Type of Products/Services Offered: Free
coupons for restaurants, entertainment, services, &
more! Also a great promotional tool for businesses!
Start Up Cost: Minimum of $30,000
What did start up
costs go for: Website Developement, Attorney,
Graphic Design, Merchant/Credit Card Processing,
Credit Card/Gateway Service, Computer, Marketing,
Office Supplies, Internet Services, Etc.
Earning Potential: $24,000,000 / year based
on 20,000 clients at someday $100/mo ea. across min
20 states. Now I gotta make it happen! :)
Skills Needed: Organizational, sales,
marketing, creative, optimism, interpersonal,
financial, accounting, detail, scheduling, general
internet knowledge, database knowledge (ACT),
general computer, general graphics, etc.
Special Equipment
Needed: Computer/printer, access to internet,
Phone, vehicle.
Best Customers/Target
Market: Coupon users, restaurants,
entertainment, services, etc.
Resources & Organizations : Chamber of
Commerce, Networking Groups, Computer & Internet
Education, Any business book or publication.
Any Tips?: Write everything you can think of
down in an electronic file so you don't forget it
and will have the ability to easily organize,
prioritize, or update. I would recommend making sure
you make a list of any potential expenses that may
arise. There is always something that comes up or
costs more than expected. Think of the unexpected
and mark up your expected expense to have a buffer.
Know exactly the functions you want on your website
before hiring a web developer so they can write your
website in the correct language to ensure all
desired functions are feasible. Know how you're
going to pay for your business and your personal
life expenses and have a plan if you don't make your
expected income. I work extra jobs to survive while
my business grows. Make sure you're ready for making
a commitment and giving up some important things in
your life. Always be open to advice but you make the
ultimate decisions. Have trust but be cautious when
consulting an attorney, they know a lot but not all
business laws and regulations. I recommend second
opinions on important items. Another huge decision
is who to use for a web developer. Make sure you do
your research and look at multiple options and get
quotes and ensure the language your site is written
in can allow for expansion and upgrades as your
business needs change. Make sure you have someone
reliable and
available when unexpected items occur. If you can
not afford your own server to host your website and
software, choose a web host company carefully. Make
sure they support your language and will continue to
support it. Know what it means to be on
a shared server (other clients on same server you
are) and/or a dedicated server (only you or small
number of clients). Dedicated costs more but may be
more stable as changes they make to servers for
another clients site, may not be compatible with
your site that may cause down time. There are
websites that have reviews of different web host
companies. Marketing is key but costly. Be as
creative as you can and always be marketing. Part of
your items you write down should be every marketing
idea you can think of. They may not all be feasible
or relevant today, but you can always use your list
as a resource for ideas later. Most importantly,
don't give up! Persistence! Persistence!
Persistence! Take responsibility for everything and
never blame someone else. It's up to you to learn
lessons from and/or make adjustments to those you
encounter in business. If business was easy,
everyone would do it. Make sure to take some
breaks/time out for yourself and others in your
life, but it's up to you to be responsible and know
when to get back to work. Most importantly, don't
give up! Persistence! Persistence! Persistence!
Name:
Jason Hopp