Hey there, stranger! It has been a while, hasn’t it. Today’s article will consist of three parts. I will start with a quick brief of what I have been upto. after that, I will cover the technical aspects of trying to set up a website and managing the company’s paperwork. Last but not least, I will provide a quick summary of the book “The 100 $ startup by Chris Guillebeau“. So, without further ado, let’s rock n roll!
The technical aspects:
For the business side of things, after careful consideration, I decided to go with UK online company fomation services for the following reasons: It’s cheaper than registering a company in my country, they provide the company’s address, I already know someone who went through that process, and the image of a UK company may be more enticing and comforting for my future prospects . I was deciding between osome and 1stformations, but in the end, 1stformations was recommended to me, so I decided to go with them.
Regarding the technical side, I initially tought of using a website builder like wix.com. However, after some research, I realized that I only need a static website at the moment, and there are numerous free hosting options available. Therefore, I used Google’s Firebase hosting, a Bootstrap template, some javascript code, and voila! Just like that, I had my website up and running at a total cost of 0$.
For those who want to check it out, it’s still under construction, but you can visit it here: https://secmund-3.web.app/ .
Your Network is your networth:
Simultaneously with the previous tasks, I reached out to a friend mentioned in the last article. I sought guidance, and he addressed a couple questions. Here’s the summary of our conversation:
- The initial challenge I will face involves acquiring leads and establishing credibility.
- I need to focus on cold outreach (100 people everyday).
- The online uk business model is just as good as a company founded in my country.
- He provided me with a one-liner to use in meetings: We are a UK company with an office in Morocco looking to help you fix xyz.
- The first few months are expected to be rocky, I’ll just have to persevere.
- I should have setup a website and email first to gauge the market’s response to my services.
- He also mentioned another friend of ours, whom I had forgot aboutten about, that worked with cybersecurity clients in the exact market I want to target.
The more you look, the more you find.
Who knew your eyes only allow you to see your version of the world,
I have come to learn that to see the universe for what it truly is you need the wisdom of other people.
The reason I chose the description "Trying to Tame a Tornado" for today's article is that your mind turns into a storm during the entrepreneurial quest. Your thoughts split into multiple departments; you might be thinking about a media campaign at noon, but at night, you will be contemplating the hiring process, and the next day, it could be about the technology stack. Amidst this storm, your actions are metaphorical attempts to tame the tornado.
Book resumes:
Finally I will leave you with some points I took from The 100 $ startup by Chris Guillebeau. see you on the other side 🤟.
The book discusses businesses with minimal overhead and no necessary skills, providing examples of people's businesses from around the world. Here are some key lessons:
Business's Sweet Spot: Find the intersection between what other people want and what you care about.
Skill Transformation: Founders often didn't have the main skills they needed initially, but they acquired them along the way.
The Magic Formula: Passion or skill + usefulness = success.
Microbusinesses: They've been around since the beginning of commerce, but the ability to test, launch, and scale projects quickly and inexpensively has changed.
Starting a Business: You need three things: a product or service, a group of people willing to pay for it, and a way to get paid.
Client Interaction: Don't teach clients how to fish; give them what they want.
The Goal: Sell happiness in the form of a product or service.
Overcoming Challenges: When stuck, ask: How can I give more value? Or more simply: How can I help my customers more?
Customer Communication: Talk about what customers receive; a benefit is emotional.
Understanding Customer Needs: Sometimes what customers say they want and what they truly want are different. Dig deeper and offer things they didn't think they wanted.
Customer Relations: Make your customer a hero.
7 Easy Steps to Start: Decide on a product or service, set up a website, develop an offer, have a way to get paid, announce the offer to the world, learn, and repeat.
Basic Services Website Content: Include the benefit provided and qualifications to provide it, stories of how others have been helped, pricing, and how to hire.
Strategies: Latch onto a popular hobby, passion, or craze. Sell what people buy.
Customer Relations: The customer is always right, often wrong.
Evaluating Ideas: First filter - Does the idea produce a product or service? Do you know people who want to buy it? Do you have a way to get paid?