Today's video is going to be a little bit different than
what we're normally used to.
Um, it's going to be a little bit more conversational, maybe a
little bit more thought provoking.
Um, and hopefully, you know, the aim of this video is that this
conversation is going to get you inspired, maybe give you some new
ideas, and if you're watching this video, hopefully this is that, you
know that, extra little sign, that extra little push that you needed
today to get your business started.
So let's get into it.
And I also want to let you know that we put a lot of time and
thought and effort into creating content that we think you guys
are going to find useful and love.
So, um, I'm happy to see that a lot of you guys are enjoying this.
So the question that we're answering here is does the world
need more small businesses?
And the first point that I want to make, and probably one of the
most important things is that small businesses lead to innovation.
Small businesses by nature are going to be scrappy, they're
going to be resilient and it's their risks that are leading
to innovation, and that's what moves the world forward.
So in that respect, yes, we need small businesses, small businesses.
Support the local economy.
So not only are small businesses important for industry innovation,
but they're also important in boosting the local economy.
And that's because they play within ecosystems that enable other small
businesses to thrive in their wake.
So what I mean by this is that entrepreneurship facilitates
even more entrepreneur.
So let's say you own a small business and maybe
you have a photo shoot.
You're going to probably need to hire like maybe a makeup
artist, a photographer, and maybe a couple of models.
So right there, I just named three different parties that
would be, um, involved in the ripple effect there.
And that's just one particular day in the life of this business.
So hopefully you can see what I mean by this.
I mean, when you deal locally, your dollars stay in the local
community and they help local businesses and local development.
So this might not be true in every case, but generally speaking, small
businesses have a shorter journey from manufacturer to consumer.
And what that means is that there's more transparency about
ingredients and materials.
And that's because small businesses are often the makers
themselves, or they're just more aware of their own supply chain
because they produce their goods locally, or they're more involved.
In contrast to a big box store, small businesses often have
the means to manufacturer locally or more ethically, and
that's usually because they order in smaller quantities.
This world would be so cold and so sterile without small businesses.
There would be no intimacy, no, no level of personalization.
And that's just because the bigger businesses can't
really keep up with a level of personalization at that scale.
But with small businesses, they don't have layers of management
and corporate policy and small business owners can pretty
much make up their own rules.
So what that means is that small businesses are willing to bend
over backwards for each shopper.
Each customer matters when you're small.
So that creates a subculture, it creates meaningful
relationships and it ultimately creates a sense of community.
So hopefully that inspired you.
Um, I personally think that there can't be enough small businesses,
and I think what you have to bring to the table is important because
you're bringing something that's uniquely you, to this world,
there will be nothing like it just by way of being your own idea.
I hope this has been helpful, but now we're going to talk
about the top of five things that you're going to need in
order to get started today.
The idea.
Okay.
So the first and probably the biggest, um, hurdle and the
most daunting thing that you're going to have to get over is
coming up with that initial idea.
So the good news is that once you have figure this stuff out,
you're going to have some momentum going, but the question is, how
do you come up with an idea that people are going to want to buy.
The quickest and easiest way to come up with a business idea is
analyzing a current situation and then noticing any problems.
And then being that company that provides a solution.
So that problem could be a problem you're having with a particular
product, or it could be a problem a colleagues having, or a family
member is having, but as long as you're able to solve a problem
and is represented by a community at large, then you are in a
great place to start a business.
Okay.
So the comfy, for example, this is a wearable blanket that keeps you
cozy, not just on the couch, but if you're going to get up and get
a drink, um, it's going to keep you cozy just like around the house.
So while this is not solving world hunger, it definitely is solving
the problem of wanting to stay warm and cozy around the house.
So your idea just needs to solve a pain point for
a specific demographic.
When you're brainstorming, I recommend you make a
list and make two columns.
On the one side, you're going to have the problem column.
And then on the other side, you're going to have the solution that
you and your company can bring.
And honestly just let yourself be loose with this.
What I like to do is I like to set a timer for 30 seconds and
I'm like super loose I just jot down my wildest ideas and then
the time it will go off, you'll review the list and you can bring
your ideas back to earth later.
So that's one tactic but we actually have an entire playlist
with videos devoted just to helping you find a product idea.
So if you're interested in learning more, I will just leave a link
right up here and you can just hit control, click or command
click, um, and that will open a new window, uh, for you guys
to watch later in your browser.
If you want it to go a level, even deeper, um, make sure
that you are checking out our free 40 minute webinar.
It's going to teach you how to find winning product
ideas, how to validate those ideas and how to get started.
So I will leave a link for you guys in the description
box for you to get started with that free training.
All right, so next up is the product.
So once you have your idea, you're going to need
to source your product.
If you're going to be selling something that already exists,
then you can definitely take to Alibaba to source it.
But just keep in mind that Alibaba will have higher
minimum order quantities.
You'll probably have to buy thousands when you're
dealing with Alibaba.
But if you want to be lean with your inventory or just test
out the market, then definitely check out Ali express and you can
buy as little as one unit at a time, but keep in mind that you
will be paying more per unit.
If your product is not already made, you're going to need to find
a manufacturer so you can find a manufacturer on ali express.
So what you'll do is you'll search for a product that's
similar to your idea.
Then you're going to click on suppliers and
then you'll hit search.
And then you're going to find a list of suppliers that
you can easily reach out to.
Now, if you're not ready to work with a manufacturer, maybe
you just need a smaller run.
Then don't underestimate the power of using Upwork and
Facebook groups together.
So first you can use Upwork to find a product designer.
And then you can take to Facebook groups to find someone to actually
go ahead and create your products.
So, for example, let's say you're making jewelry.
First, you would go on Upwork to find someone to create your
3D designs for your pieces.
And then once you have those, you're going to want to go on
Facebook, join a couple of jewelry design groups and create a post
saying that you're looking for a silver Smith to actually go
ahead and to make those designs.
If you want to learn the five steps in finding manufacturer or
a supplier, we've actually already filmed this video and that's going
to help you with your product idea.
So I will leave a link for you guys right here to check that out,
once you're done with this video.
The branding.
You're going to need branding to set yourself apart.
This is not just your logo.
Okay.
So it is your logo, but it's also your colors, your font
and your photography style.
Branding also encompasses what you stand for as a business.
So to be clear with yourself and what you look like and what
you believe in, you're going to want to create a document
that's called a brand book.
A brand book is going to outline your visual identity.
It's going to outline your tone of voice and what your values are.
So to do this, you can hire a designer on upwork.
Or you can do it yourself, if you're trying to cut
on costs and you can use a tool called Canva for this.
But branding is important because it gives your demographic
visual cues that you get them, that you understand
them, you know who they are.
You actually might be who they are.
So therefore you get what they like, you get what they
don't like, and you understand what they want and need.
Branding is a language that you want to be fluent in.
And this step is going to be crucial for you guys, so if you
are wanting to dive a little bit deeper into how to create a
successful brand in six steps, then you're definitely going to want to
check out this video right here.
The platform.
So you have your idea, you have your product, you've established
your branding, and now the next step is, um, finding a platform
or finding a place to sell.
Now with everything that's been going with COVID more and
more small business owners are getting set up online, whether
you have a retail space or not allowing for customers to
make purchases online is an essential part of doing business.
Having e-commerce set up means that you're pretty much open 24 7 to
the entire world for a fraction of what a retail space could cost you.
So this is a hundred percent necessary.
Even when I'm talking to my friends or if I'm just talking
to my clients, one-on-one I do always recommend Shopify for this.
I find it to be the quickest.
I find it to be easiest and the most flexible
way to be selling online.
And I find that it makes the more cumbersome and the more
complicated steps, like, um, like shipping and fulfillment.
I find that Shopify makes this a million times easier than if I were
to be using a different platform.
So if you do want to get started, um, the nice thing with Shopify
is that you get two weeks to play around with a free trial.
This is going to give you time to make your store
look just how you want it.
Um, you can add your own branding.
You can start adding your products and you can just
start making your sales right away, so I will actually leave
a link for you guys in the description box, if you want to
get started with that free trial.
And that's going to give you that extra boost on
your business journey.
When you're getting started with your actual store, keep in
mind that it doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to be good
and it has to be functional.
I find that a lot of entrepreneurs want to make it like super
perfect before they launch, but keep in mind that this can
be a forever, a forever thing.
You might never launch if you do that.
So here are the six things that you will need before
you can launch your store.
So you'll need a homepage.
You're going to need an about us page.
You'll also need to input your products, a shipping and return
policy and your contact page.
And those will be the first few items that you would need
and a great place to start.
We actually just released the ultimate Shopify
tutorial for beginners.
It is amazing.
Um, so if you are looking to remove the guesswork and just get
your store set up super quickly, make sure that you are checking
this tutorial out right here.
Um, and you can check that out after this video.
The marketing skills.
And then lastly, you're going to want to be up
on your marketing skills.
Once you establish yourself online, it's going to be an
ongoing lifelong journey to continue to drive traffic and
continue making those sales.
So keeping up to date with your marketing skills will
help your business grow.
Now, one way to do that is to subscribe to this channel.
We actually have an entire playlist dedicated to marketing.
So if you are looking to level up your marketing skills, drive
some traffic to your online store and start making sales, make sure
that you are checking that out.
You should also check out Udemy.
Udemy Is an online learning platform that has very inexpensive
courses on very specific topics.
So if you're running a business, you're going to want to learn
things like how do you use TikTok to make sales, or you might want
to learn how to reach out to distributors and wholesalers.
Those are all things that you can definitely learn on Udemy.
But the key is to stay up to date with your marketing education
and it doesn't have to be like an intense university course.
It can literally just be you checking up online and making
sure that you're staying up to date, um, like more of like a
casual, but steady learning.
And oftentimes the internet is more ahead of
institutions and it's free.
So there you have it.
All right.
So hopefully you found this video helpful.
If you did find it helpful to make sure that you are giving
it a big thumbs up, because that helps our channel and
it helps our community grow.
Um, other than that, if you did have any questions
that were left unanswered throughout this video, do drop
them in the comment section.
I'll make sure to get back to all of you.
But other than that, if you're wanting to see more videos,
just like this, with simple, actionable tips that are going
to help you get your business journey on the way, then make
sure that you are subscribed to this channel, Learn with Shopify.
Um, and that's it.
So thanks for tuning in, I'm your host Michelle, and I'll
see you in the next one.
Bye.