Start your Business
Entrepreneurship/ Ownership is an idea that appeals to many people who want to become first time small business owners, but figuring out how to start a business can sometimes be so overwhelming it scares people away. There are many different obstacles to starting your own business such as long term planning, financial budgeting, and legal process to become a registered business. Without a proper plan or solid foundation for the business to stand upon then it will become the same as the story of the "Three Little Pigs". The truth is scary to first time business owners, according to the numbers by the "Small Business Administration" 18.4% of private sector businesses in the U.S. fail within the first year. After five years, 49.7% have faltered, while after 10 years, 65.5% of businesses have failed.
Starting a business involves planning, making financial decisions, doing market research, and acquiring knowledge in areas you never thought you would learn about before. We created this comprehensive guide combined with our (PCS eLearn) courses to starting a business to help you put your best foot forward today. Even though every great journey begins with the first step, it is important that you stay upon the right path on your journey. We understand that one size does not fit all in starting a new business and we take this into consideration as consultants to our clients. The following step process listed below is only a recommendation by Pontis Community Services, therefore you can follow our steps or develop a plan which fits your own business strategy for starting a new business. Remember "one size does not fit all". If you have any questions, please contact us at any time.
Step #1 - Write your business plan. If this is a new concept about how to write an effective business plan, then read our "Formation of a business Plan" section and apply for a username and password for our "PCS eLearn" small business courses. There you can learn through our self directed small business course program named "Formation of a Business Plan". Remember, Rome was not built in a day and neither should your business plan. Your business plan is your foundation to the business and will need to take time and possible many revisions to get it right.
Step #2 - Do some basic business research. At this point, you will have a general business idea about your new business. We recommend you read the following sections: Market Research, Fundamentals of Marketing, Business Name, and Business Location. All the sections listed above can be found in our "PCS eLearn". You will only need to apply for a username and password.
Step #3 - Legality of the Business. In this step, business owners will decide their business structure, filing process to register a new business (New Jersey), tax requirement for the business, and finally any permits needed for the new business. We recommend you read the following sections: Business Structures, Register the Business & Permits (New Jersey Residents), and Fundamentals of Basic US Taxation. All the sections listed above can be found in our "PCS eLearn". You will only need to apply for a username and password.
Step #4 - Write your Financial Plan. A financial plan helps determine if an idea is sustainable, and then keeps you on track to financial health as your business matures. We recommend you read the following sections: Opening a Business Banking Account, Types of Business Funding (Grants & Loans), Fundamentals of Basic Finance and Fundamentals of Basic Bookkeeping. All the sections listed above can be found in our "PCS eLearn". You will only need to apply for a username and password.
Step #5 - Learn all you can. The more you know as a small business owner, the better you will be prepared to ensure the success of the business. We recommend you read the following sections: Fundamentals of Entrepreneurship, Fundamentals of Basic Business Management, and Fundamentals of Small Business Technology. All the sections listed above can be found in our "PCS eLearn". You will only need to apply for a username and password.
Small business comprehensive services we provide include the following:
Pontis Community Services (PCS) eLearn
If you are interested in any of our "FREE" online small business courses, then just send us an email with your name at info@pontiscs.org. We will reply with your username, password, and login instructions. It's that simple.