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How To Start A Business: A Journal

Preliminaries

"I just had this great idea! Let's start our own business!"

"Hey, that is a great idea! What kind of business?"

"Well... I don't know for sure, yet. The idea's kind of new."

The discussion that follows this particular exchange will center primarily on considering and rejecting various kinds of businesses and business opportunities.

After some time passes, the idea resurfaces and a suitable business venture is conceived. There are no details, no plans, nothing more than an idea at this point. Mind you, this part is thirsty work and calls for a beer. Or three. And because it is such a grand and lofty and fail-proof idea, it calls for a glass of champagne, a toast to the rousing success of this new venture... and a refill. This is also the end of forward progress for at least another week.

Week 1

You should spend all week thinking about your new business. Become so distracted with your regular place of employment, that all waking, conscious effort is devoted to this, your version of the American dream. You will undoubtedly at this point in the process mull over telling your current boss to "take this job and shove it", ala Johnny Paycheck. You should discuss this idea with your wife.

Note: After discussing this idea with your wife, remind yourself that shooting her is not an option. You should mull over the viability of divorce.

Special Note: Do not discuss this idea with your wife, your wife's girlfriends, your girlfriends, your buddies or your business partners. You never know when one or more of these groups will overlap.

Next, you should spend the rest of the week projecting numbers - not dollars, but an increased number of hours you could be home if your wife agrees to let you do this. Always use the word "could" indicating the possibility. That way, when you end up not being home that exact number of hours, her lawyers cannot sue you for breach of contract.

Week 2

Change the name of your company. Again. Assuming of course, that you have not yet registered the name of your choosing with any of the governing agencies that handle such things. It is not a problem to change once your name is registered; those agencies will be more than happy to assist you in a name change. For another fee.

Now, it is time to begin forming business plan. At first, this should be nothing more than vague references to possible places to market your idea and dreams of how much money you are going to make. Share these dreams in the form of hard facts

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