We all have dreams.
Some of us dream of hitting the lottery. Others play every contest and sweepstakes around - just hoping to land the big prize. Others wish for better health and happiness for themselves and their families.
Then there are those who dream of something different. These people dream of making a change and taking charge of their own lives ~ they dream of starting their own Small Business!
Maybe they have been working for others and are unsatisfied. Or maybe they are looking for a better way to take care of themselves and their families. Or, quite possibly, the pandemic shined an even brighter light on the pay, benefits, and working conditions of their current job.
No matter the reason, the dream of being an entrepreneur strikes many.
The lucky ones already know the kind of business they want to run. They know what services they want to offer or what they want to sell. But still others have no idea where to begin.
We knew that we wanted to start a background check company. The idea of helping other small business owners succeed by helping them "hire right" appealed to us.
We were lucky enough to start our business with partners. Each of us brought our own skill set to the table ~ and where one of us was lacking, there was another one of us to fill the gap.
But we still had a lot to learn. Most of it was by trial and error. And it certainly helped that we all were willing to jump right in and do many things we never had done before.
We gradually broke away from these partners and started running the business on our own. It was a wildly exciting and scary time. But we have persevered.
We have seen many changes within the background check industry. We have had to learn a lot about the day to day tasks of running a business. We have even had to focus more on blogging and marketing than we ever thought possible.
We have undergone a lot of changes since those early days in 1996, and we keep discovering more every day. That is one of the wonderful things about setting your own course and running a business of your own.
For the past couple of years, we have had people contact us who are thinking of starting their own small business. Most have been interested in a background check company, but others have been all over the board.
It was during one of these phone calls that an idea began to form. Our contact asked if we would be interested in actually mentoring her in starting her own business ~ and she offered to pay us for our time!
She wanted to “pick our brain” on the things we had learned in the past 20+ years and give her real guidance in getting her company up and running.
Now the real work began. If we were to make this work, then we had to go in with a plan. We knew we wanted to start something that could offer real value and concrete advice to anyone interested in starting their own small business.
We set to work writing a Mentoring contract, creating a list of One on One Session Options, and developing lesson plans to go with those sessions. We even had to decide on a price for our services and set up payment options to make it easy for our clients.
We enjoy getting to know our clients and feeling their excitement as they get closer to achieving their goals. We especially appreciate it when, after a session, they share their sense of relief that they now know how to move forward.
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We have undergone a lot of changes since those early days in 1996, and we keep discovering more every day. That is one of the wonderful things about setting your own course and running a business of your own.
You can go in almost any direction you choose.
But that doesn’t mean we all don’t need a little help now and then!
For the past couple of years, we have had people contact us who are thinking of starting their own small business. Most have been interested in a background check company, but others have been all over the board.
And if you have read any of our articles in the past, then you know that at API we believe in Paying it Forward.
We have spent numerous hours on the phone and through email fielding questions and offering support to these budding entrepreneurs. It was during one of these phone calls that an idea began to form. Our contact asked if we would be interested in actually mentoring her in starting her own business ~ and she offered to pay us for our time!
She wanted to “pick our brain” on the things we had learned in the past 20+ years and give her real guidance in getting her company up and running.
This started us thinking ~ maybe we can start helping others on a more formal basis too. And our Small Business Mentoring Service was born!
Ready to Start Your Own Small Biz? Contact API for the Help You Need! “Tweet This”
Now the real work began. If we were to make this work, then we had to go in with a plan. We knew we wanted to start something that could offer real value and concrete advice to anyone interested in starting their own small business.
We set to work writing a Mentoring contract, creating a list of One on One Session Options, and developing lesson plans to go with those sessions. We even had to decide on a price for our services and set up payment options to make it easy for our clients.
Needless to say, it has been a whirlwind ~ but we are now up and running!
We enjoy getting to know our clients and feeling their excitement as they get closer to achieving their goals. We especially appreciate it when, after a session, they share their sense of relief that they now know how to move forward.
And, most importantly, we find great satisfaction in knowing we are truly helping people.
It has already been a very rewarding and satisfying adventure ~ and we are committed to continuing on this journey for a long time to come!Authored by
Are You Ready to become a Small Business Owner? Or are you interested in taking your company to the next level or finding out more about what it takes to run a Small Business?
Contact Us! API can help you get started! Check out our Mentoring Session Options and find out more About Us too!
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