Business Startup Basics: What Do You Really Need to Get Started in Your On-Line Business?

My motto is Simple & Elegant and I try to run my business that way, as well as my life.

It can be very frightening starting an on-line coaching business, or any business for that matter. But please don't let that get in your way. Sure, there are steps you need to take but if you do them one at a time, sure enough you will have a business.

Some basic suggestions:

• Don't quit your day job. I don't want you to feel like you are under major pressure to get it up and running quickly with clients begging to work with you. Don't put that strain on yourself. Just put one foot in front of the other and when you are confident about what you are doing and bringing in enough money, and then you can move on. Please be patient with this, I don't want you to need clients, and they will feel your desperation if you do.

• Do have some money that is extra that you can invest on your business. I would say that you could have $2000.00 to invest and I would be surprised if you spent it all, unless you went real high end on everything. I don't want you taking food off your table but at the same time, maybe you don't need to go out and eat 3 times a week.

• Hire a coach or mentor. Please don't try to do this alone, especially if this is your first time. I always have a coach and sometimes two. You don't need to hire millionaire dollar coaches, but you could. You do need to hire someone who is 2 or 3 steps ahead of you (and you know that this will always be true because you know your coach always has a coach) this way you know you are both always growing.

There are certainly more pieces than I can explain in a short article but these are the basics.

Unless you are a really good web designer I would suggest you hire someone. You don't need to start out with a full blown website, but you could. For the sake of time and money I would suggest an Invite page, also known as a squeeze or landing page.

First, start out looking at people's websites and make decisions about what you like and what you don't care for. It helps to look at coaching sites and I believe it helps to hire someone who has done work for coaches and will know what you want.

When you go to any of the above sites, be very clear about what you are looking for. The more specific you are the easier it will be to find someone who can create for you what you want.

I would also suggest you use Word Press site. It's the easiest website out there now and is used by most. I am sure there are others but it seems everyone I know has a Word Press site. If you wish to have a membership site or 2 you can purchase Wish List which has plug ins for Word Press site. I don't want to overwhelm you with new lingo because I want to keep this simple for you.

To have your website go 'live' so others can see it you need a web host. This is what keeps things running smoothly. I have used many but the one I have now is Blue Host. I have no complaints about them at all and they have fantastic customer service, which is extremely important.

Those are just a handful of things to need to have in order to begin your on-line coaching business.

I hope I am not scaring you to death, just want you to go into business with your eyes wide open but also knowing this is a process and it won't happen all at once... and it doesn't need to!

If you are brand new, start looking at other coach's websites, especially if you know who you want to work with and on what topic. If you have already done this then great, but still keep looking at others websites so you can we what other 'successful' coaches are up too.