion meeting
| Â |
 Week 3: Cut
Through Red Tap
| Deal with legal and licensing matters
| Â |
| Â | Choose a legal form and ownership structure
| Â |
|  | Discuss ownership of your company |  |
|  | Apply for business licenses, permits and ID numebrs |  |
| Â | Â Discuss collecting sales tax
| Â |
| Â | Â Draw up basic contracts and other legal agreements
| Â |
| Â | Â Protect your intellectual property
| Â |
| Â | Â Build your team and personnel structure | Â |
| Â | Â Consider your support structure | Â |
| Â | Â Decide who you need on your team
| Â |
| Â | Â Examine the use of independent contractors
| Â |
| Â | Â Understand employment laws & consider personnel policies
| Â |
| Â | Â Appraise your management style
| Â |
 Week 4: Take
Care of
Operations
| Â Find and secure a location
| Â |
| Â | Â Option 1: Rent space:
| Â |
| Â | Â Decide on the necessary attributes of your location
| Â |
| Â | Â Meet with a real estate agent
| Â |
| Â | Â Compare properties
| Â |
| Â | Â Consider wheter you need more than one location
| Â |
| Â | Â Option 2: Set up a home office
| Â |
| Â | Â Find the space to work
| Â |
| Â | Â Figure out your phone, fax and Internet connections
| Â |
| Â | Â Plan how to meet with customers
| Â |
| Â | Â Decide whether you need a separate business address
| Â |
| Â | Â Understand home-based office tax deductions
| Â |
| Â | Â Plan ways to separate work life from home life
| Â |
| Â | Â Deal with kids and pets
| Â |
| Â | Â Option 3: Set up and "office" in yoru vehicle
| Â |
| Â | Â Design your work space and production process
| Â |
| Â | Â Design your layout | Â |
| Â | Â Design your production process
| Â |
| Â | Â Order / install utilities and facility improvements
| Â |
| Â | Â order furniture and equipment
| Â |
| Â | Â Order inventory and/or raw materials
| Â |
| Â | Â Research and purchase computers and other technology | Â |
| Â | Â Develop an approach to buying technology | Â |
| Â | Â Choose a phone system
| Â |
| Â | Â Choose software
| Â |
| Â | Â Choose hardware
| Â |
| Â | Â Get online
| Â |
| Â | Â Find ways to get technical help
| Â |
| Â | Â Consider how you will distribute your products
| Â |
| Â | Â Design procedures for handling administrative tasks | Â |
| Â | Â Deal with insurance
| Â |
 Week 5: Deal
With Money
Issues
| Â Deal with money matters
| Â |
| Â | Â Meet with an accountant
| Â |
| Â | Â learn the lingo
| Â |
| Â | Â Take stock of your personal financial situation
| Â |
| Â | Â Clean up your credit
| Â |
| Â | Â Set up your books
| Â |
| Â | Â Establish your prices | Â |
| Â | Â Open a bank account
| Â |
| Â | Â Consider accepting credit cards
| Â |
| Â | Â Prepare simple financial forecasts
| Â |
| Â | Â Learn about taxes
| Â |
| Â | Â Consider financing
| Â |
| Â | Â Determine whose money you want
| Â |
| Â | Â Develop a business plan
| Â |
 Week 6:
OpenYour Doors
| Â Develop a marketing plan
| Â |
| Â | Â Clairfy your company''s message
| Â |
| Â | Â Come up with your Elevator Pitch
| Â |
| Â | Â Decide on marketing vehicles
| Â |
| Â | Â Set up a simple website | Â |
| Â | Â Start making sales!
| Â |
| Â | Â Hold your grand opening
| Â |
| Â | Â Look towards the future
| Â |
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