QUESTION.
I want to start up an organization that promotes awareness of childhood sexual abuse. I am interested in finding out whether or not this is best done via a for-profit or not-for-profit. Also, I already have two home-based businesses. One is in network marketing, and the other is a singing telegram company. Both are still start ups in my opinion. I have been doing the singing telegrams for less than one year. I’d like to find out how to improve upon these two businesses, and if there are organizations that would assist me as a single, minority female.
ANSWER.
It is difficult starting small businesses. It is my recommendation that a person start a business one at a time. You have two going, so don’t shut one down. But you really should focus on just one and make it successful. Then when you have it going pretty good (and have employees doing the work), you can can move on to a new business to focus on.
Each business should have a sound written business plan. SCORE can help you develop your plan so it will be a road map to success. The SCORE I’m talking about is your local SCORE that has volunteers who will sit with you for an hour each session and get your business plan in good shape. The sessions are free. Email counseling is not so good for that kind of counseling. Email counseling is best for very pointed questions. Contact your local SCORE as follows. See
www.score.org/findscore/chapter_maps.html
Type your home zip code in the appropriate place and the Web site for the local chapter will appear.
With regard to you question about the cause you mention. That would and should be done through a nonprofit organization. See Guide #3 at www.jlippin.com/guidemania.html. But don’t start the nonprofit until you have one of your two businesses up and running and giving you a nice cash flow of revenues. You’re going to need revenues to start a nonprofit. Usually a nonprofit founder has to get the operation running and then if it appears successful it will be able to attract donors. Donors typically do not donate to a half-baked idea concept or whatever. They want to help a success story.
I’ve given you a few things to think about. Good luck! Regards, -Jeff
Jeff Lippincott
SCORE.org Counselor
Princeton, NJ
scoreprinceton @ aol.com
www.scoreprinceton.org
www.jlippin.com
