这篇可被视为创业之“常识”的文章，是由友成基金会王平理事长亲自翻译并特别推荐给我们的社企创业者。译者认为，相对于其他领域的创业者，这些常识对于社企创业者更具有认知和传递的价值。之所以称其为常识，乃是无论是原作者还是译者，都力求文字叙述的简明易懂，它事实上可以成为所有创业者的指南。
创办一家自己的企业是非常有成就感的。然而，这并不容易，它需要你投入非常多的时间与精力。在你的公司稳步确立并顺利发展之前，可以说工作将会是你生活的全部。创业有很多步骤，仅凭满腔热情是挣不到钱的。我们一起看看创业需要哪些基本步骤。
从一个想法开始
你想从什么样的事业或生意开始起步呢？卖点什么？你可以从人们的日常需要开始想，也可以看看有哪些问题没有被解决，然后思考提供一套怎样的解决方案。最好先明确，这方案的实现是你自己就可以创造，还是需要凭借一套简单的工具？
为这个想法做点什么
现在就要开始行动啦！创业不能只是停留在想法上，它需要行动！多数可能的情况是，你的发明或者想法在这个世界上并非是全新的，大多数企业只是发现了现有产品或服务更有效率或者更经济的提供方式，许多创业者将已有产品或服务的个性化定制嵌入尚未开发的商业机会中。
商业计划书
商业计划书是任何创业所必须的。它不一定非要几百页的图表和数据，但应该包括你的客户是谁、你的产品定价、你的生产和运输成本核算、潜在市场规模等等，以及评估你的竞争对手，包括他们的实力、定位、以及你准备如何与之竞争，还要包括如何突破市场壁垒，例如高昂的固定成本和政府法规的限制。
融资
你的企业需要融资吗？需要多少？这些都需要写入你的商业计划书——你要确定企业开办的费用，也要计划运营的成本。你是否需要银行贷款？或者依靠信用卡和个人信贷？此外，一定要考虑到公司开始运营之后你的工资水平。
营销计划
制定一个市场开拓计划。市场营销成本不小，但让市场了解你的生意还是非常重要的。有些会计事务所能够通过口碑打造自己的知名度，还有一些企业加入免费或便宜的行业协会从而建立起自己的关系。你的营销计划应该帮你明确什么样的市场渠道是最有用的。
基础设施建设
搭建基础设施不意味着要建一个大工厂或一个时尚办公室，而是要有良好的组织管理，例如准确的客户登记， 经营纪录、技术支持等等。许多小企业陷入麻烦是因为它们甚至不知道自己在挣钱还是在赔钱；另外一个问题是，当业主多年后想要卖掉自己的企业的时候，才发现没有留下准确的客户资料和其它信息。要知道，有时候客户才是最大的资产，没有准确的客户记录就等于企业失去所有价值。
开张
一旦准备就绪并且确信能够盈利，企业就要开张了。不要急于供货或打广告，要先建立你的客户群，除非你的生意像餐馆一样需要等客户上门。提前建立账户，这可以使你未来的应收帐户更有保障。把注意力放在任何能挣到钱的地方，而不是花钱的地方。早期的现金流越多，你最后盈利的可能性就越大。
利用互联网
运用任何可能的新技术以确保你的企业具有竞争力，这也许还能成为你的优势。潜在客户会用互联网作前期市场调研，所以要确保你的企业能够在网络上被找到。互联网帮助客户了解你和你的企业，这是展示你的产品和服务为什么比你的竞争对手要好的机会。
便捷的支付方式
让你的产品和服务的付费方式越方便越好。当今时代，手持现金被视为有很大风险，多数人希望使用信用卡付费。信用卡也可以用来支付各种消费，甚至是极小的支付。借记卡越来越通行，所以你的收银机设置要能够接受尽可能多的刷卡。此外如果可以，最好开通众所周知的安全的网上支付。
英文
Doing Business: Steps to Starting Your Own Business
Running your own business can be very rewarding. However, it isnot easy. Running a business can be very demanding when it comes to your timeand focus. You can expect to live your work until it’s firmly established andrunning smoothly. One shouldn’t just jump into a passion and expect to makemoney out of it. There are many steps to go about starting your business, andtonight we’ll review some of the basics you should try.
Idea
What kind of business should you start? What would sell? You canstart by thinking about everyday needs or problems that haven’t been addressed,then think about how you would go about providing a solution. It’d be best tomake sure your solution is something you can create on your own, or withrelatively simple tools.
Work On Your Idea
Now proceed！It takesmore than an idea to start a business, it takes action！Chances are yourinvention or idea isn’t brand new to the world. Most successful businesses simplyfind a way to deliver an existing product or service more efficiently oreconomically. Many take existing products or services and customize them to fitan untapped opportunity.
Business Plan
A business plan is essential to any business. It doesn’t have tobe hundreds of pages of detailed charts and data. It SHOULD include researchyou’ve done regarding how much you can charge for your product or service, thecosts involved with production and delivery, the size of your potential market,and so on. Evaluate your competition, including their strength and locations,and how you plan to compete. Include the barriers into the market, such as highfixed costs and government regulations.
Financing
Will your business need financing? If so, how much? This should beincluded in your business plan. You should determine how you will pay the coststo both start and run your business. Will you be taking a bank loan, or relyingon credit cards and personal finances? Also be sure to include how much salaryyou’ll need to support yourself while getting the business off the ground.
Marketing Plan
Create an initial marketing plan. Marketing doesn’t have to costyou a small fortune, but it’s still a very important part of getting yourbusiness known. Some accounting firms are able to build awareness of theirpractices through simple word-of- mouth. Others businesses join free or cheapassociations to make connections. Your determine which marketing channels wouldbe most useful to your specific needs.
Infrastructure
Building infrastructure doesn’t mean building a big factory orfancy office. It means getting organized, by keeping accurate customer records,business records, technology foundations, and so on. Many small businesses getinto trouble because they don’t even know if they’re making or losing money.Another problem is when an owner tries to sell a business years later, but lackaccurate customer history and information. Sometimes customers of a businessare the biggest asset, and without accurate records, the business is worthless.
Get Started
Once you’re done your preparation and you know how you can beprofitable, get started. Don’t just get your supplies and advertising, butestablish clients ahead of time. Unless your business is like a restaurant, inwhich you physically need to wait for customers to come through your doors,establish accounts ahead of time. This gives you some secured futurereceivables to look forward to. Focus on making money where ever possible, andnot spending. The more cash you bring in early without spending, the moreprofitable you’ll end up being.
Internet
Utilize every new technology available to you in order to keepyour business competitive, perhaps even giving you an advantage. Potentialcustomers use the Internet as a research tool, so make sure you’re on it! TheInternet allows you to help customers learn about you and your business. Thisis your chance to show why your products or services are better than yourcompetitors’.
Convenient Paying
Make it as convenient as possible to pay for your product orservice. In modern times, carrying cash is viewed as risky, and more peopleprefer to pay with a credit card. Credit cards are now used to pay for prettymuch any type of purchase, even little ones. Debit cards are also increasinglypopular. So along with your cash register, set yourself up to be able to acceptas many credit cards as possible. Also set your website up with paypal ifpossible, a well-known and secure method of online paying.
本文英文原文来自网络，由王平理事长亲自翻译
标题有修改，欢迎转载，转载请注明出处
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