Have you written articles that would be of value to entrepreneurs? Become an expert on our site by publishing them! Expose yourself to a wide audience, drive more traffic to your website and get more sales! Click Here for details.
Get advice & tips from famous business owners, new articles by entrepreneur experts, my latest website updates, & special sneak peaks at what's to come!
Email us your ideas on how to make our website more valuable! Thank you Sharon from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for your suggestions to make the newsletter look like the website and profile younger entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez and Sean Combs!
There’s no age restriction to launching a small business. “Starting young gives you time to make mistakes and recuperate from them,” says entrepreneur Kat Aniol.
Aniol, 25, started her graphic design company Beyond Destination Design five years ago. “Running my own business full-time at my age is a goal I set out to achieve,” she explains. “It hasn’t been easy, but I’m proud to be a young entrepreneur.”
Beyond Destination Design (info@bdd.ca) creates innovative menus and promotional items for restaurants, bars and lounges. A major alcohol brand recently hired the firm to design catchy martini menus for use in Eastern Canada.
Aniol is part of a growing trend. According to an Angus Reid poll, “Entrepreneur” is the top career choice of young Canadians between the ages of 18 and 35. Young people crave the f reedom and independence of entrepreneurship.
“I never liked routine,” attests Aniol. “Being my own boss keeps every day new and exciting and allows me to pursue my passion.”
At an age when most young people are just starting their careers, Aniol seems ahead of the pack. She’s earning good money and just moved into office space on Yonge St. near St. Clair in Toronto. She’s paid her dues, however. “I kept a full-time job during my first few years in business to raise some money,” she recalls. “I quit the job when I couldn’t find time to sleep.”
Without the benefit of previous work experience, young entrepreneurs should expect a learning curve. “I’ve learned to pay attention to my accounting,” explains Aniol. “You’ve got to stay on top of your invoices because people don’t always pay on time.”
Aniol says young people make great entrepreneurs. “Running your own business involves a lot of energy and risk, so being young helps,” she says. “I’ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain.”
Kat Aniol helps bar patrons to choose that perfect martini from menus produced by her firm, Beyond Destination Design. She’s part of a growing number of young entrepreneurs in Canada.
Tips for young entrepreneurs As a young entrepreneur, you’ll certainly be envied by your employed friends. While self-employment offers many perks, follow this advice to overcome some common challenges:
* Consider a co-signer. Being young and self-employed is considered a double negative for many banks. Line up a relative or friend who is prepared to co-sign a loan if your business requires bank financing.
* Keep that day job. Without established credit and little savings, you’ll be wise to keep a part or full-time job while your business gets going. Use that income to pay your rent and living expenses and ease the revenue pressure on your new venture.
* Find a mentor. Admit you won’t know everything about starting and growing a small business. A seasoned business person can be a wealth of experience and support for a young entrepreneur. Approach someone you respect to mentor you monthly, or contact entrepreneurship organizations such as The Canadian Youth Business Foundation (www.cybf.ca or Enterprise Toronto (www.enterprisetoronto.com for some connections.
* Exercise self-discipline . Fifty percent of young entrepreneurs work from home, where it’s easy to get distracted. Stay focused on your business by establishing regular working hours, creating a proper workspace and reminding your friends not to drop by unannounced during your work day.
I just received an extraordinary letter from a young lady named Allison. She touched my heart. It’s one thing to receive a fan letter; it’s another to receive a letter that shares the author’s heart. This, Alliso...
There’s no age restriction to launching a small business. “Starting young gives you time to make mistakes and recuperate from them,” says entrepreneur Kat Aniol.
Entrepreneurs have personality traits that make them ideal people to work for themselves. These same traits, while helpful as an entrepreneur can be irritating and dangerous for normal on-the-job relationships with ...
Ric Phillips Video - Do you ever wonder why 90% of New Year's resolutions fail? This is a short interview with Ric Phillips on CBC discussing this and also giving some advice on setting goals.
Roger Pierce's
Complete
List Of
Business-Coach Articles
If you enjoyed this article, get Roger Pierce's Complete List of Business-Coach Articles For FREE!
![[Get Copyright Permissions]](http://license.icopyright.net/images/icopy-w.gif){kind=small}
In the latest tip of the week, I shared some passages from young entrepreneur and connector (and Never Eat Alone fan) Ben Casnocha's new book
I just received an extraordinary letter from a young lady named Allison. She touched my heart. It’s one thing to receive a fan letter; it’s another to receive a letter that shares the author’s heart. This, Alliso...
