Make Your small Business BIG with Business Incubators
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Small Business, Big Problems
As a small business entrepreneur, your biggest concern is surviving the start-up period. It is relatively easy to set up a small business but sustaining it over the long haul poses several setbacks.
The two most common problems of small businesses are:
1.Lack of financing
2.Lack of business expertise in the field of marketing, finance, strategic planning or operations.
Luckily, there different groups or agencies established to assist your small business in this excruciating phase. One of these groups is the so called Business Incubators.
Business Incubators?
An organization created to nurture passion for entrepreneurship, help start up businesses survive, and grow to be a powerful force in the market.
Their main reason for being: make your small business BIG and financially stable by providing the following:
- Free consultation in developing business plans to gain financing from interested parties.
- Management consultation on compensation and prioritization of business activities
- Business and technology support/services
- Flexible office space leases and access to office equipment
- Network with other entrepreneurs
More than 4,000 business incubators operate worldwide ranging from different specialties. In US, about 1,400 business incubators are actively helping entrepreneurs and startup businesses in generating profits and sustaining performance.
Majority of business incubators are categorized as nonprofit organizations and they are primarily interested on economic development. Some incubators are called “mixed use” since they partner with startup companies in multiple industries.
Other business incubators specialize in different fields – manufacturing firms, community-revitalization projects, technology groups, and even service businesses.
In terms of geography, about half of the business incubators’ clients are situated in the urban areas while the other half is scattered in rural and suburban sites. In addition, business incubators expand their operations in other countries with promising business concepts.
Why Help?
Business Incubators help fledgling businesses because they believe in the spirit of entrepreneurship and its impact in the economy.
By helping these small companies with great potential, Business Incubators expect to achieve the following:
- Additional employment opportunities
- Transfer of cutting edge technologies between universities and companies
- Expansion of business base
- Revitalize neighborhood
- Fuel growth of local and national economies
Choosing the Right Business Incubator
With thousands of business incubators established in diverse markets, small business owners are sometimes confused when it comes to choosing the right partner.
As a guide when dealing with business incubators, it helps to know the following beforehand:
- Success rate or proven track record of the business incubator
- Check if services offered are aligned to your business needs
- Duration of partnership
- Comparative rates of different business incubators in your area
- Network and affiliation of the business incubator with community, government, and business agencies
- References and experiences of current tenants regarding management style of the incubator
So, if you want to make your business more profitable and competitive amidst competition then check our some business incubators in your area.
Don't worry. I provided some links that will guide you on your next steps...
Helpful Links on Business Incubators
- United States Business Incubators
Locations of business incubators in the United States - National Business Incubation Association
With approximately 800 members worldwide, NBIA is the largest membership organization of incubator developers and managers, providing education, training and industry information.
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You raise some good points,
In my experience you must alwasy have more than enough captial then you need.
Just to be on the safe side I alwasy make sure I have 3 times the capital required for my first 3 months of marketing.
I actually teach plans on how to do this at
http://www.interworkmarketing.com
Best Wishes,
Tom
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cpa says:
8 months ago
Excellent hub - thumbs up