Your Presenter
Bob Voss
Business Entrepreneur Faculty DCTC
Owner-BizOwner Training LLC
ALE-Constant Contact®
Entrepreneur and BizOwner who has started and run
five businesses.
 Inventor-two patents on Optical Code Technology
 Raised a lot of money from Angel Investors
 Business Entrepreneur faculty member at Dakota
County Technical College
 2008 National Business Entrepreneur Instructor of
the Year (NACCE)
 Counselor with the SBDC
 In eleven years has helped over 1000 students and 300
clients with the SBDC start businesses
 New Biz author and creator of on-line assessments

 There
is more than one way to start a business in
Minnesota!
• Most people start a new business from scratch!
• You can buy an existing business-www.bizbuysell.com!
• You can buy a franchise-The entrepreneurs source!
A
new model for income called a “portfolio
career”!
• Doing multiple things to generate the income you need!
• I strongly believe in this model, I am an example!
• One of the multiple streams of income should be your own
business!
• Set specific periods of time to work on each stream

How many new businesses start each month in our state?
5500

Are there more product or service businesses starting in our
country?
Service

What Percentage of businesses starting today have one or
more employees?
24%

What percentage of businesses SURVIVE the first year of
operation?
75%
STEP #1:
DECIDE you have what it takes
to start and grow a business! Is being a
BizOwner right for you?
STEP # 2: CHOOSE the best business for
YOU to start! Will the new business meet
your financial goal? Do you have confidence
your new business will succeed?
STEP #3: PLAN the new business. You
must create a simple business plan for your
new business!
 BizOwners
are made, not born! Anyone can
learn to start and run a successful business!
 Take the assessment “Would I Make A Good
BizOwner?” (Sent to you in PDF format)
 www.SBA.gov “Thinking of Starting a Business”
 Three important HABITS for new BizOwners:
• New BizOwners need to develop the promotion
habit!
• New BizOwners need to develop the connection
habit!
• New BizOwners need to develop the proof habit!

Create a one page overview for your new business!
• Use Assignment #1 sheet-Handout
• For multiple biz ideas, create a separate sheet for each biz!
• Always say what you have written OUT LOUD!

Your first goal is a financial goal!
• Use the Will My New Business Meet My Financial Goals-worksheet to
help with this decision! (PDF)

Do “The Interview Assignment” to verify that the business
you want to start is right for you!
• E-Book sent to your e-mail!

Confidence Booster: Take the “Will My New Business
Succeed?” assessment!
• Assessment is available on line for $10. Username and password good for three uses.

Why Business Plans are so important!
• Business Plans help guarantee success!
• Business Plans give confidence you are starting the right Biz!
• Business Plans force you to do financial projections!

My Experience with Business Plans!
• Written over 25 Business Plans (used to raise $6M)!
• Taught a formal 3-credit Business Plan class over 38 times!
• Graded over 1200 business plans!

Why the 21 Question Business Plan™ Works!
• Fast and Easy-You Should be able to complete your plan in 12-24 hours!
• You don’t have to be a good writer to create your plan!
• Questions are the exact questions people are going to ask you anyway!
• BRAND NEW!! 21 QUESTION BUSINESS PLAN BOOK!!!
-$25 TODAY (On-line at Amazon for $27)
-Includes the $10 “Will My New Business Succeed?” Assessment for
FREE!

Select the right business entity for your business!
•
•
•
•

Personal vs Business liability issues!
Save money on the taxes you owe!
How much paperwork is involved?
Website to file: www.sos.state.mn.us (annual renewals req.)
Obtain your EIN number!
• Called an SS4
• File with the IRS on-line at www.irs.gov

Get a separate Business Checking Account!
• IRS wants you to use this account to buy stuff for the Biz!

State Tax Id (don’t forget sales tax)!
• File at www.revenue.state.mn.us

You should have a Company record Book!
• Don’t forget-you are required to hold and document an annual meeting
each year of the business!
BOB’S
CONTACT INFORMATION
• Office Phone 651-423-8356
• Cell Phone 612-202-6627
• College E-Mail bob.voss@dctc.edu
• Biz E-Mail bob@21questionbusinessplan.com
www.21questionbusinessplan.com