I started HowtoStartup.com over 12 years ago and in 2007, sold the site and the rights to my “Business Idea Kit” to someone who became a friend. But it just didn’t work out for him, for various reasons. And I’ve been lucky enough to get HowtoStartup.com back in my hands. I couldn’t be happier.
I’m not only a bit older and wiser today, and I’ve been a business owner or self employed for all but two of the past twelve-plus years.
Let me take you back to where it all started…
I was still working in my sales job, and I spent most of my nights and evenings researching business ideas to I could break out and start my own business once and for all. After a few months I ended up with hundreds of pages of research and business ideas (including doodles) and thought, “why not turn this stuff into a book?”
So I wrote a book. A very, very long book. It was over 400 pages of information and business ideas and business start-up information for anyone who wanted to start a business. (It was originally printed and published in a binder along with a workbook, as shown in the old looking image over there on the left) .
Many of the ideas were simple and straight-forward, everyday businesses and ranged from how to start a dog sitting business or how to start a commercial cleaning business to business ideas for creative people.
There’s also a lot of information about the initial phases of starting a business — including the mental part…which I know more about today than I did back in my early thirties when I started this site.
So although the ideas were and are still extremely solid (I have actually started or at least dabbled in many of them) some of the information I included in my book, at the time, is now somewhat outdated.
The general business ideas are good, but a lot of the techniques and strategies to starting have changed. There was no “great recession” in mind, at the time. And a lot of the data and statistics I used have changed dramatically. Many of the website resources and links I included are officially dead.
I don’t think WordPress was even around then, and “blogging” was a new thing very few people were talking about.
So here’s what I’ve decided to do to help anyone looking to start a business in 2015
- I have removed every single page — including every business idea and all startup advice/articles — from the site. I don’t know how many pages or posts, in total, but I simply moved to a new web host and loaded up a fresh copy of WordPress. This is, technically, my first post. Most people have said I’m nuts (dumb?) but I’m a big fan of starting-up. Or starting over. (Change is good when it’s for the better.)
- I’m going to rewrite the entire book, from start to finish. I’d like to update every single page of content, add more marketing information for each business, update all links and resources for each business or industry, and likely edit my writing. (Today, a good part of my day is spent as a professional writer, so I imagine what you’ll get in the new book will be much improved.)
- As I research, write and update each business idea, I think it’s a good idea for me to provide the business ideas and startup advice free to anyone who wants to sign-up below.
- I’m likely going to be leaning on you and other future-business-owners and subscribers to make sure I’m giving you what you want. I will likely, at some point, set up a forum or private Facebook group so we can all engage…but for now we’ll interact via email (or you can comment below unless it gets out of control with mean, unfriendly people or spammers.)
- You will have access to successful business owners (who have been in business for more than five years). I’ll be providing you with interviews via audio and video. To me, this is going the be extremely powerful.
- Did I mention if you sign-up now, you will never pay. When the book is complete, it will be yours (for free). Even thought, by then, you will have every page provided to you via email…the actual book will be nice to have. I haven’t decided, yet, if it will be printed or digital (or both). The binder as pictured above was pretty nice. There will be a point when this changes, but for now…the ideas and startup information is yours.
I can’t promise I’ll send a business idea every day but I will try my best to send at least two or three each week. That means you’ll get free business ideas for the next six months or so. (Again, I’m winging it here.)
If you’re interested (and I hope you are) then please put your email below. I’m not asking for a name or anything just yet…so use a good email and be on the lookout for the first business idea. I also (just now) added a comment area. If you can tell me what you’re hoping to get from me, then please include that. Your comment is not required but helpful to both of us.
Just keep in mind this is a ton of valuable information and from both a business standpoint and marketing (which is important!) I’m going to be giving you quite a bit and asking for NOTHING in return. I will, at some point, run ads on this site and maybe make a little money from Google. But otherwise…it really is free.
Here’s the form. You know what to do.
Side Note: The business ideas are broken into categories in the book, but I’m going to mix it all up. For example, I have categories for people who love animals, people who are “business-driven” and people who like to sit at a desk all day. I also have some trade-type/blue collar business ideas mixed in. Really, it’s a broad range of ideas you can use to start either a side gig or something full-time.
Thank you! And good luck!!!
Greg Payette
