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Talent Hub WEEK TWO. Presented by workforce connection & college of central Florida. THE T21 SOLUTIONS STORY. December 30, 2009: Re-read "4-Hour Work Week". March 9, 2010: Gave 3 Weeks Notice . March 12, 2010: Launched T21 Solutions, LLC. The First Week.
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Talent Hub WEEK TWO Presented by workforce connection & college of central Florida WEEK TWO – SECTION THREE
March 9, 2010: Gave 3 Weeks Notice http://mywifequitherjob.com/
The First Week • Set provisional goals for the business • Did a personal inventory of my skills, strengths, experience and opportunities • Set up Florida limited-liability corporation (LLC) on SunBiz.org • Established separate checking account for my business, and "loaned" $10,000 for start-up costs • Purchased a dedicated computer for managing business • Downloaded OpenOffice suite for free office productivity
The Second Week • Updated all social media channels (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter) with new business info • Let my trusted business colleagues, friends and family know what I was up to - led to a project in the first month! • Refined business model to focus on specific trends and areas where I could add value
The Third Week • Decided to focus on "crowdsourcing" as a way to blend creative services, project management and human resources into one business • Registered as a customer (or "hiring manager") on oDesk.com, Elance, Guru.com • Tested my concepts by having my own business projects crowdsourced • Launched www.t21solutions.com website for credibility purposes
The Fourth Week • Began part-time work on a key client project that proved the business model for social media management and crowdsourcing • Recruited and hired an intern to support routine tasks and research support • Invoiced for the first phase of my first project, gross profit of $8,500 • After paying contractors, online service fees, and other operational business costs, net profit was $5,000 which was reinvested back into the business
Crowdsourcing … huh? • Crowdsourcing is the act of taking a job traditionally performed by a designated agent (usually an employee) and outsourcing it to an undefined, generally large group of people in the form of an open call. Jeff Howe, WIRED
5 Rules: The New Labor Pool • The crowd is dispersed • The crowd has a short attention span • The crowd is full of specialists • The crowd produces mostly crap • The crowd finds the best stuff
My Top Ten List (1-5) • Tell everyone you meet what you're up to ... this is why the elevator pitch is so important! • Take advantage of the free social media tools, integrate them and get visibility. • Don't try to do it all! Know what your blind spots are, and negotiate a deal for help! • Develop a statement of qualifications (SOQ) or professional summary, this is your small business resume. • Get involved with relevant professional associations and networks - yesterday!
My Top Ten List (6-10) • Actively share with your network and across the social media channels - establish thought leadership! • Volunteer in the community, showcase your skills and capabilities and make a difference. • Get your finances under control and keep business expenses and accounts separated from personal - always! • Take advantage of free learning resources - they are literally everywhere! • Delight your customers, communicate proactively, do what you say and follow through!
Recommended Free Learning Resources • Inc. Magazine - http://www.inc.com/ • American Express OPEN - http://www.openforum.com/ • Startup Nation - http://www.startupnation.com/ • Small Biz Daily - http://smallbizdaily.com/ • The Solopreneur Life - http://www.thesolopreneurlife.com/
Recommended Free Learning Resources • Stanford University - http://ecorner.stanford.edu/ • SCORE - http://www.score.org/ • Florida Trend Small Business Toolbox - http://www.floridatrend.com/small_biz.asp • Entrepreneur Magazine - http://www.entrepreneur.com/ • Florida Department of State - http://sunbiz.org/