I don't know how some business owners came up with the funds to start their businesses, but today I am giving a shout out to a very exciting resource for the future entrepreneurs!
We all have heard of business loans, but have you heard of small business grants? Grants are different in that they are money you don't have to pay back. That is right. It is like a landing a scholarship, or having financial aid for free college education. Not to mention loans will have to be paid back with interest, and grants are money given without the requirement of repayment or fees. Imagine how a little financial assistance could help change some talented individual's life, the opportunity to pursue a business one has always dream of.
I have known about the business grants, but only a few. I didn't know there are many more available business grants and this website can help you find the right one for your business. Or you can click on the find opportunities tab, and take a look for yourself. Why, if you don't know what to do, perhaps looking at the different grants would spark an idea!
Imagine if you were one of the recipients, wouldn't it be awesome to be able to invest in your business and give it real support?
My Thursday Two Questions #9:
1) Have you ever owned a business, what was it? {industry: food, retail, service, etc.?}
If you never owned a business, would you start one?
2) How do you feel as a business owner, or what do you think being a business owner would be like?
Thanks for stopping by today. Click on the following links to view the hosts and other participants: Thursday Two Questions
21 Comments
When I was a teenager my mother bought a grocery store with an apartment behind it in NYC. We worked long hours and never made enough money so I would have to say No to owning a business. She lost everything when major construction closed off our road for almost a year.
ReplyDeleteI have owned my own clothing design company. It did not do well. While I love to sew, it is hard to beat the thrifty prices out there when you are buying fabric and sewing yourself. It's hard to make any money.
ReplyDeleteIf I start one again I will definitely explore and investigate first. :-)
I just wanted to let you know I picked your blog for the "Stylish Blogger Award"
ReplyDeleteVisist http://nanapoppins.com/2010/11/stylish-blogger-award/ for more information.
Hugs
Patty (Nana Poppins)
Wow! What a timely post! I'm actually starting a few blog post tutorials next week for handmade businesses, and this information comes in sooo handy! Thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, I do own a business - I make hotel soap (and now I retail, too). It's stressful, exhilirating, rewarding, frustrating, beautiful, and engaging.
And probably a whole lot more I can't think of right now. :-)
I have a studio but it is mostly not-for-profit so it is not really a business (business is profit-oriented)... I help a lot of people (mainly in art) how to receive grants like the one you mentioned and most of my projects are supported by grants!
ReplyDeleteI love being the "keeper" of my studio since I can manage and at the same time create my own art projects!
(1)Yes, my husband and I own a dairy farm and it is more than a business, it's our life. We life it 24 hours a day. Our employees live on our property. We see each other's children grow up, get married, start families of their own. It's a community. (2)Being a business owner in this day and age with the low profit margins and all the government regulations is more than difficult. It would be nearly impossible for someone to start a dairy today, no matter how much the funding and where it comes from. I love living in the country and have lived on farms all my life, but the life is difficult and demands great sacrifice.
ReplyDeletei never owned a business except a guava stand when i was a kid.:p yes, if i have an opportunity, i would start my own business.
ReplyDeletewhen i own a business, aside from doing my best to make the business grow and make money, i will also be responsible for the welfare of my staff, and the impact of my business to the community. it would feel like i am contributing something, making a difference, that i am part of the solution.:p
1. I did own a mail order retail gift business years ago. I also worked Mary Kay as an independent consultant.
ReplyDelete2. I did like owning my own business but it's very difficult to make a living when you first start your own business.
Growing up my parents own clothing and shoe stores at various times and I worked there for awhile. On my own I have owned a retail merchandising agency and been a partner in an employment agency.
ReplyDeleteThe partnership was okay but not particularly successful. My own agency did quite well but it was really hard work. I'm not sure if I would ever try another business, but maybe if the conditions were right.
@Donnie Wow, it sounds like my life story. That is sad Donnie. Especially when she has every intention of making it work, I am sure!
ReplyDelete@Judy Sheldon-Walker I agree, there are just so many venues to buy things cheaper now. I can't imagine putting in all that work to sell them with a profit.
ReplyDelete@Nana Poppins Thank you so much! I will have to find time to do a post with all the awards together.
ReplyDelete@Capricorn Soap Company Good thing I decided to put it up today huh? Plenty of time for you to investigate for next week.
ReplyDelete@Lui That is wonderful Lui! I think it's special that you are helping needy people. Keep up the good work.
ReplyDelete@Margaret Duarte Well, I am glad I asked. I think that is so wonderful that you and your husband are still running a homely old fashioned business. As such we had business owners in our area that had employees living in homes right next to them. I believe it takes angelic/ saint personalities to handle this.
ReplyDelete@Luna MirandaHow cute is that? A Guava stand, I think it's very entrepreneurship.
ReplyDeleteYou will make a wonderful boss one day, I hope you will have the chance. Great path to draw on about employees.
I do not own a business but I grew up assisting my dad in our wholesale and retail grocery. I would never aspire to own one, sometimes you cannot take off for long vacations.
ReplyDeleteI am in for my first entry.
Years ago, my husband and I worked a MLM (multi-level marketing) business. It was extremely difficult to build it and to keep others motivated. This required not only time, but money. Money that we lost more than made. I don't think I'll ever do anything like that again. However, I do consider myself as a small business since I'm an author. While I do not know if grants would help someone such as myself in promoting my career or not, but I'm content with taking each step one at a time to build this into something substanial. Writing is something I really enjoy and I can do my job anywhere.
ReplyDelete1) I have never own a business, and wouldn't want to start one either.
ReplyDelete2) Owing a business is a tough job, and such a huge responsibility. It would mean 24 hours work!
I sort of have a business. It's a business/hobby. Luckily, I really didn't need any money to start it, though I did spend some to buy a domain name (that's like $8 a year, not much). I sell products printed with my artwork through two print on demand services (CafePress and Zazzle). They only print the items once people order them, and take a base price and I get a commission.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy it...but I spend too much time on it for what I make, honestly. But because I don't have overhead, I can spend as much or little time on it as I want. I make more when I promote more, and I know I'd make more if I could get more designs on the site, but my main job is taking care of my kids.
Answers:
ReplyDelete1. I don't own a business but my family in the Phils used to. My Dad had a printing business which my brother and I managed when he passed away.
2. It was tough to own a business when you don't know how to manage it. It was time consuming.
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