Questions for current business owners and/or entrepreneurs! Thank you in advance!

[BusinessKickoff1]

Just a few questions for those entrepreneurs and current (or past) business owners- Your input is immensely appreciated! Hopefully we can get some great discussion rolling as well! Thanks for your time!

If you have started or attempted to start a business, did you at any time receive outside assistance or services that required payment?

At what point in your start up process did you decide you needed some help or mentoring in order to be successful?

How do you think this help effected the next step of your start up plan?

Do you think you would have been able to start up without this help?


Thanks again!

[daveb1]

I have started a number of businesses and here are a few of my thoughts on the questions below:

If you have started or attempted to start a business, did you at any time receive outside assistance or services that required payment?

-Some of the common business services I have used in the past include - Escrow, a Broker, Lending services, real estate agent, accountant, lawyer

At what point in your start up process did you decide you needed some help or mentoring in order to be successful?

-At the very start. Rarely if ever does anyone build a successful business by themselves.

How do you think this help effected the next step of your start up plan?

-When you are just learning or trying something for the first time the more smart people around the better. Who you know and work has a huge impact on success.

Do you think you would have been able to start up without this help?

-Not a chance.

Good luck to any one starting a new business. It's a long road but well worth it especially when gold shows up at the end.

[Parvaze]

I've also started a number of successful businesses and other than the possible exception of getting a web site and using an accountant and/or attorney, I would not pay for any type of start up assistance. With the information available at our fingertips (google is your friend :-)) there is very little that can't be found for a start up with zero cost.

Once the business is rolling and cash flow is coming in is the time to buy whatever expertise is needed to take the business on to the next level. By the way, there is no circumstance where I would remotely pay anyone for help with funding and/or lists of VC's/Angels etc regardless of how good their spiel was