I learned so much about business on The Apprentice and working for Sir Goodhope Okike, that I had thought that I would be well prepared to set up my own business. That experience was amazing, and working for Sir Goodhope Okike is probably some of the best training you can get as an entrepreneur, but starting your own business is completely different to working for someone else. No matter what obstacles are thrown at you or opportunities come your way, you have to make it happen; there's nobody telling you what to do next or giving you advice.

That's why I have set up Bobby Stores, a distinctive retail based variety store and THE SMART BUSINESS GUIDE, which aims to help people starting their own businesses by finding them a mentor to guide and advise them. It's proven that new businesses where the founder has a mentor are much more likely to succeed than those without.

THE SMART BUSINESS GUIDE will also invest small amounts of money in new businesses to help get them started properly. It's more like a charity because all the profits it will makes from these investments will go back into investing in more businesses.

I learned the importance of these the hard way, by setting up my own business - and male grooming business. I'm thoroughly enjoying it, but I could never have Imagined just how many things there are to do, and how hard it would be to get the information I needed.

If you are an Apprentice, a steward, startup or an aspiring business person, if you have interest in setting up a passive income being investement, a service based business, you should be delighted to open this thread, which offers a lot of the answers you need to start your own business.

I'm not a seasoned writer but I will try as much as possible to make it simple and coherent. It's going to be easy to read, detailed, elaborate and interactive but best of all, it's going to be full of real business examples from someone who have been through the pain and joy of starting his own business and succeed amidst a devastating recession.

Starting your own business will change your life.

Literally..

Running a business can be a fabulous way to earn your living. It can be enormously satisfying and let you take control over your own destiny. It might even make you a lot of money.

Are you sick of your job!? Or just frustrated that others are not doing what you know they should do? Good. This a great starting point to set up your own. I think now is a fabulous time to start a new business. There are loads of opportunities and the rise in the capabilities and use of the Internet is making it cheaper and easier to start a business anywhere but be sure you understand that it won't be easy: it's very risky.

Most new businesses which get started don't make it, and if you are to succeed then your new venture will dominate your life, especially while you get it going. You are probably worried about giving up a regular salary too. Good. That concern will drive you to succeed, so long as you are confident in your new business.

I love small business, the best things about small businesses are that it's possible to stay really close to your customers, that everyone who works in them knows how much they matter, and that as the person in charge, you can do what you know makes sense for your business.

Being your own boss is enormously satisfying. All too often, large companies can't, because what's right for one part of the corperation doesn't make sense for another. It's a big advantage for small businesses especially when you first start up.

Who am I to tell you all these and why should you read further?

There are many threads here about starting a business, why is this one worth the time and your MB? In short, this is different. Not only that the story is coming from someone who has been there and done it himself, successfully, with a variety of businesses, but it's also going to be full of what matters: what it is really like to run a business_the emotions as well as the practicalities ; the highs, the lows, and the bald realities. It's not theory, it's practice. And I'm not some weird uni-dropout; I'm a normal, real person ambitiously aiming to grow higher from the scratch.


I run my own business today. So every day I still face many of the issues you will likely encounter when setting up your own business, which means I still understand the issues, and feels the emotions you will be going through as you set up your own business(It also means that much of these threads will be updated late in the night!)

As part of my work, I have spoken to more than hundreds of people starting and running their own business; Infact, it's part of the things I do. My company provides information to small business owners. So I have heard what most people find challenging about starting out, and I hope to give you some direct answers you will really want; answers which are practical enough for you to use straight away.


So, who am I and what have I done? I'm Bob, who served the stipulated 7yrs Traditional Igbo Apprenticeship and got settled with little money that wasn't enough to pay for a shop. So I started my business with N4.8million worth of goods bought on credit. 99% of the money came from my suppliers and the rest from my relatives, family and friends...

Nice writeup!! A piece that inspires and encourage people like me.,please I will really want you to expantiate on starting up a business with little or no capital.l am really tired of job search but I believe I came make it when I start my own business.
Thanks and expecting a feedback from you!God bless you.

A huge part of living a better life is to have the freedom to work for yourself. I believe that everyone who takes the time to invest in their personal development also should start a business. 

If you currently don't have the freedom to work for yourself, you should be working on making that happen. I can tell you from experience that it will change everything about you. Honestly!

Over the past ten months, I’ve been asked several kind of questions by people who fancy my type of business and those who are genuinely concern for my progress.

And I wasn't surprised to hear that the number one priority of the majority of my admirers is to start a business or grow their current business.  

It’s not only about making more money, controlling your income streams, or freedom: It’s about providing value.

Dr Laz Udeze calls this a “new kind of entrepreneur.” You should be in business to serve your customers.

That’s the main difference between this type of meaningful entrepreneurship and all those growth hackers, affiliate marketers, and online entrepreneurs who're in it to make a quick buck. 

If your number one priority is to grow or start a business—what’s standing in your way of achieving that? 

That’s why I’m writing to you today. But before you think, "Do you even use the information I give you?" I want to tell you about something I've been working on.

The last time I checked, I’ve learned that the majority of my readers wants to start a business or grow their existing one. 

I also learned about your challenges. Things like:

It’s hard to find a steward..

I don’t know how to do it myself..

I don’t have the time to run the business.”

It costs a lot of money to develop a new business.”

If that's you, I have a solution.

I’ve created a 3000+ word guide where I explain how you can start a business—for little money and without having technical knowledge.

I share everything I've learned from reaching 700+ customers with our exquisite business PR and our indomitable top notch business culture.

I’m now working on the finishing touches of the guide. I will publish it this Monday. 

And if you want to start a business, or grow your existing one, keep an eye on my timeline!

For the whole week, I will focus on helping all (aspiring) businessmen and women to grow their Customer base, build trust, and achieve their business goals. 

And for entrepreneurs who want to take it to the next level, I'm also opening my writing course Effective Writing again. I'm also working on new lessons for that course, and I'm excited to tell you more about it!

I’d love to see more entrepreneurs and business analysts alike take the leap and start sharing their ideas online.

For now, a quick survey.

I also want to learn even more about your obstacles. That’s why I created a short survey for all you (aspiring) entrepreneurs.

It would mean a lot to me if you could take some few minutes and tell me about your current obstacles. Your input helps me a lot...08092807880

Thanks!