May, 2012 | BizSieve.com

4 Reasons you Should Hire Recent College Grads for your New Business

Starting a small business, no matter how much experience you have, is always hard. But once it’s up and running, and it’s time to start hiring and building a team, the stakes become higher. After all, the success of your business rides on the people who run it, and starting off with a poor team will surely spell disaster. Of course, you want your new small business to have a diverse set of employees, but there are definite reasons you should focus on hiring recent college grads, especially if you’re founding a startup related to technology, social media, Internet marketing, etc.

1. Recent college graduates are passionate and not yet disillusioned by the workforce

If there’s one thing that can be said of Gen Y (don’t count this so-called “sense of entitlement”), it’s that they are passionate about everything they do. Most of those in the 22- to 30-year-old set were raised during an era in which parenting was decidedly about raising children to love what they do. This parenting style has produced young adults who have a strong desire to not just get any old job, but to get and excel in a job that they enjoy. Hiring recent grads will give your new business the edge that it needs.

2. They know the Internet and computers like the backs of their hand

If you’re starting a small business now, chances are that, even if it’s not exclusively up and running online, a big part of the business is run by computers and Internet tools. If you hire too many older employees, chances are that you’ll have to spend quite a bit of time training them how to use these tools. With “digital natives” learning most computer and Internet skills is almost instant—if they don’t know it yet, they’ll learn it by the end of the day.

3. They desperately need jobs

Of course, you shouldn’t hire someone based only on their desperation for a job. But in this bleak economy, those who are hurting the most are those who just recently entered the job market. Some employers may be a little hesitant to hire young people with little experience, but they often have more skills than you would think. And giving a helping to hand to those who are young and full of potential will help you as your business grows.

4. Younger employees are more willing to take risks that are vital to the success of your business

If there is one thing that is common to all small businesses, it’s that they absolutely require risk-taking in order to survive. Recent college graduates are often very keen on taking risks, much more so than those who are older and more experienced. The vitality and innovation-driven spirit of recent grads can only be an advantage for your small business.

Of course, there are problems with hiring recent grads that are specific to this generation. They often need more guidance and desire praise and a sense of purpose. But if you can provide a nurturing environment, your young employees can be one of your greatest assets. Good luck!

About the Author: This is a guest post by Susan Wells. She writes on topics including health/car/life insurance, mortgage, real estate.

Image: Will Folsom / Flickr

Screen Printing Equipment Ideas for a T-Shirt Business

Finding the right screen printing setup is essential for new businesses and businesses that are looking to upgrade. Some people go by word of mouth; others do serious research. Your best bet is a combination of both. Although, it is impossible to cover all your options in one article, here are some highly recommended systems you should investigate further.

Vastex V1000 and V2000 Screen Printing Equipment

Instead of offering pre-packaged bundles, the Vastex systems are completely custom-configurable. The V1000 system is an entry to mid-level system while the v2000 system is designed for businesses with higher-end needs. Businesses can purchase equipment ranging from one color, one station to ten colors, ten stations, with a wide selection in-between. The company’s salespeople will help guide you through the process of putting together your own unique starter package by recommending other items you will need. Base unit prices currently range from approximately $2,050 to $9,376. It is worth noting that these are starting list prices only and your final purchase price will vary based on what configuration you order.

vastek v1000

Workhorse Products

Workhorse Products currently offers 13 different manual screen printing systems in their Mach and Odyssey Manual Printing series. Systems range from four color, four stations to ten colors, eight stations. The Odyssey Manual Printers series are the company’s entry-level machines; however, they are capable of handling the needs of home, small to medium sized screen printing businesses. The Mach Manual Printing series is geared more for high-end professionals and large businesses. Speed varies widely depending on which system and configuration you choose, so you should consult with one of their sales professionals. Additionally, the company does not publish pricing information on their website. For pricing information, you have to call (800) 778-8779 and press extension 1 for sales.

Printa 770 Series

Printa’s 770 series screen printing equipment is worth considering because the company offers different complete start-up packages based on what the buyer needs. All models are four colors, four stations. The 770 standard system prints up to 40 items per hour, while the 770 Deluxe and 770 Deluxe Plus systems allow operators to print up to 60 and 100 items per hour respectively. All three systems include the four-color station, curing system, supply bundles and more. The 770 systems print on t-shirts, tote bags, sweatpants, hats, jackets and more. The systems are scalable so customers can purchase additional equipment to upgrade their system as needed. Prices currently range from $5,995 to $16,995.

Selecting the right screen printing equipment is crucial to your business’s profitability. Keep in mind that your profits depend on how many t-shirts you can print in a day. The more shirts you can print, the more you can bill your clients for. The profit is in the equipment, so take your time and choose your equipment wisely.

About the Author: Raphael Alavi has run his own screen printing business for 10 years and loves creating unique designs for charities, corporations, and public groups!

The Challenges of Starting a Consulting Business

As in any case, starting a consulting business isn’t easy. It takes a certain character, drive and passion to be able to stick through the roughest of times. Starting a consulting business, however, is very different from simply being a consultant at a firm. At that point, you are no longer an employee – you are a business owner in charge of clients, business operations, finances, and much more. Consider these 3 obstacles before getting started.

“Strong expertise and solid reputation do not guarantee success in the consulting business. Never make the mistake in believing that your reputation can sell itself on auto-pilot mode and that you can simply sit and wait for work. As a consultant, you need to aggressively sell your product – you!” – PowerHomebiz.com

Getting Clients

The first hurdle you’re likely to encounter is getting clients. This is a difficult task, as it could take years to build a strong, profitable client base. However, coming into this business, you have likely had experience with clients via your old or current job. This will be a great starting point in tackling this first step of the process.

Old clients: Clients that are no longer with your current or old firm are your best starting place. Because they no longer have an attachment, it should be a non-issue to contact them in regards to your own business.
Partnering: You can consider partnering with your current or old company. If you’ve had great recommendations from clients and an excellent track record, you can make a case for why the two companies should come together, in a long distance working relationship. This will help with name recognition, as well as client attraction.

Being Unique

In any business, it’s a struggle to be unique. It seems as though everything has already been done, so it can be hard distinguishing yourself in a sea of other consultants. Regardless, there are a number of ways you can be sure to stand alone that is both effective and beneficial.

Be diverse: Don’t just do business consulting, change up your range of services so you will appeal to a larger audience. Some companies may need help with more than one issue, and you’ll be the person that can fix that.
Be open: While you may not advertise certain services, it’s critical that you are open to various needs. If a client is looking for you to aid in something different, consider it before saying no. This makes for a happy client, and great referral.

Marketing Yourself

One of the toughest transitions may be adding marketing to your list of duties. If you’ve worked in a well known firm, they have marketing and years of experience in place to attract new clients. You, on the other hand, have minimal experience as a business owner and perhaps very little experience in the field of marketing. Luckily, the online world makes it a cinch for newbie marketers to get their business out there.

Social media: You are already on Facebook and Twitter, so just cater them to your business or start new accounts. Be active, engage with potential customers or old clients, and build your reputation.
Email marketing: If you have been able to compile a list of emails from current or old clients, begin your email marketing campaign. This is a very effective way to reach potential clients and get some word of mouth marketing.

There are many challenges you’ll face when starting your own consulting business. However, there are always techniques and tactics you can use to side step them. Becoming successful as a business owner is all about remembering, “When there’s a will, there’s a way.” So take advantage of networking opportunities and old relationships to start off on the right foot.

About the Author: Sara Fletcher is interested in emotional intelligence in leadership and understanding her DISC assessment. She loves to explore psychology, business, and sports in relation to eq tests.

Using Promotional Gifts in Your Marketing – Five of the Best

One of the best ways to create a positive brand impression is to hand out custom promotional items to your long term customers, or to people that visit your booth at trade shows. You don’t have to spend a fortune on promotional items. In most cases, your clients will appreciate even a small gift as a token of appreciation for their long term custom. If you’re not sure what sort of gift is appropriate, check out the following ideas:

1. Memory Sticks

This is probably one of the most useful promotional presents. You can never have too many memory sticks. A small memory stick with your logo on it won’t cost you a lot of money, but the recipient will appreciate it. It will end up in their jacket pocket or laptop bag, and will probably get passed around the office as a handy way to transfer files.

2. Branded Mugs

People love branded mugs. They’re another one of those promotional presents that falls into the “you can never have too many” category. No matter how many branded mugs are already floating around the office, if you send a couple out to your best clients, they will end up getting used for many years to come. The general rule for most offices I’ve ever worked in is: the more mugs there are in the office, the less often the washing up will get done.

3. Mouse Pads

Mouse pads are always handy. They may not get used in the office, but people will take them home to use in the study. Or, they might store them and pull them out when someone spills coffee on one of the old ones. People will appreciate a mouse pad as a promotional present, and they’re a nice one to consider because they’re flat, not particularly fragile, and easy to send in the post.

4. Branded Keychains

Branded keychains are small, inexpensive, and useful. Especially if you can make them dual purpose – for example, a keychain flashlight or bottle opener. There’s a good chance that the recipient will clip it on to their keys right away, so your brand will always be in their pocket.

5. T-Shirts

For some companies, t-shirts make brilliant promotional gifts, but for others they’re not such a great idea. If you work in an entertainment related industry, people will love getting promotional t-shirts, especially for a product that is either new, or not yet released. That sort of promotional present is one that people will wear with pride. The same is true for the sports industry – having a team t-shirt, or one with a supplement maker’s logo on it, is something that impresses a lot of people.

If you’re in a less glamorous industry, people might not think like that. Before you order 500 t-shirts with your company logo on them, stop and think for a moment. Would you wear one of those on a night out? If not, would you even wear one to the gym?

Image: ingermaaike2 / Flickr

The Beginner’s Guide to e-Commerce

In the current economic climate where employment opportunities can be scarce at best establishing a small business can seem like a tempting proposition. Being self-employed can free an individual from the endless process of job hunting and provide much desired independence.

However, establishing a business is not as straightforward as some may presume. There is a lot more involved in creating and managing a business than may at first be imagined. The owner of the company is not only responsible for day to day operations but also for managing the business itself.

A working business idea

In many respects coming up with a working business idea can be the most difficult part of establishing a new business. The majority of entrepreneurs approach this problem from one of two very different directions: having a business idea and creating a business based upon it or simply having the desire to create a business with a working business idea yet to be created.

Either way, caution should be exercised. In the first instance the prospective entrepreneur must ensure that there is a market for the business and that they do not simply press ahead with the idea based upon passion and emotion. This would be a sure route to failure.

In the second instance the prospective entrepreneur should ensure that the business idea that is adopted is of course viable but they should also ensure that they have sufficient knowledge and enthusiasm for the product. This is essential to succeed.

The basics of e-commerce

Once the newly established business has a product with which it can proceed, the next challenge is to create the infrastructure necessary to sell the product. This generally starts with a website. For more sound business cases this may involve designing and building a professional website or having one created on the business’ behalf.

If the desire is to simply test the water before committing significant resources many companies have found eBay to be a good starting point. Products can be advertised and sold on eBay for minimum investment and maximum return.

Of course the business should ensure that it has sufficient stock to be able to sell to clients, whether using eBay or a professional website. Moreover, the business should consider supplies of consumables including cardboard boxes, jiffy bags and other packaging. The business should also consider the creation of address labels, packing slips and invoices.

Business development

It is always a fine balance between failing to take advantage of a market and overreaching too soon. The business should be ready to take full advantage of the market if it is available and the sale of the product is successful.

However, the business should also ensure that the infrastructure is in place to support this expansion to prevent overreaching. The company should aim to expand progressively in a controlled and calculated manner. By doing so, the owner of the company can ensure continued success and this will allow the business to grow naturally.