Ebong Eka - Start Me Up!: The No-Business-Plan Business Plan

The No-Business-Plan Business Plan

By
EBONG EKA

Copyright 2014 by Ebong Eka

All rights reserved under the Pan-American and International Copyright Conventions. This book may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system now known or hereafter invented, without written permission from the publisher, The Career Press.

START ME UP!
EDITED BY KIRSTEN DALLEY
TYPESET BY EILEEN MUNSON
Cover design by Amanda Kain
Author photo by Moshe Zusman Photography Studio
Printed in the U.S.A.

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The Career Press, Inc.
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Pompton Plains, NJ 07444
www.careerpress.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Eka, Ebong.

Start me up!: the no-business-plan business plan / by Ebong Eka.

pages cm

Includes index.

ISBN 978-1-60163-305-7 -- ISBN 978-1-60163-487-0 (ebook) 1. Small business. 2. New business enterprises. 3. Strategic planning. 4. Social media--Marketing. I. Title.

HD2341.E43 2014

658.4'01--dc23

2013040941

If you are like me, you probably spend days and nights wanting to turn your ideas into something that will change the world while making millions of dollars doing it. If you havent already, youll quickly learn that hard work and a great idea simply arent enough to strike it rich. To succeed, you also need a lot of knowledge, support, and a solid plan. Unfortunately, it took me five tries to understand the importance of planning. When I started Clutter Cleaner in 2006, my instinct told me that I should help relocating seniors move, but my planning told me to focus on cleaning out homes effected by hoarding. The business quickly took off, and I eventually became the number-one extreme cleaner for the television show Hoarders. Years later my company helps families cleaning out hoarded homes, estates, and everything in between. As a result of proper planning, I finally have a successful business helping millions of families worldwide, and Ive gained that freedom of working for myself that we all strive for.

Ive known Ebong for years as a friend, a fellow entrepreneur, and a mentor. Ive personally watched Ebong learn from both the success and failure that a small business can provide. In addition to his experience, passion, and relentless hard work, Ebong has the unique ability to educate others and put his lessons into the framework needed to start a business of your own today. I personally dont believe in spending a year writing a 200-page business plan that becomes too confusing or outdated by the time its done. The world moves much faster these days, and we need a better and quicker way to start a business. The American Dream is still alive but its changing quickly, and its not what your parents or professors thought it was. As a Certified Public Accountant, small business expert, and television personality, Ebong is the perfect person to help you get your idea and dream started.

Running a business that cleans the messiest homes in the world has taught me a few things. Doing the work that no one wants to do is extremely profitable, and proper planning is essential to stay focused throughout your journey towards your first of many successful businesses. Ebongs experience and principals will help make your great ideas and hard work profitable.

Matt Paxton,
Founder of Clutter Cleaner and
Extreme Featured Cleaner on A&E Hoarders

America is the land of opportunity, and entrepreneurship is a symbol of this opportunity that the American Dream is supposed to provide. The essence of the American Dream is taking a new idea and turning it into a successful business. This also happens to be the basic concept of entrepreneurship. In America, the dream of entrepreneurship becomes a reality for many people every day.

With the current unstable economic climate, a growing number of women, minorities, and military veterans are starting businesses to supplement or replace their income. Losing a job can be the perfect opportunity to start a business. According to a 2012 Huffington Post article, 15 percent of entrepreneurs launched their own ventures after losing their job. The Kauffman Foundation estimates as much as 543,000 new businesses are started every month.

So how do you start a business? People often say that you need to write a business plan, but what does that mean? You may know a lot about your idea, but not as much about business per se. Know this: starting a business should not be about writing a business plan. Youre reading this book because you have an idea that you want to capitalize on. More importantly, you have either lost your job or youre tired of working at your current job. The pain of waking up every day and not focusing on your passion continues to grow until that passion turns into regret. Sound familiar? So whats stopping you this time?

Everyone talks about how bad the economy is and how there are no jobs. They are only partially right. The people who are lucky enough to have jobs sit in their cubicles dreaming of a better life. These people have dreams of entrepreneurship and may even start a side gig until they can break free. By definition, a job is not slavery, but for many of you who have a marketable professional skill or a truly different idea, it may as well be. Every day that passes is another day you have not started on the path to your dream.

Whether you want to start a business on the side or jump feet first into your own business, there is a better way to do it. Most businesses fail, but the reality is that most of these failures are preventable. More importantly, your business plan will not help you but will only accelerate your potential failure. The good news is there is no longer a need for a traditional business plan! There is also no longer a need for any start-up confusion because there is a better and more efficient way to start your business. I am going to show you how to start with an idea, charge more money for your services, and get more clients using a better plan for your businessthe no-business-plan business plan! Ready? Lets go!

The list of potential fears, doubts, and excuses that would-be entrepreneurs have to contend with is virtually endless, but the five that Ive listed here are probably what most of you are dealing with right now. They are as follows:

1. Starting a business is hard.

2. How do I know if my idea is even worth pursuing?

3. My idea isnt unique.

4. My friends and family think my idea is stupid.

5. I dont have the time to start a business.

The reality is starting a business is easy, but making it last is hard. The key is following the right steps when you start your business. The right steps also apply even if youve already started your business because you will be able to figure out whats missing. People think starting a business is extremely difficult and requires unique skills. As a result, they create barriers to starting one by saying things such as It takes a lot of luck to be successful. The reality is that luck has little, if anything, to do with it. Anything worth pursuing that is potentially lucrative will be difficult at times. What will get you through those inevitable difficulties are the guidelines that youve already followed in the past.