This is the first post of many which will attempt to describe/instruct how I managed to start a web design/hosting/I.T firm from scratch at 21 years of age.
Less than 12 months after starting my business I was able to quit my retail job and support myself with the business. Now, almost 4 years later, through trial and error, my business is extremely efficient, profitable, and enjoyable to run.
When I started out, I literally had zero experience with any of the products or services I now provide. This of course means that you can do it to. Also, you should be able to move through the process a lot quicker than I did, as I didn’t have any kind of map like the one I am about to provide you with.
I’ll try to cover all areas of starting/running a business. This will probably change in the future, but for now the areas I’ll focus on will be:
Products
Services
Systems
Business
Accounting/Legal
Advertising/Marketing
Customer care
Motivation
Along the way I’ll also point out any potential pitfalls, and the ways I found work best to overcome them. Keep in mind that I’m only 1 person, and that my way might not be the best way. If, for example, you get to a point where you disagree with one of my processes or methods, then stick to your guns and give your way a shot. Thinking for yourself and having confidence in your own beliefs will get you very far.
Lastly, please note that these instructions are written from the point of view of a 21 year old retail worker with zero capital. When I started I had no money to spend on advertising or marketing. If you do have capital, some of my posts/philosophies may not make sense to you. For example, I’ve never spent a cent on advertising. If I had $20k in the bank when I started, I probably would have spent (wasted) it on Ads and marketing.
If you have any suggestions or ideas to make this blog more useful, you can email me at hello@melbournet.com.au, I won’t be able to answer many individual questions, but if a topic is popular enough I’ll be sure to include it in the blog.
Cheers,
Matt