Starting a business is a key aspiration for many professionals, and there are plenty of opportunities available for those who are willing to take the leap. When you’re in the initial stages of planning, you’ll want all the resources you can get to learn and plan your ideas. Whether it’s education, organization or opportunities, these resources have got plenty to offer the aspiring entrepreneur.
1 . Pocket
Pocket is an app that lets you save web content to read later. It’s useful when you're browsing for research purposes, and don’t have time to read everything there and then. You can use Pocket to save social media posts, videos and articles. The dashboard neatly arranges any content you save by topic, and allows you to access it offline as well as online. With Pocket you can sync your saved articles across all of your different devices. Pocket also offers personalized content suggestions which have been saved by editors and other users. As an aspiring business owner, you can use Pocket to educate yourself on start-up best practices and discover new ideas.
2. SCORE
SCORE is a large organization of volunteer business mentors and business experts. The organization works to support start-ups and small businesses to succeed and reach their goals. SCORE is closely linked with the U.S Small Business Administration and is made up of over 10,000 passionate business volunteers. SCORE offers mentoring services, where aspiring entrepreneurs can access one-to-one business mentoring. These services are offered both in-person and online. As well as this, SCORE offers a library of entrepreneurial resources and plenty of webinars.
3. National Business Association
The National Business Association is a non-profit company, working to help small businesses and self-employed individuals to achieve their goals. The NBA provide plenty of top quality resource materials, along with support programs for members. When you become a member of the NBA, you’ll receive various financial benefits across the areas of health, business, and education. To make a start on your business dreams today, be sure to check out the website. If you’re considering becoming self-employed the NBA has plenty of advice to make the transition.
4. Franchanada
Perhaps you like the idea of running your own business but don’t necessarily have a starting idea? If so, it may be worth considering a franchise. When you buy a franchise, you’ll have access to a solid business plan, an established brand, marketing services and more. To browse a franchise directory, Franchanada is an excellent resource. Here you’ll find plenty of excellent franchising opportunities to give you the head start you’re looking for.
5. Wrike
Wrike is a project management app. It’s the perfect tool to create a plan for your start-up and get things off the ground. You can use Wrike to create and carry out projects, manage tasks and staff, and organize workflows. Using this software, you can also organize business files, allocate resources and collaborate with your team. Wrike also offers some great analytics features, customized reports, and can be integrated with Dropbox and Google Docs.