There are lots of hurdles and potential stumbling blocks people face
as they work to start or expand their business. Fortunately, there is
help and support as you work to overcome these obstacles. Below are
some of the common problems we hear from people and suggestions on how
to address them.
1. "I am overwhelmed"
2. "I don't have transportation"
3. "I don't have a computer"
4. "I need child care"
5. "I don't have any money to put into my business"
6. "I am in debt"
7. "I can't pay my bills"
8. "I don't have a high school or college degree"
9. "I don't feel very confident"
10. "I don't know anything about business"
1. "I am overwhelmed"
- Take it one step at a time. Try not to bite off too much too soon.
Decide what you goals are and then focus only on the things you
need to do immediately.
- Ask for help. There are a lot of people out there who want to
help you. Build a support network for yourself. Use the free business
counseling, workshops and classes, and networking events. You will
meet people who give you new ideas and renewed energy to keep working.
2. "I don't have transportation"
- Depending on what your business is, you may be able to work from
home, which can reduce your need for transportation.
- You can look for rideshare opportunities in the newspaper to find
listings of people who may be driving to the same destination.
- The Good News Garage in Burlington (802-864-3667) is a
nonprofit that can help you purchase an inexpensive used car. All
Vermonters are eligible for their services. As of May 2000 they
were not taking new customers because they do not enough cars to
serve their current waiting list. For more information call them
or ask you business counselor.
3. "I don't have a computer"
- There are a number of places to access computers, printers, scanners,
etc. Most of them allow unlimited use, free of charge. Check out:
- The MBDP Marketing Resource Centers
Contact your local MBDP Office.
- The Business Information Center (BIC),
located at Key Bank in Burlington, 660-4580
- The Vermont Women's Business Center (VWBC),
located at Trinity College in Burlington, 877-770-VWBC.
- Cyberskills, Vermont
http://www.cyberskillsvt.org
located in Burlington, 860-4057 ext. 20.
- Your local library.
4. "I need child care"
- You can call the Child Care Resource & Referral Center
at (802) 241-3110
or link to http://www.state.vt.us/srs/childcare/
to find out about childcare providers and programs in your area.
- It is sometimes possible to bring your children to your one-on-one
business counseling sessions - ask you counselor.
- If you are in the Department of Social Welfare's Reach-up Program
or are involved in a program with the Department of Employment &
Training, you may be eligible for child care reimbursement for times
when you are in classes or working with a business counselor. Ask
your caseworker for details.
- Contact the Community Action Office in your area to see if there
are other programs to help you.
5. "I don't have any money to put into my business"
- Determine how much money you really need to get started. There
may be some pieces of equipment that can wait until your business
gets off the ground. Look into free/low-cost marketing opportunities,
like press releases, networking, and flyers to get your initial
customers.
- If you do need a loan, and the banks tell you collateral is needed,
remember that there are alternative lending sources available that
may accept items as collateral that banks won't accept. Ask you
business counselor for more information.
- If you need a large amount of capital to get started, you may
need to approach investors for an equity investment. This requires
finding individuals who invest in small business and convincing
them that your idea will eventually bring in substantial profits.
If they invest in your business now, they will get a share of those
profits as your business takes off.
6. "I am in debt"
- Check out our tips on Credit Repair.
- Write out your personal monthly budget, and determine where you
can reduce your costs to make sure you don't spend more than you
take in
( personal budget sheet ).
- Call your creditors (even though it seems difficult!) and determine
what kind of repayment plan you can arrange. It is better to pay
a very small amount back over a long time than to pay nothing at
all. Just contacting the creditor will improve your credit status.
7. "I can't pay my bills"
- You may be eligible for emergency assistance through the state
or through a nonprofit. Contact the Department of Social Welfare
and your local Community Action Agency to find out about programs
like Food Stamps, Fuel Assistance, and Medicaid. Salvation Army
and the United Way may also be able to help you.
- Look at the reasons why you can't pay your bills. Is this a one-time
crisis or is your income lower than your expenses every month? Work
on writing down your monthly budget ( personal
budget sheet ). to find out if there are areas of expense you
can reduce.
8. "I don't have a high school or college degree"
- Unlike some traditional jobs, you may not need a degree to start
and run your own business. The more important thing is if you are
capable of providing the goods or services that you plan to sell.
- If you do want to seek more education, you can contact
Vermont Adult Learning (800-322-4004),
Community College of Vermont (800-228-6686), and
Vermont Student Assistance Corp. (655-9602).
9. "I don't feel very confident"
- Remember that it is going to be difficult to get a business started,
but that you are capable of doing it! Persistence is the key to
success. When you hit roadblocks, ask for help and find ways around
them.
- Get involved in groups that include other business owners. You'll
see that you are not alone and may get some ideas on new ways to
approach things.
10. "I don't know anything about business"
- A lot of entrepreneurs have little or no business experience
when they start. You will learn a lot "on the job" just by running
your business.
- There are many opportunities to attend workshops and classes
to provide you with the knowledge you need. Check out the free trainings
offered at your local MBDP and around the state http://www.dca.state.vt.us/caleven1.htm
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