⧓Getting G.O.I.N.G.

Regardless of your business’s size , industry, or location, you’ll always be “G.O.I.N.G.” through the one of the following 5 phases:

1. The Gathering Phase: Gathering Research, Document Preparation & Filing.

   • Researching your Industry, Market, & Location.

   • Creating your Business Plan, Pitch Deck &/or Portfolio.

   • Incorporating, Licensing, & Filing of Permits.

   • Drafting Agreements, Contracts & other Document Preparation Needs.

   • Preparing Pitch Deck & Portfolio.

2. The Optimization Phase: Preparing for Opportunities by Acquiring Key Skills, Training & Hiring.

   • Learning the Basics to Running an Organization

   • Sales & Marketing Coaching

   • Management Consulting

   • Freelance/Remote Hiring (Accounting, HR, Legal, etc.)

   • Live On-Going Consulting & Training Sessions (Onsite or Remote)

3. The Implementation Phase: Implementing Sales & Exposure Campaigns.

   • The Product (Logo & Graphic Design)

   • The Pricing (Sales Strategy & Implementation)

   • The Placement (Online/Offline Marketing)

   • The Promotion (Advertising)

   • The People (Public Relations & Customer Service)

4. The Networking Phase: Networking to Develop Strategic Alliances.

   • Finding Suppliers & Distributors

   • Acquiring Govt. Contracts & Vendor Opportunities

   • Developing Joint-Marketing Opportunities

   • Assistance in Brokering (Acquisitions & Mergers)

   • Other Types of Strategic Partnerships

5. The Growth Phase: Acquiring Funding.

   • Lending & Credit Building Opportunities

   • Grant-writing Opportunities

   • Investor Opportunities

   • Non-profit Fundraising Opportunities

   • Crowdfunding & Other Alternative Funding Source

With hundreds of business checklists & guides about how to start a sustainable business, ever wonder why none of them are the same? Because most of them are the authors’ singular experiences into a “one size fits all” form. But today’s experiences in entrepreneurship are more in-depth than what is currently be offered. So we’ve come up with the acronym “G.O.I.N.G.” through our real-world, hands-on experience with building hundreds of startups, small businesses, & non-profits since 2006. Compare G.O.I.N.G. w/ the Small Business Administration’s Official “10 Steps to Starting a Business”:

VS

• The Gathering Phase: Document Preparation & Filing.

  SBA Step 1: Write a Business Plan
  SBA Step 3: Choose a Business Location
  SBA Step 5: Determine the Legal Structure of Your Business
  SBA Step 6: Register a Business Name (“Doing Business As”)
  SBA Step 7: Register for State and Local Taxes

(Note: Half of these outdated steps can now be done early in the 1st phase to determine if it’s even necessary before further investment!)

• The Optimization Phase: Learning Key Skills, Training & Hiring.

  SBA Step 2: Get Business Assistance and Training
  SBA Step 9: Understand Employer Responsibilities

(Note: You’ve done your homework in the 1st phase so you’ll actually know what help & training to focus on; as well as what work can be outsourced inexpensively!)

• The Implementation Phase: Running Sales & Exposure Campaigns.

SBA Step 8: Obtain Business Licenses and Permits

(Note: Since most were done in phase 1, the focus will be the obtaining of licensing & permits specific to operating & selling in your field, market, &/or location. And considering annual fees, you’ll maximize the time-value by getting these licenses & permits when you’re truly prepared to use them!)

• The Networking Phase: Creating Strategic Alliances.

SBA Step 10: Find Local Assistance

(Note: When you already have traction, more people will want to work with you!)

• The Growth Phase: Acquiring Funding.

SBA Step 4: Finance Your Business

(Note: Acquiring funding is usually the last phase for most non-tech entrepreneurs. But this process is now easier because you’ll have the right paperwork, the right training, marketing exposure, sales traction, & the right connections to make yourself 5 times more qualified for funding than ever before!)