All small businesses are different. They operate in different industries, have different histories, and are run by different founders. Despite their uniqueness, there are two true facts about every small business: they want to grow, and they don’t have all of the answers about how to achieve that.
At StartBlox, we’re proud to be developing a platform that helps small businesses succeed. Over the last year and a half, we’ve been listening to the entrepreneurs already using StartBlox to find out how we can improve our platform. Their voices have led us to the StartBlox platform we have today. In 2018, we’re excited to support small business in these 8 tangible ways.
1. Answering questions you didn’t know you had
As a first time entrepreneur (or second or third), it’s impossible to anticipate everything involved in starting your business. Moreover, not knowing what you don’t know makes it much harder to search for the right answers to your questions. StartBlox’s library and wizards walk entrepreneurs through the crucial knowledge it takes to get your business up and running – without making mistakes that could jeopardize your success.
2. Helping you learn the basics
Learning how to run a business is like learning a foreign language – if you skip the basics, it’s hard to catch up. Our team created the content on the StartBlox platform with this in mind, and with the understanding that not every entrepreneur has prior business experience. Our Blox are written for entrepreneurs with varying degrees of experience and business savvy, helping you to develop a strong foundation across a multitude of business functions.
3. Step-by-step checklists to get your business in motion
It’s always helpful to learn new things, but we want you to put your knowledge into practice. Along with content Blox, we offer to-do lists. The to-dos tht guide you through the processes of planning your business, choosing a location, or even getting your website set up. With bite-sized action items, the monumental effort of starting a business suddenly becomes more manageable.
4. Tracking your progress
We know you’re juggling many bits and pieces of information and to-dos already, so we want to help you keep all of it in one place. Take notes and mark your progress on your tasks in the platform. It’s not only quick and easy to pick back up on your new business venture, you feel little successes every time you complete even the smallest of steps forward.
5. Connect to the BBB to set up your business profile
Did you know that you can set up a business profile with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) for free? Having a BBB profile will not only give your business visibility to potential customers, but it is one of the most frequently used sites to check that your business is “legit.” From insurance providers to the Internet security certificate authorities, a proper listing will show that you have properly set up and registered your business to the world.
6. One-on-one consulting for any aspect of your business
Looking for specialized help on one part of your business? Using StartBlox, you can connect directly with our network of advisors who will listen to and help you solve your current business challenges, regardless of the stage you’re at. Since every business is different, our partner advisors can listen and support you according to your industry, stage, and focus.
7. Find vendors to partner with on business functions
Being an entrepreneur doesn’t mean you should take on every task by yourself. The wise move will be to send some of your work to vendors, like accountants, graphic designers, etc., who can help you perform some business functions that you don’t have the expertise on or time to do yourself.
Though a link with the BBB database, StartBlox provides a way to easily find and contact partners that are ready to help.
8. Stay up-to-date on current topics in entrepreneurship
With a growing blog and an in-platform feed of currently trending articles in entrepreneurship, it’s easy for you to stay updated on what’s happening in entrepreneurship. We work with thought leaders in various business functions, including finance, marketing, regulatory, HR, and more to keep you in the loop about what you need to know.
We’ve come a long way since our launch in September 2016, thanks to the help and feedback of small business owners across the United States who have used StartBlox. As we enter 2018, it’s exciting to know that there’s so much room for growth for our business, and for the businesses we support.
Happy New Year, entrepreneurs!
