I am in the process of starting a business, and I believe it can be done without a loan or on credit. While remaining vague, I'll say that it's a service oriented business. I will initially be filing as a dba but plan to hire people if things manage to go well. Anyone have tips on how to launch something whilst keeping costs down?

You’ll need to be more specific in what you’re working on in order to have helpful input @Papa Pizzagate

Keep us posted on your status. One day I’d like to start a business(es) and well and I’d like to learn from others

I'm in the process of taking over the company I for.

@Papa Pizzagate I own a home inspection company with 2 (part time) contract employees.

I also have another venture that I'm invested in, but isn't yet off the ground.

What specifically are you trying to organize?

Man Power, Tax structuring,... etc

Appreciate the response, guys. I'll admit I'm being a bit purposefully vague - The service I will be operating will be running out of a work vehicle, which I already own until I am (hopefully) able to bring on a second crew. At which point a small garage or something of the sort would be required. I can build a website myself and there are others in IE willing to do some small graphic design work below market rate as a favor... what I am after is the most cost effective ways to advertise and promote getting my business off the ground. Naturally I am not going in blind... I have a few ideas on how to attract customers, but I was hoping others who've been down that road could be of some assistance.

Additionally I will need a phone line - I am thinking that a second SIM card connected to my phone would suffice for the startup period.

Things of this nature, hidden startup costs -etc.

Marketing:
I have only done 2 marketing campaigns in my 2.5 yrs in business.

1st Campaign) I asked local dry cleaners if they would give me "Bring 3 items, get one free" promotion. They all agreed.
On a set of custom business cards hand delivered to Realtors offices.
"Bring 3 Items, Get 1 FREE!!!"
Courtesy of Tyler0317's Company!!

2nd Campaign) I hired bodybuilders to dress like Rambo, with red bandanas and to hold my company signs at an intersection in front of Realtors offices. They flexed and posed for the crowd and put on a show.

-I need local Realtors to funnel business to me, so I cater myself to them as a demographic.
-The Realtors in my area are 65% Female, and largely between 30-60 yrs old

@Papa Pizzagate

hahaha okay, that second one is epic.

For a phone, I use this service, it's worked OK so far,https://grasshopper.com/

Yeah so both men and women would be interested in my service. The sort of women who would be interested are the same sort who don't mind paying 300+ per month at hair/nail salons (it's not a beauty service, guys...lol). Once I have business cards, I intend to go to the better salons in the three countys that I intend to serve and set up either a referral program with them or simply offer to buy their staff lunch once a month if they keep a tiny business card holder with my company stocked at the front counter.

Not sure how to reach the fellas but I'll get there.

I will check out Grasshopper. thanks @Tyler0317. not exactly parallel industries but some good stuff none-the-less.

I hear you. There is never really a template to follow. Take bits and pieces from others as you go.

Also, join a business group/guild. If one doesn't exist, make one.

http://www.meetup.com/

Yeah, way ahead of you there, my friend.

I joined real estate meetup groups, then started one of my own, where I could invite only heavy hitters. Those connections later paid off with house flipping, I just finished my second one after Xmas.

I have a lunch meeting tomorrow with a gentleman who runs the largest Entrepreneurs group in the main county I want to serve.

@Tyler0317 Yeah Louis indicated that was your line of work before, so I kinda-sorta knew what you were up to. That's awesome.

@Tyler0317 have you been on biggerpockets.com? Lots of good info/potential contacts there

If anybody needs a website or digital marketing for their business, just reach out 😃

Hey everyone. I have expertise in running startups. My MBA concentration is entrepreneurship. I’m here to help.

@Papa Pizzagate have you done market research for your potential endeavor? Have an ideal consumer in mind? How do others in your particular industry acquire and retain customers? Feel free to keep it as vague as you need.

@Ryan -NJ I've done a good amount of research, yes. Youre coming to Philly this weekend, right? Let's talk about that as well as that other thing you dmed me about in person

@Papa Pizzagate Sounds good. Looking forward to it.

has anyone here got into trucking as a lease or owner operator? Just got my doubles/triples after a few years non-CDL work and may buy a tractor after a few months as a company driver on a local route.

I'd like to get a second truck and start putting IE members through trucking school here in northwestern Montana. The goal is to be OTR for just three or four days a week. There seems to be no shortage of loads to and from northwestern Montana on load app I'm looking at.

Trucking is in high demand. Great idea. Good luck.

@Logan If you need any help with creating and implementing a startup strategy, let me know.

@Logan trucking sucks for a family man, dude. The only money is over the road, and you only go home once a week

@Ryan -NJ are you a trucker?

@John O - I am not. I have experience in startups and business strategy.

@John O - I was OTR for a year. If you work for yourself and are directly in touch with a broker you can go out for three days and it will pay the bills for the whole week

Right on, dude

If anybody needs help with digital marketing, hit me up.

my current job as a company driver gets me home every night and pays almost 70 a year which is not bad really

Cool. I didn't know you already had experience in it, I thought you were going in blind. Sounds good, man, good luck

$70,000 a year?

lmao you make more than I'm gonna make in computer science @Logan

Truckers rise up

@Jacob yea I was going to wait until you got here but I want to get you in the compound.

be your own boss, start your own company, very cheap rent, be part of a little community, etc

cheapest rent is if you live with us. We are going to buy a house in a few months, possibly with a workshop and a granny flat for IE Kingz to stay in on a semi-permanent basis

that would actually be cool

yep. by the time you graduate we should be in the flow of things. We want to do team runs to CA and back, taking 3 or 4 days so the rest of the time we can just be with family or working on projects like writing and athletics

good evening folks,

I’ve been thinking about getting into freelance translation (English>Russian and vice versa) and I wanted to start in friendly circles. If anyone can point me towards an individual or organization that could use such a service, I’d love to know more.

(reposted from languages channel)

I don’t know much about translation. Is this a service that would be useful to market to multinational corporations with reciprocal agreements?

Richard's ex (kidding kidding)

@Alex Kolchak - NY Call Jared Taylor.

Seriously, I called AmRen 2 years ago to buy tickets and Uncle Jared answered the phone and chatted with me for 5 mins.

Jared Taylor is in the business of translating Japanese>English

@Ryan -NJ
Translating directions for products, labels, and answering emails for small to mid-size foreign companies can make great money.

Someone has to translate the shipping label, navigate the USPS and be able to communicate with customers and suppliers for those Anime shipments. 😉

@Tyler0317 Good suggestions.

@Tyler0317 TY so much on the Grasshopper Rec.

Exactly what I was looking for as a startup. You saved me a ton of money.

Or well, maybe not a *ton*, but a handful for sure!

@Papa Pizzagate 💪

@Tyler0317 got any tips or coupons for domain registration and hosting?

Sheeeit,
I wish

@Papa Pizzagate

Yeah that is a pretty low cost thankfully

I paid a guy to set up all the internet side for me.

@Papa Pizzagate with easy DNS I got a domain name for like 10 years for like a hundred bucks. Not even the cheapest. I think GoDaddy is the cheapest

@Papa Pizzagate also if you ever wind up having permanent salaried employees you may want to check out a PEO like Trinet or Justworks to handle benefits and things like that. They basically become a type of co-owner of the company and negotiate with insurance on your behalf. If instead you think you will be a contractor for a while then you may want to checkout The Freelancer's Union just to handle your own insurance and stuff.

Thanks, Chris. I will probably look into the former. I want to grow as quickly and soon as I am able.

@Papa Pizzagate Will you be using an e-commerce platform such as Big Commerce?

@Ryan -NJwu commerce probably

@Papa Pizzagate I don’t know much about that platform. Keep in mind that some e-commerce platforms work better than others to engage potential clients across multiple channels. The platform that works best will be need contingent.

If anyone needs help with a website, e-commerce, or digital marketing, just reach out 😎

@everyone ^

I'm doing my taxes this week.

Easily my least favorite time of the year.

Whenever someone idealizes entrepreneurship, and wants to believe how perfect a career this is....
I secretly want to invite them into my office as I shoot 3 thousand emails to accountants, bureaucrats, middlemen, suppliers.....

Keep up the hard work