Yes, it’s possible to start a business in one hour. In fact, you can technically start a business in about 20 minutes. I had a one page business plan, my business name registered, tax ID number, a Canva account, and a basic WordPress website live within an hour.
Why is this significant? It’s not. The race to being a successful business owner is not to the swift. I also want to note that careful planning should go into starting a business. My point is that for those of us thinking about starting a business but are caught up on waiting for the right time- just do it, then make a plan.
Big and small, we all have ideas. I bet a few of you came up with the idea for Amazon before Jeff Bezos. The main reason most of our ideas never become reality is in our own head. Self-doubt, lack of motivation, etc. With the right amount of motivation, we really could start anything. Usually, that motivation stems out of misfortune.
We’re all tired of 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s destroying lives, families and plans. It has showed us how vulnerable we are and how fragile we can be mentally, physically, and financially. However during a catastrophe, we realize how resilient we are. We’re suddenly put into situations that force us to do what it takes to survive. It gives us a catalyst for change. When my marketing job was downsized in October, I got a good jolt of motivation to start a business.
Losing my job came with a rollercoaster of emotions. At first I was excited. A lack of direction and autonomy in my previous position, coupled with adjusting to this new “COVID lifestyle”, I was ready for a job change. After a few weeks of applying for jobs, brainstorming business ideas, and Netflix binges, my mood sunk. I knew I had to do something with my time or I was going to really lose my mind. One afternoon, (after watching West Wing reruns) I shut off the TV and got to work on starting a business.
At the time I wasn’t sure what I was doing other than I wanted to be a marketing consultant. I went on the state’s business commission website and registered as a sole proprietor. I applied for a tax ID number through the IRS and then set up a website and registered a domain name. It really only took an hour and only cost me just over $100.
I knew I probably left out a few steps, but hey- I finally had a business started. I spent the rest of the night and following weeks reading every small business article and book I could find (I recommend reading The $100 Startup). It felt great to have a renewed sense of purpose through building something of my own. As I was learning more about entrepreneurship, I wanted to shift my focus to supporting other aspiring small business owners in planning and marketing their new venture.
As I’ve experienced, starting a business is easy. It’s marketing and maintaining the business that takes work.
I want my story to be a motivation for you. No matter what you are going through, don’t let your circumstances keep you from moving towards your dreams. Just do it, then make a plan. All it takes to get moving on a business is a little bit of “soul”, a little overhead costs, and a little time (one hour). My next post will go into this further, but for now reach out and let me know how I can help you. From one entrepreneur to another, we’re in this together!
-JB
P.S. Happy Small Business Saturday!