More and more people are being tempted to set up their own businesses, either full time or alongside their current job. What begins as a hobby or passion sometimes culminates in a full-time occupation. Many people dream of being successful enough with their new venture that they can give up their boring nine to five, and be their own boss. Wisdom always says to get advice and training before you even start. Are you going down a blind alley? Would anyone want your product or do your rivals do a better job? Can you afford the initial financial investment or will you bankrupt yourself? There are many questions that must be asked in the cold light of day. Fortunately, help is at hand. This article will steer you online to find some much-needed answers.
ONLINE COURSES
Entrepreneurs often begin their journey alone, dreaming of a possible future. There are colleges and universities that offer courses in entrepreneurship. Some top business schools even offer free online courses. With the COVID-19 virus affecting the entire planet, it may be hard to obtain any training that is not online. Fortunately, there is a wealth of resources and websites to be found, and when we looked at ELearningIndustry.com we discovered that the experts helped people choose the right learning partner for their particular business. Such websites also provide helpful articles so you can find everything you need in one place.
FREE STUFF
You may be surprised to find how much resource is available online for free. It ranges from ebooks to short courses including text and video. Basically, companies and individuals want to add you to their mailing lists. That’s because you are already interested in their trade or products. They get you on the hook by offering a free ebook or course that you can access once you’ve given them your email address. Then you’re happy to receive the free training, and they’ve got your contact details. If you go down this route you will very quickly be receiving daily emails containing helpful lists and guidance to help you further. You’ll also be advised about their products.
Free ebooks and courses also serve to whet your appetite. You enjoyed yourself and liked their style of training, so how about investing in some of their more detailed courses? They will require you to pay, needless to say. The most important information and resources will often be reserved for advanced material. They’re running a business, after all.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Everyone seems to be using it these days, don’t they? Platforms like Facebook don’t just have to feature puppy videos and photos of somebody’s dinner. Most organisations and businesses are expected to maintain an ongoing presence on social media. Facebook groups are a rich resource for niche areas such as entrepreneurship. You can frequently join them for free and if you don’t like them, you can just leave. Networking with other people on the same journey is key to your success. If someone is doing the same thing and is ahead of you, their advice will be gold. If they’re experiencing success, their advice will be platinum!
As an example, you can join a Facebook group for self-publishing authors if you work as a freelancer. There, you will be able to read helpful posts and to engage in the comments sections and receive replies. If you’re going it alone, you will thrive by the ongoing encouragement and motivation these groups can provide. Over time it will be you who gives wise advice!
Some social media sites offer free help, but also subscription-only access for more one to one and detailed information and help.
YOUTUBE
You can ask Google virtually any question and you will be directed to an answer. The same goes for Youtube — you can watch someone talking or doing the very thing you are researching. Let’s face it — not everyone likes reading. Social media makes us more and more prefer bite-sized bits of information. Youtube videos can range from a few minutes to several hours. Rich training material can be found there. As with the freebies I mentioned earlier, there is something in it for them, too. Resource providers often post adverts and contact details on their videos, usually at the end. They invite you to subscribe to their account for regular updates and offers as well.
At the end of the day, we are living in a technological revolution. It’s also an information revolution. It is possible for you to find free resources online that you can access anywhere — in your office, at home or even on holiday. You can choose the training that suits you most, be it eLearning courses with a high text basis, or ones that include videos too. Becoming an entrepreneur is a real challenge if there is a saturated market, but online learning can be a vital step up that will take you to a new level.