
A book by Chris Guillebeau
The $100 Startup
Here, finally, distilled into one easy-to-use guide, are the most valuable lessons from those who’ve learned how to turn what they do into a gateway to self-fulfillment. It’s all about finding the intersection between your “expertise”—even if you don’t consider it such—and what other people will pay for.
You don’t need an MBA, a business plan or even employees. All you need is a product or service that springs from what you love to do anyway, people willing to pay, and a way to get paid.
From the archive
The Case for the $100 Business
Read “The Case for the $100 Business” →You need something to sell that other people want to buy.
That’s it. Perhaps this is rudimentary, but a lot of aspiring entrepreneurs get hung up on very basic things. (They have great ideas, but get stuck in the all-important first steps.) Let’s break down this simple idea further:
STEP ONE: You need something to sell. Don’t wait too long! Better to fail early, if necessary, than to spend years perfecting something no one wants to buy.
Resources
Six free, printable resources for planning, testing, and launching a small business. Start with the worksheet that fits what you’re working on now.
The One-Page Business Plan
Put your offer, customers, pricing, and first steps on one page. A printable starting point for turning an idea into a small business.
Download the PDF →Test your idea · PDFSeven Steps to Market Testing
Work through seven steps to find out whether people will pay for your idea before you spend time building it.
Download the PDF →Find your customers · PDFThe One-Page Promotion Plan
Choose how to get the word out, identify your best channels, and make a plan for promoting your offer.
Download the PDF →Launch your offer · PDFThe 39-Step Product Launch Checklist
A checklist for the work before, during, and after a launch. Print it and work through the steps as you prepare.
Download the PDF →Put your skills to work · PDFInstant Consulting Business
Explore how to turn your skills into a consulting offer, find a first client, and think through your rates.
Download the PDF →Create a digital product · PDFBecome Your Own Publisher
A guide to creating and selling your own ebooks, guides, courses, or templates, from the idea to distribution.
Download the PDF →Read this next
The $100 Startup: How to Build a Real Business with Almost No Money
Read the article →Expanding the Pie
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