This document provides guidance on starting a small business through a toolkit called "Be Your Own Boss." It introduces the toolkit as a simplified guide for new entrepreneurs based on over 10 years of research. The toolkit breaks the complex startup process down into checklists to complete tasks like ordering business cards and incorporating the business. It encourages entrepreneurs to make mistakes quickly and get feedback to learn what customers want. The overall message is to stop planning and start doing the work of starting a business.

1. START SMALL, DREAM BIG, AND LIVE THE LIFE YOU'VE ALWAYS WANTED
BE YOUR OWN BOSS
Jon Sookocheff, Manager, EDC @ MHC

2. This Toolkit is free and does not contain any affiliate links.
Share it with the world under the terms of Creative Commons
Attribution 3.0 License.
© 2014 Jon Sookocheff.
Layout by Sarah-Lynn Friesen.

3. Welcome to the Be Your Own Boss, a toolkit for aspiring business owners. Starting a business is
complicated – but it doesn’t have to be. Not when you can use this toolkit to guide you through the process.
Based on over 10 years of first hand research and interviews with real world entrepreneurs, the Be Your Own
Boss toolkit is designed to simplify the highly complex process of starting a business. So stop planning and
start doing.
The Be Your Own Boss toolkit is a checklist of the most common business startup tasks. From ordering
business cards to incorporating your business, we’ve got you covered. The really big idea is to complete the
checklists and include them in your Business Binder. Starting your business this way lets you grow naturally
by making mistakes quickly and figuring what your customers want right away. If you are new to starting a
business you can work through the toolkit page by page. If you have already started a business but just need
a little bit of advice and direction, feel free to pick and choose the sections that work for you. Along the way,
save your checklists in your business binder and remember to run everything by your mentor and other
business advisors. Whatever your needs, the Be Your Own Boss toolkit has you covered. Good luck!
WELCOME
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

4. The first of four actions is DOING.
Good news is that you already
have expereince wtih this.
You know what you want to do,
now you must go and do it.
The doing action is the actual
profession you have chosen.
That might be welding, plumbing
or carpentery. School has given
you the education you need to
succeed. Once you have figured
out what you will do through your
business you must sell what you
do.
Action two is SELLING. Now that
you have figured out what you
want to do, you must convince
people to pay you for it. Selling
yourself is hard for alot of people
but it is key when your lively hood
is on the line . Be confident and
know your market. Ask yourself
questions like; why are you better
than other people offering the
same services? Word of Mouth is
the best advertising. Get out there
and do some networking. Selling
is not a bad thing, it just means
getting people to know, like and
trust you.
Action three is ACCOUNTING
for what you have done. Now
that you have done something,
and sold it to poeple, you must
account for the steps you have
taken. You need to keep track
of every expense and every
payment from a client. This action
is extremely inportatnt, you must
be diligent with your finances.
Start with your own house before
you even start your business. Get
your family on a budget, figure
out your own net worth and get
some life insurance. If numbers
are not your thing make sure you
hire a professional accountant
that will help you stay on track.
The Fourth action of this book is
called MANAGING. This action
is the over arching action. This is
where you step back and look at
the big picture of your company.
You have done, sold and
accounted for all of it. Now you
must make sure you are taking
care of any loose ends. Look at
long term goals for you and your
business. Are you taking the right
steps to accomplish those goals?
The success of your business
depends on your strength as a
manager. To be a good manager
you must be a life long learner,
listener and having the courage
to set plans in motion.
STARTUP ACTIONS

5. The Startup Triangle is divided
into the four actions: Doing,
Selling, Accounting and
Managing. Central to the idea
of the triangle is that each point
of the triangle is an action that
is esstential to starting your own
business. This triangle shows how
each action works together and
affects one another. In the middle
of the triangle is managing, this
is because managaing is the over
arching action that controls all the
other actions of your company.
This triangle should give you a
good visual example of how your
business should work. If you keep
these four actions in mind while
setting up your business, you
should be very successful.
MANAGING
SELLINGDOING
ACCOUNTING
STARTUP TRIANGLE

6. TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
PAGE 1
PAGE 4
PAGE 9
PAGE 13
PAGE 16
PAGE 20
PAGE 24
PAGE 29

7. 1
In this chapter you will need to be willing
to step out side of your comfort zone. As
an entreprenuer you need to be able to
talk about yourself and your business.
You will also need to stay organized with
everything to do with your business.
Business’ that are organized will be much
more successful then ones that are not.
Be in a mind set that will allow you to
grow your company quickly in the future.
If you conduct your business like a large
business, you will be prepared for when
your business becomes a large business.
1
CONTENTS OF THIS CHAPTER:
Talk to People
Start a Business Binder

8. 2
The more people who know about your
business, the more customers you’ll have.
Start telling people what you’re up to. Be
prepared to answer questions and to make
you and your business sound like a good
option for customers.
1. Finish each of these sentences in order to
be prepared for any questions people may
have or to take advantage of opportunities to
talk about your business.
2. Fill in with the responses you receive.
Analyze them and make sure they are in line
with what you are wanting to accomplish as a
company.
TALK TO PEOPLE
We are... Our customers are...
Our customers
choose us
because…
Our process involves… Our services include…
Our services’ main
features are…
I started this
business because…
We are different
from the competition
because…
Our customers say…
You can use our
service by… You can contact us by…
We help our
customers by…

9. 3
Keep everything related to your business in
one place. This will not only help you keep
track of everything, but will allow you to
provide the bank with everything they need
should you require a loan in the future.
1. Get a binder, some sheet protectors and
some dividers.
2. Create each of these sections and organize
all your materials as you acquire them.
3. Keep this binder through the life of your
business. Add to it and update it regularly.
START A BUSINESS
BINDER
Finance
Budget
Balance sheets
Plan for financing
Financial statements
(from bank)
Company Documents
Registration certificate
Business license
Partnership agreement
Company Profile
Profile or history
Personal resume
Recommendations
or reviews
Services (or Products)
Service list
Price list
Ideas for future versions
of your services
Clients
List of clients
Contracts
Work and payment
process
Copies of receipts
Marketing
Print of website
Copies of
brochures, flyers
Business cards
Organization
Ownership structure
(from lawyer)
List of employees and
job descriptions
Bookkeeping plan

10. 4
In this chapter you will focus on setting
the foundations of your business. Planning
is something that many new business
owners over look. Most get caught up in the
day-to-day operations of their business and
forget to look at the future, Setting goals
for yourself is important, it gives you a
measurement of your time. Focus on
what you want out of yourself and your
business in the coming years.
2
CONTENTS OF THIS CHAPTER:
Develop Your Brand
Gain Experience
Set Goals
Bookkeeping Plan

11. 5
Your name and logo should be clear and
appropriate for your industry. Simple is
good. It is worth the cost of getting a logo
professionally designed. You want to stand
out and look professional. Most designers will
make business cards as well; get some.
1. Brainstorm your name and logo ideas on
Post it notes.
2. Determine your name and contact a
designer to get a logo and business cards
designed.
More Information and Resources:
•logoworks.com
•crowdspring.com
•odesk.com
•99designs.com
•elance.com
Most of these sites involve posting a
description of what you have in mind.
Designers then submit drafts, and you only
pay for the one you like. Once you pick one,
the designer can make further adjustments.
You can also set a price range of what you’re
willing to pay. Most of these sites have built-
in creative briefs – they make you describe
exactly what you want. But if you choose to
work with a designer in person (not on the
internet), you might want to draft your own
brief.
Include things like:
•a description of your business
•what you’ll be doing with the logo
•who your ideal customer is
•your core message or values
•anything you don’t want in your logo
•ideas or sketches you may have
DEVELOP YOUR BRAND

12. 6
Finish school, get your certificate and work in
your field. Don’t try to do too much too soon.
Your knowledge and experience will be your
most valuable asset. As you work, you can do
small jobs on the side. Some employers don’t
support this, so be respectful and upfront with
yours – explain your goals and try to arrange
an agreement.
1. Fill out 2 jobs that you have done on the
side of your full time work. How much did you
charge? What was your expereince like?
2. Save the money you make on the side and
only use it to grow.
GAIN EXPERIENCE
Job 1 Job 2

13. 7
SET GOALS
Your business is inseparable from your life.
What you do in your business will affect the
rest of your life, and vice versa. It is important
to have a clear understanding of why you
want to start and run your own business.
Knowing what you want to achieve will make it
more likely that you will succeed.
1. Take time to brainstorm and visualize your
future.
2. Set two main life goals. Fill in the more
specific details of what fufilling these goals
means to you.
3. Refer back to this as you progress towards
full-time business ownership.
1. What do you want
to accomplish (in
the broadest sense
possible)?
2. What do you want
to accomplish (in
the broadest sense
possible)?
How will you know
you have succeeded?
Be more specific
Present tense verb
ex. I buy
Present tense verb
a vacation house
in Florida
Completed by (date)
by Sept. 2045
Think about what
you want your life
to be like for each
time length. Be
specific, realistic, and
optimistic.
One
Year
Five
Years
Ten
Years

14. 8
You should have set up a bookkeeping plan
with your accountant. Bookkeeping is about
more than just being honest so you can pay
taxes - it shows you how your business is
doing. Proper records help you know the state
of your business, if things are going well or
not, what you can change, if you can work
less at your other job, and other things. Life
decisions can be based on these records.
It affects your whole life to know how your
business is doing.
1. Describe your bookkeeping plan by
answering each question.
BOOKKEEPING PLAN
What do you use
to keep track of
your records?
Where do you
keep your
records?
How do you organize
your receipts and
other records of
expenses?
How often do you
meet with your
accountant?
List other details
about your
bookkeeping.
Be specific.
Your accountant will help you choose the plan
and tools that will work best for you and your
business. There are many good bookkeeping
tools and programs. Your accountant might
recommend one, but you can do research and
find the one that suits you best. Here are the
most well-known programs:
•Quick Books (quickbooks.com)
•Fresh Books (freshbooks.com)
•Xero (xero.com)
•Easy Books (easybooksapp.com)
•Kashoo (kashoo.com)
The underground economy involves business
activity that is unreported for tax purposes.
This is common in trades industries. It involves
cash jobs, under-the-table deals, running
business activity through personal accounts,
and other illegal activity. Canada Revenue
Agency is cracking down on this. Don’t do it.
It does not save you money in the long run.
Even if it’s common in your industry, you can
be better than everyone else.
Good accounting practices and proper
record keeping are important for more than
just being honest. Doing things the right way
actually saves you money and is the only way
to know if your business is on track. You will
base all business decisions and many life
decisions on the records of your business. Do
things the right way.

15. 9
In this chapter you need to step back and
take a look at what you have done so far.
Is your idea a good one?, How will people
hear about you?, and where will your
money go? Before going much further in
your planning, sit down with someone you
trust and make sure you have covered all
your bases.
3
CONTENTS OF THIS CHAPTER:
Experiment with Idea
Set Marketing Goals
Budgeting

16. 10
Think about your business idea. How can you
scale it back to cost as little as possible (or
nothing) so you could start doing it today?
By starting small and spending as little as
possible, you can test your business idea and
see if people are willing to pay for what you
offer. Being small allows for adaptability – if it’s
not working you can change.
If you had one week to make as much money
as possible, how would you do it?
1. Write what you would do each day to make
money.
2. This experiment can help you decide where
to begin when you start your business.
EXPERIMENT WITH
YOUR IDEA
Saturday
Monday
Thursday
Friday
Sunday
Tuesday
Wednesday

17. 11
Setting goals will help you focus your
marketing efforts. Think about what you
want to accomplish with your marketing and
how you will accomplish that. Focus every
marketing activity on getting customers. If
your marketing doesn’t bring in customers, it
isn’t working.
1.Set marketing goals. Be creative and
specific.
2. Try the marketing activities you identify and
track their progress to see if they are bringing
in customers.
SET MARKETING GOALS
Description of
Marketing Activity
Number of Customers
This Activity Will Bring
Indicators of Success
(how you’ll know it’s
working)

18. 12
BUDGETING
You are starting a business to do something
you love and to get paid for it. Keeping track
of your finances is crucial to have a healthy
functioning business. It’s not as easy as it
might seem to keep track. You must be honest
with yourself and the governement with how
much you make and how much you spend.
There are two main budgets that you should
keep. One is for your own personal finances,
and one for your business. A budget is often
seen as a bad thing but what it will actually do,
is allow you to rule over your money instead
of having your money rule over you.
Your budget must be exact and detailed. You
will have to think through all your expenses.
This toolkit will give you some guidance on
what should be in your budget but everyone
is different and you will need to fill in your own
extra expenses.
Net Monthly Income
Mortgage/Rent
Groceries
Clothing
Gas for Car
Car Payment
Car Costs
Gas
Electric
Water
Phone
Televisiom
Home Insurance
Life Insurance
Car Insurance
Medical Insurance
School Debts
Credit Cards
Loan Repayments
Schooling
Daycare
Clothing
Eating Out
Birthdays
Holidays
Leisure Money
What is left?
PERSONAL BUDGET BUSINESS BUDGET
Take what was left and invest it in
your business:
Operational Costs
Your Salary
Marketing
Accountant

19. 13
In this chapter you will make some
dicisions that will be very important ones.
These decisions are not set in stone and
can be changed but make them wisely.
Make sure you are thinking about all your
options and do your research on your
competitors.4
CONTENTS OF THIS CHAPTER:
Determine your Prices
Choose Suppliers

20. 14
Do not be the cheapest. It does not work.
People expect what they pay for. If you’re
much cheaper than everyone else, people
will expect your quality is much lower than
everyone else’s. Base your price on the
benefit or value you provide and believe in
your work. Just because you are just starting
out doesn’t mean you need to be cheap. If
you do the job just as well as, or better than,
anyone else, you deserve similar pay.
1. Find out how much other businesses in
your field charge for similar services.
2. Determine your prices, based on the
competition. You shouldn’t be the cheapest or
the most expensive.
DETERMINE YOUR
PRICES Business/ Service Prices
What will you
charge for the
same services?

21. 15
The quality of your suppliers and your
relationship with them will have major affect
to your business. Research where you can
get the supplies you’ll need to operate your
business now and in the future.
1. Choose from the list of 5 characteristics of
a supplier that are most important to you. List
them in the chart and give each supplier a
score out of 5 for each characteristic.
2. Contact the supplier with the highest score
and negotiate a relationship.
CHOOSE SUPPLIERS
Characteristic List
•Prices
•Quality
•References
•Discounts or bonus
•Guarantee
•Personal chemistry
•Terms of payment
Supplier
Criteria
Potential
Suppliers/
Score
Supplier
Contact
Info
•Characteristics
•Credibility
•Delivery time
•Service after
delivery
•Stability
•Contract

22. 16
In this chapter you are setting yourself up
for success. A web pressence will allow
people to find you, insurance will cover
you in an emergency, and your network
will bring in business. Focus on making
sure your site in user friendly, your site will
often make your first impressions for you,
so don't cheap out.
5
CONTENTS OF THIS CHAPTER:
Set up a Website
Get Insureance
Use Your Network

23. 17
These days, people expect to be able to find
information about any product or service by
searching for it online. You should have a
website that looks professional and matches
your brand and image. You can set one up
yourself or have someone do it for you.
When creating a webiste for your company;
you must ask yourself, what is the purpose for
this website? Are you trying to have people
contact you through it? Are you having people
make orders or purchase something on your
website? Is it simply a way for people to get
information about your company? By thinking
through the purpose of your site you make it
more user friendly and specific for serving a
purpose. There should be no confusion as to
what you are trying to accomplish.
When setting up a website you need to plan
out the infrastructure of your site. This is
important if you are designing the site aswell
if someone else is designing it. This outline is
SET UP A WEBSITE
HOME
ABOUT CONTACT SERVICES FAQs
Mission
Statement Staff Social
Media
Phone/
Email
QuestionsWhat you
offer
called a wire frame. The example above shows
clickable links on the home page, and the
next layer shows exactly what you want on that
page. This example is simple but you can add
or subtract pages. Remember though, that
these pages should always serve the purpose
of the overall website. If there are pages that
don’t make sense for your website, cut them
out! This will make your website more direct
and useful.
Here are a few different pages of a website
that you could potentially have. Pick which
would best serve the purpose of your site.
Service offerings- This could be a list or a
description of the various things you offer.
Success stories- You might not have these
at first, but you can add them as you go.
Highlight your best work with good photos.
History or About- Description of what you do
and what makes you different. This is the most
important part of your site and should be easy
to find
Process description- This is a description of
how you operate. Tell people what to expect.
Pictures- Use good-quality photos. If you don’t
have any, you can buy them from istockphoto.
com
Contact information- This should be on every
page and can be highlighted on its own page
as well. This includes social media pages.
FAQ page- Answer questions that people
often ask or that they should ask.

24. 18
You need insurance to protect both you and
the customer. Liability insurance protects
you if someone were to sue you. Personal
insurance is also a good idea, as it protects
your family and friends against any business
debt should you die.
1. Meet with 3 insurance representatives or
research online.
2. Determine the benefits and disadvantages
of each provider.
3. Choose a plan that best suits your needs.
GET INSURANCE
Insurance
Provider #1
Insurance
Provider #2
Insurance
Provider #3
Cost/
Coverage
Benefits
Disadvantages
Cost/
Coverage
Benefits
Disadvantages
Cost/
Coverage
Benefits
Disadvantages

25. 19
Start to add to your network by identifying
needs or challenges you face. By identifying
these, you increase your opportunities for
finding people to help solve them.
1. Identify any needs or challenges.
2. List the person or type of person
(if you don’t have someone specific in mind)
who could help you with each challenge.
3. If you don’t know the person, list who you
know that might be able to connect you.
4. Contact the people who can help you, or
who can connect you with someone who can
help you.
USE YOUR NETWORK
Challenge? Who can help? Did they help?

26. 20
In this chapter you will need to look at the
big picture again. A bank account for your
company will be your mangaing tool for
your finances. Take a look at everything
you own or can do. This assesmet of your
assests will give you a good idea of what
your are lacking and how a partner could
add to your company.
6
CONTENTS OF THIS CHAPTER:
Business Bank Account
Partnerships
Accumulate Assets

27. 21
A good bank can be a valuable partner for
your business, not only for possible financing
down the road, but also in helping you
manage your money in ways that allow you to
grow and expand. Choose a bank carefully.
Work with one that supports your goals and
vision for your business.
1. Research the banks in your area and find
one that suits your needs and vision for the
future. Write the pros and cons of each.
2. Narrow your list down to two that interest
you.
3. Visit both of them and choose the one you
like best.
GET A BUSINESS
BANK ACCOUNT
Bank Pros Cons

28. 22
Partnerships are only valuable if each partner
has skills the other one doesn’t have. If you
enter a partnership, make sure your roles and
expectations are clearly defined.
1. Review each of these issues with your
partner before you formally enter into a
partnership.
2. Clarify any issues that are currently unclear
and Discuss all of these topics with your
potential partner before entering into a
pertnership.
PARTNERSHIPS
Mission, vision, brand
Customer types
Types of services
Pricing
Size of operation
Ownership
Salaries
Exiting the business
Growth
Risk willingness
Revenue and profit
Duties (division of work)
Communication
Conflict solving
Working hours
Commitment
Quality Standards
Decision process
Other

29. 23
Assets make your business more valuable
and credible. They also make possible the
eventual sale of your business. It will take
time to accumulate them, but keep the
goal in mind so you can take advantage of
opportunities when they arise.
1. Add to this list of assets as you acquire
them.
2. Make a list of assets that would add value
to your business. Set goals to acquire them
when you have the means.
ACCUMULATE ASSETS
Assests

30. 24
In this chapter you will start activly
marketing your company, by this point
you should have some costumers, but you
will be wanting to grow your costumer
base. With growth you will most likely
need more money to expand your
operations. Make sure you talk with a
professional accountant before
inquiring about loans.
7
CONTENTS OF THIS CHAPTER:
Develop A Referral Network
Advertise
Refine Your Business Again
Get a Loan

31. 25
Referrals and word-of-mouth are the best
ways for trades businesses to get customers.
New customers don’t know you, but hearing
that you’re a good choice from someone they
do know makes it more likely they will choose
you.
1. List the names of people that you could ask
for referrals.
2. Tell these people that you’re starting a
business and ask each of them for referrals.
Ask if there’s anything you can do for them or
someone they know.
3. Write the result and follow up where
necessary.
DEVELOP A REFERRAL
NETWORK
Build referrals into your business. Ask
customers for referrals – don’t just hope
they happen. Set yourself up to do a good
job by telling customers upfront that you
will be asking for a referral. Tell them you’re
looking to build your business. This adds
accountability to the process and shows that
you’re confident in your work. Give people
directions on how to give you referrals (how
they can contact you most easily, etc.). Give
people incentive to give you referrals. This
could include a significant discount, or some
other type of reward.
Give referrals to other businesses you trust,
and build a network of referrals. For example,
if you fix someone’s plumbing and they ask
you if you know a good electrician, you could
always recommend the same electrician.
That electrician can do the same for you when
someone is looking for a plumber. Work with
a wide variety of businesses in your field to
get as many referrals as possible. Also, don’t
be afraid to talk with your competition. There
might be some work that they are unable to
do that you could do, and vice versa.
Name/Result

32. 26
Advertising can be expensive and its
effectiveness can be difficult to determine. It
may be very effective or it may be a waste of
time. If you do advertise, make sure to track
customer response and keep costs as low as
possible. Don’t do it just to do it; make sure
you have a purpose.
1. Research these advertising ideas and see
which would fit within your business style and
budget
ADVERTISE
Advertising Media
Newspaper
TV
Radio
Business Newspaper
Yellow Pages
Outdoor Signs
Direct Mail
Internet Advertising
Flyers
Yard Signs
Brochures
Posters
Website
Social Media
Newsletter
Trade Shows
Sponsorships
Create Your Own
Appreciation Events
Launch promotion
Strategic giving
Overdelivering

33. 27
It is important to regularly revisit the core
of your business. Starting small allows for
adaptability. You can adapt and change
directions easily. Respond to your customers
and their behavior.
1. Your direction may have changed since
then, and you might be happy with your
current situation. But analyze your progress
and make changes where necessary.
2. Change direction or press on, based on
customer response
REFINE YOUR
BUSINESS AGAIN
What’s Working (what
people are paying for)
What’s Isn’t Working
(what people aren’t
paying for)
New Markets or
Customer Types
(be creative)
Other Versions of My
Service (be creative –
try something new)
Specific change
I will make:

34. 28
At some point in the life of your business, it
may become necessary to borrow money
in order to keep progressing. Banks and
other lenders will require more detailed
reports than what we have produced in these
worksheets. They are meant to be a good
start. Work with your accountant to provide
lenders detailed financial reports.
1. Use this checklist to make sure you have all
documentation banks and other lenders will
require in order to issue a loan.
2. Work with your accountant to produce any
documents you don’t currently have (you may
have most of them in your business binder).
GET A LOAN
Personal report
Business report
Organization
Ownership structure (from lawyer)
List of employees and job
descriptions
Bookkeeping plan
Finance
Budget
Balance sheets
Plan for use of funds
Financial statements (from bank)
Income tax return
Company Documents
Registration certificate
Business license
Partnership agreement
Company and Personal Profile
Profile or history
Personal resume
Plan
Business plan
Cash flow statements
Financial projections
Credit

35. 29
In this chapter you will be shown a few
general house keeping rules for your
business once it is up and running. These
sections will help a successful start-up,
turn into a successful business. Give all of
these sections time and consideration.
8
CONTENTS OF THIS CHAPTER:
Sales
Increase your Prices
Incorporate
Regular Tune-Ups
Hiring Employees
Scale-Up and Grow

36. 30
Selling is the art of overcoming customers’
doubts about your business and their
objections to giving you their money. These
obstacles will be stronger in your early days
in business.
1. Write your responses and solutions to the
most common customer objections. Focus
on why you’re a good option or what makes
you attractive.
2. Build your responses to these objections
into your marketing. You can build your
business around overcoming these
objections.
SALES
How do I know this is
a good (high-quality)
service?
I’m not sure I have
the money to spare / I
wonder if I can do this
on my own or otherwise
save money.
I’m not sure I can
trust you with my
money.
What do other people
think about this
service?
I’ll just call the person
that comes out at the
top of my google
search
I probably don’t
need to get this
fixed/have this
installed/whatever.
I already have
someone else I
usually call for this
service.

37. 31
One of the best ways to make more money is
to increase your prices. It sounds simple, but
it is often overlooked. You don’t need to be
the most expensive in your industry, but as
you become more established, prices should
grow naturally with your business.
1. Plan an increase of your prices for each
aspect (repairs, maintenance, installations,
etc.) of your business.
2. Increase your prices and notify customers if
necessary.
INCREASE YOUR PRICES
Aspect of
Business
Price
Now
Price
Increase

38. 32
There are many benefits to incorporating your
business, but it must be done at the ideal
time in order for those benefits to be realized.
Work with your accountant to determine the
right time to incorporate.
1. Meet with your accountant to discuss
incorporating. Depending on where you are
in the life of your business, it may not be the
right time.
2. Record the reasons why the time is not
right, and determine what needs to happen
for incorporating to be right. Work towards it
and meet with your accountant again.
3. Incorporate when you and your accountant
determine the time is right.
INCORPORATE
Is it the right time to
incorporate? Why
or Why not?

39. 33
Most of your time will be spent working in
your business, but take time to work on it as
well. This means doing things that move your
business forward, rather than just maintain it
or keep it up and running. If you’re keeping
track of everything like you should be, it
should be easy to see where you can make
some adjustments to make more money.
1. Analyze your business in these areas to see
where you can make more money.
2. Make any adjustments necessary to grow
your business
REGULAR TUNE UPS
Customers – Which
type of customers
bring in the most
money and cost the
least to work for?
Marketing – Review
your marketing
materials and their
effectiveness.
Pricing – Are your
prices what they
should be or can you
increase them?
Repeat customers
– Are you making it
easy for customers
to become repeat
customers?
New Opportunities –
Can you go in a new
direction to get new
customers?

40. 34
Work with your accountant. It can become
complicated to hire employees. Your
accountant will help you navigate through the
legal, taxation, and accounting issues related
to hiring employees.
1. Fill out this chart to determine whether you
should hire employees.
2. Weigh the benefits against the costs of
hiring.
3. If this chart shows it might be worthwhile
to hire, meet with your accountant to discuss
your next steps. Bring this sheet to the
meeting.
HIRING EMPLOYEES
Benefit Cost

41. 35
Based on the feedback you’ve received so far,
scale up what is working – instead of trying
to invent something that might work in the
future. Whatever is working – make it better,
do it more often, offer it to more people, add
more features, etc. For example, if certain
contractors like your work, focus on finding
more opportunities to work with them.
1. List 3 aspects of your business (types of
jobs you do)
2. List what has been successful about each of
those aspects.
3. Determine how you can expand and that
success.
SCALE UP AND GROW
Aspect of
Business
What is
working well?
Opportunities
to Expand