Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

jewlz,

our firing squads use only duds, so you`re relatively safe. you probably have a good excuse anyway, such as, "my dog keeps jumping the fence and running away and i have to chase him down."

I`m also here because of the Costco Connection.  Great article.  I love to read about "real" (as in "get real"! : D) people making it!

I am disappointed, in myself, that I never found you before 

Especially with all the googling I do about all things business.  Oh Wait!  We can`t say that anymore!

http://www.itnews.com.au/newsstory.aspx?CIaNID=35913&r=h story

 I also got here through costco connection magazine, great article and this web site is very helpful lotsa information to get started or continue with my plans.

thanks.

new SUNsters, please let us know what kind of information you`re most interested in. also, just curious, are you just receiving the Costco Connection via mail? some people got it a couple of weeks ago...

welcome!

rich

Hi Rich-

No.  I didn`t just receive my magazine.  It was in my "to read" pile.  I did want to tell you that I often read articles and think "I should look at that on their website" and then I completely forget about it.  or I don`t remember the website by the time I am in front of a computer.  I did remember you and Jeff and your website was easy to remember! So here I am.

As for your question, I`d like to see an opinion piece about obtaining Venture Capital.  Something with a headline like; Obtaining Venture Capital - Helping your business or selling your soul? That would really get my interest!

I`m being comical on the headline but I do think such an article would be of interest to small business owners whom have never taken the plunge.

What do you think?

Have a great Friday!

Laura

The Costco lifestyle eh!

I come from a place that didn`t have a Costco.  theres a couple here where I live now...what are the big advantages to being a Costco member?  Or rather what are the advantages for my business?

I could go read the website, but I`d rather hear first hand from business owner/entreprenuers their experiances.

Espresso gal,

What is going to set your coffee house apart from the rest?

I am adicted to coffee.  We have Tim Hortons here in Canada.  They have sorta become a National icon.  If your canadian, you know what Timmy`s is.  We even had them open a Tim Hortons on our military base in Kandahar Afghanistan.  They sold out months prior to re-supply.  I do believe that Tim Hortons is now owned by a large US restaurant chain, I suspect that it`s the iconic staus here in Canada that has seen the focus stay here.  I do belive though that there are 20 or so Tim Hortons Coffee shops in the northen states, michigan and such.  Look Tim Hortons up.

this is very helpful! i popped you a 5 rating for following through with details!

regarding the topic, i think venture capital is for such a tiny minority of startups that it`s not a viable resource in most cases. do you feel that Step 6 doesn`t cover the topic well enough with upside/downside information?

I would like to see information related to what is currently relevant for me, which is this:  we`ve run the Web side of our business for the last five years strictly as an in-family, two-person operation.  But growth now forces us to hire from outside.  I am interested in all things related to this. 

In addition to how to find the right person I find myself dealing with feelings of vulnerability.  I am fearful of showing my warts; of exposing my less-than-perfect systems and procedures to someone.  Our actual day-to-day operations can really be quite brutal because we deal with custom items with tight delivery deadlines and, candidly, I`m afraid of showing someone else my moments of frustration.

Other members of my family run our brick-and-mortar.  I have worked for other family businesses and that family`s lives and secrets were no longer private.  Everyone in that 450 employee company knew the tweaks, quirks and personal lives of all the family members.  I am fearful of being so "out there."