How are most companies born? In the worst case, a business plan is drawn up, the required investments and expected income are calculated - a classic scheme. It happens much less often when a startup starts from the idea of ​​a product (product or service) that can make someone's life better, more comfortable, or solve a problem. An enterprise like this has a better chance of success.

But there is a third way to organize your business - to start with what interests you. Perhaps the best, most promising of all possible options and financial part- far from the main advantage.

Basis for "research"

American Chris Guilbeau found more than 1.5 thousand entrepreneurs, company owners that had whole line common features:

• Income more than $ 50 thousand per year (more than the average wages most US citizens);
• The amount of "investment" is less than $ 1000 (most started with an amount of up to $ 100) - that was exactly what their starting capital was.
• The business was created around what was of interest to their founders.
• None of them had any special skills or education (let alone an MBA).
• Without borrowed or attracted capital: loans, debts, external investments.

After that, Chris chose 50 of the most interesting stories, on the basis of which the book “Startup for $ 100. Create a new future by doing what you love ”, which is a kind of collection of tips, but rather a guide or even instruction for those who want to turn their hobby into a full-fledged source of income, from those people who know how to do it ...

Chris Guilbeaux

Young entrepreneur, traveler, blogger (traffic to the blog ChrisGuillebeau.com, Chris Guillebeau - over 300 thousand visitors a month), writer, creator of the World Domination Summit community of creative people. Chris has a special talent - turning ideas into money, he teaches others this, too, helping people find their calling. At the age of 30, he has already traveled to more than 175 countries - almost the whole world. Volunteers in African countries.

Difference in approach

At the beginning of the article, we talked about the differences in the approach to a startup. Chris Guilbeaux, faced with the need for money, acted contrary to what the majority would do: he did not try to drive himself into the framework of austerity, did not look for a high-paying job, instead, he thought about how to create a useful product and sell it.

The first case did not bring a lot of money, but it gave something more - independence and freedom in choosing what, how and when to do it in his life. No reports, no schedules, no work schedules, no offices with their rules and schedules, no appointments, meetings and other nonsense.

Startup for $ 100

Quite often, most people associate the word "startup" with: firstly, IT projects, and secondly, with a huge scale. There are only a few sites in my head, like Facebook, Instagram and the like. Companies with a turnover of millions, hundreds of employees, projects implemented in a few months, only to be sold for a billion later.

In fact, a startup is nothing more than an English-language substitute for our concepts, formed from the words: start / create / implement - on the one hand, and: your own business / your business / your own project - on the other.

In his book, Chris Guilbeaux will not tell you how to create a website that will bring a million to its owner, allowing the latter to show off in expensive suits at meetings with investors and bankers. Instead, he will show you how to realize your dream, to translate your ideas into reality, while doing what you like, what you want to do.

About the book

On the pages of the book, the reader will get acquainted with a dozen stories of those people who have already succeeded in this. No metaphysics, visualization and everything else not related to practical activities... No secrets, tricks, cheat sheets. These are "instructions for use", written in a fun way, practical steps that will allow you to take responsibility, leave in the past all the gray and dull, boring and meaningless in order to start creating something beautiful.

Chris Guilbeaux will not insist that you quit your job right away and join the ranks of the rogue. Not at all. On the contrary - by investing a little of your own money and time, start moving in the right direction. And only after the hobby begins to generate income, after the home-grown company gets on its feet, gets stronger, after you are confident of success - you can write such a long-awaited letter of resignation, leave hateful job, beloved chief and become free. Nobody said that it is easy, you should be prepared for the fact that you have to sweat a lot.

The merit of the book “Startup for $ 100. Create a new future by doing what you love ”is the fact that in addition to recommendations, Chris gives specific numbers, exact amounts, a clear procedure, analyzes and points out the mistakes of start-up entrepreneurs.

Who is this book for

Certainly not for those who believe that you can achieve something just by thinking about money and your wonderful future. Not for those who are comfortable with his current life - office work, career ladder and other joys.

But, on the contrary, for people who do not want to spend the rest of their lives doing unnecessary and, most importantly, boring, not interesting, routine work. Instead, make your hobby, which brings pleasure, to bring in more money, to find freedom from bosses, imposed responsibilities.

Will the advice from the book work within the framework of our homeland? They are certainly universal. Moreover, in the vastness of the countries of the former CIS, there are significantly more opportunities to succeed than in the same United States with its competition, a country where almost every second is an entrepreneur.

Startup for $ 100. Create a new future by doing what you love - Chris Guilbeaux

This book is about how to heal in an interesting and meaningful way and at the same time earn good money.

Sometimes you can find a combination of pleasure and income without leaving your current profession. However, sometimes you have to sweat a lot to get away from traditional earnings and discover alternative sources of income. In any case, you will need to create a small startup with your own money, devote a little time to it and wait until this company is ripe for serious success in order to reap the fruits of your labor, ceasing to depend on circumstances and start living the way you want.

Who is this book for

This book is for those who aspire to a fuller, more interesting and meaningful life. It will be interesting for those who want to stop being dependent on circumstances and start living the way they want to. It is definitely worth reading for those who want to stop doing boring, unnecessary things, and start doing something that is both interesting and useful for others.

Why we decided to publish this book

We know how important it is to do what we love. We know how difficult it is to start a new business. We were interested to learn how to create a real business for real money.

We liked that the author of this book is not limited to general recommendations, but gives the exact amounts, the procedure for actions required in the first months, in addition, he analyzes the mistakes that novice entrepreneurs made at first.

Trick of the book

In preparing this book, Chris Guilbeaux found 1,500 entrepreneurs who today own a business that generates $ 50,000 or more in annual income, although they started with extremely modest investments (in many cases, it was really about amounts not exceeding $ 100). Then he studied 50 of the most interesting members of this group in detail. Based on the data from this study, a simple and understandable book was written containing valuable advice from those who know how to turn their work into a source of joy and pleasure. Moreover, Chris does not limit himself to general recommendations, but gives the exact amounts, the procedure for actions required in the first months, in addition, he analyzes the mistakes that aspiring entrepreneurs made at first.

When I needed money, I thought not about how to cut costs or find a job, but about how to create and sell a certain product. That is, I did everything contrary to generally accepted norms, since usually budgeting begins with an assessment of profit and an analysis of available opportunities. I did it differently: I started with a list of what I would like to do, and then I thought about how to implement it. My small business did not bring much money, but allowed to pay bills and find something more valuable - freedom. I didn’t stick to any schedule, didn’t fill out time sheets, didn’t write meaningless reports, didn’t follow the rules of conduct in the office, and didn’t even attend obligatory meetings.

Keep in mind, this book is not about starting a big internet startup or starting a regular company, putting on a business suit and begging for money from a bank. Here is a story about people who managed to realize their dreams and earn decent money doing what they are really interested in. Maybe we can try to repeat their success? Let's take on arms overall strategy and we will learn from those who succeed.

There are no secrets, cheat sheets or other tricks in this book. Visualization exercises are also missing. If you think you can get money just by thinking about it, put it on the shelf and meditate. On the contrary, the book contains only practical advice on how to take responsibility for your own future. Read it if you want to create something beautiful on the way to freedom.

Is it possible to change everything, to live full life and do only what you like? Can. Can you make money on this? Yes, and here are the stories of people who succeeded. Is there a way to achieve this? Yes, and he is in front of you. Thanks to him, you will find the long-awaited freedom.

$ 100 Startup - Chris Guilbeaux (download)

(introductory fragment of the book)

Everything more people abandoning the traditional employment model with its strict rules and subordination. They do what they love and start their own business. Build micro-businesses to lead free and meaningful lives. This form of employment involves sole proprietorship of business.

It takes a lot less to create a microbusiness than you think. The most ordinary people open their own micro-enterprises every day, often without a lot of money, or experience, or an MBA, or even a well-developed business plan.

Example. Two designers who recently graduated from college came up with the idea of ​​selling high-quality tourist maps self-made through the Internet. Bottom line: the guys began to earn so much money that after nine months they quit their jobs and devoted themselves entirely to their new business.

The piano teacher wrote computer program to track attendance, control payment and scheduling classes. This project has become a full-fledged source of income for him - more than $ 30,000 per month.

Nothing prevents you from achieving the same success. You need:

1. a product (or service) that can be sold;
2. clients willing to pay for it;
3. payment mechanism.

Don't be afraid to take action. Your own insecurities and fears can create more difficulties than competitors or external market conditions. Don't give in to these feelings. Take the plunge.

Enthusiasm is not enough for a successful business; need more clients and relevant skills

Many people dream of making money doing what they like the most. But a hobby will never turn into a real business if no one pays for it.

Find an area where your passions, skills, and the needs of others intersect. Offer customers specific benefits or customer value. Think carefully about how you can benefit other people.

It is difficult to turn a hobby into a business directly. Master a related field - help others do what you enjoy.

Example. Inveterate traveler Gary Leff has started his own ticketing and itinerary business for reward miles who don't know how to use them wisely.

If you lack the skills for your chosen field, use the Skills Transformation Principle: you may not have the specific skills required for a given project, but you may have aptitude in related fields. Make the most of your existing talents and at the same time acquire the missing abilities.

Example. Kat Alder, who worked as a waitress in London, was great at communicating with people. She founded her own PR firm. The girl had no experience in this area, but her communication skills helped her master the basics of a new business.

Not every hobby can be turned into a business. You can't make a passionate love of pizza. But you can open a pizzeria. Analyze opportunities to meet the needs of people using the skills you have.

Identify the deepest needs of customers and develop an appropriate proposal

Your product must have customer benefits. To do this, you need to know who your customers are. Demographic characteristics alone are not enough target audience: age, gender, income. Find the personality traits that unite your audience: hobbies, skills, values.

Will these people be interested in your product? Connect with potential clients and ask them questions. Use informal conversations or questionnaires. Determine if customers are willing to pay for the intended product. Changes may need to be made to the product. Run a product ad - how many orders will it receive? Is this project justified? After this analysis, start production.

The true desires of the clients may not coincide with the declared ones.

Example. Air passengers have been complaining for years about the cramped cabin space. But if airlines are offered more spacious seats, but a little more expensive, it becomes clear: people prefer cheaper carriers, even if their cabins are cramped.

Do not limit yourself to explicit needs, identify unspoken desires.

Example. Newlyweds often say wedding photographer Kyle Hepp that they don't want to take regular wedding pictures. Regardless, she still takes some traditional photographs, knowing that the relatives of the bride and groom will be delighted to receive them.

Get creative with your marketing and focus on customer benefits

In your marketing efforts, focus on the benefits you are willing to provide to your customers. IN advertising text Don't focus on boring technical details, but focus on key customer benefits: how your product can make people's lives easier.

Key benefits come from the emotions you help your customers experience.

Example. Ranchers in California state, “We are not selling horse riding. We offer freedom. " The yoga school doesn't actually sell you exercise classes, but helps you relieve stress and relax in a calm, secluded environment.

Be entrepreneurial, minimize advertising costs, be creative with marketing: network with journalists, partner with other companies, write guest posts for blogs. It is more effective than traditional marketing and is much cheaper.

"Strategic Giving" is a powerful non-standard marketing tool... Give a customer your product for free or provide a useful service - he will tell others about your activity.

Example. Unemployed architect John Morfield has opened a 5 Cent Architectural Consultation stand at the Seattle agricultural market. He did give professional advice for a coin, but clients were so happy that they often brought him in for additional work already at full rate. John's story even made it onto CNN and other news channels, making him a well-known figure and generating new customers.

A successful product launch requires careful preparation and the ability to convince customers to buy now.

For an entrepreneur, there is nothing worse than spending a few months developing a product and then failing to sell a single copy. To prevent this from happening, carefully plan and prepare your go-to-market. Product release should be preceded by a powerful advertising campaign, in order to properly "warm up" buyers and make them wait impatiently for new items several months before the start of sales.

Form a Safe Circle Before Going to Market potential buyers through advertising. Engage your customers well before the actual product launch. Warm up their impatience by talking about the project you are working on, highlighting its benefits for them, and describing the details of upcoming sales. When the long-awaited launch day arrives, make your shopping experience as easy as possible.

A product launch is a very nervous period for an entrepreneur, and when real sales, he is extremely relieved.

The special price for the product must be valid for a strictly limited time. Remind customers of this as the deadline approaches, nudging the hesitant customer to buy immediately. Once the deadline is up, keep your word and don't sell the product at a low price anymore.

Business must make money. Don't forget about costs and income

Business must make money. Otherwise, it's just a hobby.

Consider funding, cost, and income issues.

Financing

It is not necessary to take out a loan. Your costs can only be the purchase of a laptop and website development.

Example. Shelley Vitry opened her own food tour business in Denver with $ 28 initial capital, and as a result, she began to earn $ 60 thousand a year.

If needed more money, and you can't get them from the bank - turn to non-standard methods of fundraising, such as crowdfunding (collective financing).

Example. Shannon Okey, who dreamed of opening her own publishing house that produces books and magazines on needlework, managed to raise $ 10 thousand on the Kickstarter website when the bank refused to give her a loan.

Expenses

Keep costs low. Invest only in what directly affects sales. A luxury website is only worth the investment if you are confident it will generate new buyers.

Income

Be proactive, do not wait when you have to urgently patch holes. Calmly consider how you see the future of your business and customer service. What new products are you working on? How to increase sales? Are there any lingering problems that need to be addressed? Monitor one or two key metrics (daily sales or average order value) to keep your finger on the pulse of the business.

Establish regular receipts of payments, do not understate the price of the product, and make regular adjustments that can significantly affect profits

How to make your business as profitable as possible?

It is necessary to establish a regular flow of payments by developing a subscription program. With just 400 subscribers and a $ 20 monthly subscription, you can make almost $ 100,000 a year. When setting the price, one should rely on the proposed consumer benefits, and not on the cost price.

Example. Gary Leff helps clients organize their vacation with bonus miles. He charges a flat fee of $ 350 for his services, regardless of how long it took him to find information and order tickets: 5 minutes or 5 hours. In any case, the consumer value is the same.

Feel free to raise prices periodically. Clients often react much more positively to news of an increase than one would expect: “It's high time! You are worth much more than you ask for. "

Offer buyers a limited price range. Don't set a single price - this way you can further maximize your profits. The overwhelming number of options can be confusing, but there are customers who prefer the "premium version". Offer them an improved version of the base product at a higher price.

Constantly adjust your business to maximize profitability. Pay special attention to indicators:

• website traffic,
• share of buyers among the total number of visitors
• average purchase amount.

These factors have a huge impact on the bottom line. Your job is to continually experiment and make small changes to figure out what makes the most profit.

Choose your own business scale: stay a small entrepreneur or expand with more staff

Every entrepreneur has his own business development plans. One-man theater, fantastic height, or something in between are all equally acceptable. Business development methods:

1. Vertical- expanding the range of services for existing customers. If you sell software- Offer the same clients training courses.
2. Horizontal- development of new proposals for other categories of consumers. One web designer found that bespoke sites were too expensive for some clients. She developed several standard design templates and offered them at a moderate fixed price.

As your business grows, you may not be able to handle all the work alone. The solution is outsourcing, transferring some tasks to third-party executors. Engage third parties to different work: from cleaning the home office and organizing meetings to direct production of the product. The feasibility of outsourcing depends on the type of business and the personality of the manager. If your business is based on working with clients or you have a mania to control everything, outsourcing will only hurt.

If in the future you plan to sell a business, then it is important that your business has the potential for development. It must be available for adoption (so that the customer can scale up the business if they want to by training a dozen new employees) and provide value to customers (so that the increase in production is balanced by the increase in the number of customers).

Don't write complex business plans so you can focus on real action

Real actions always prevail over plans. Don't waste time composing complex plans that never come to fruition. Make the plan as simple as possible: a business plan should fit on one page and only indicate the direction of the enterprise's development.

• What are you going to sell and to whom
• Why would these people want to buy it from you?
• How will you get paid
• Intended marketing activities
• Business baseline

Set a clear deadline for starting your project. This is an additional guarantee for the implementation of the plan.

The mission statement of the enterprise should also be simple and concise. Ideally, no more than the length of your Twitter post (140 characters). Try to formulate this. This exercise will help you clearly articulate the true purpose of your business.

Example. "I'm helping business people who look after their health, plan workouts to maintain their well-being and physical fitness. "

Beware of unsolicited advice, even if people wish you well. Most of them do not have own business so their advice is useless and only distracts you from your goal. You don't need anyone's permission to succeed in business. Trust your own judgment and take the plunge.

The most important

Shedding the shackles of traditional employment and starting your own micro-business takes far less than you think. Analyze your passions and talents to determine where they overlap with customer needs, and get down to business.

When designing your product and organizing marketing events, focus primarily on customer value. As your business grows, you will be able to make certain adjustments to maximize your profits.

How to start your own microbusiness?

• Stop sitting out your pants from nine to six and become your boss - it's easier than it sounds.
• One enthusiasm for successful business not enough; you need more clients and relevant skills.
• Identify the deepest needs of customers and develop an appropriate proposal.
• Get creative with your marketing and focus on customer benefits.
• A successful product launch requires careful preparation and the ability to convince customers to buy now.

How to make microbusiness profitable?

• Business must make money. Don't forget about costs and income.
• Arrange for recurring payments, don't lower the price of your product, and make small adjustments on a regular basis that can significantly affect your bottom line.

What should be the ultimate goal of microbusiness?

Choose your own business scale: remain a small entrepreneur or expand by increasing your staff.

How detailed should a business plan be?

Do not write complex business plans to be able to focus on real action.

1. High ratings on Amazon and GoodReads.
2. The book must be available to a wide audience - published in English in 2017 or translated into English in 2017.
3. Book ideas should be useful for business development.
4. The topics of the books should be related to business, marketing and management.

Ryan Holiday's "Fadeless Salesman"

Perennial Seller: The Art of Making and Marketing Work that Lasts is a 2017 bestseller about what makes great works relevant at all times and how business success can last for decades and even for centuries.

The Zildjian company was founded in 1623, but its products are still very popular with musicians from all over the world. Iron Maiden is collecting stadiums after 40 years in the music business and has an army of loyal fans. The film "The Shawshank Redemption" at first barely paid off at the box office, but then brought its creators millions of dollars, received cult status and is regularly included in the lists of the best films. How do companies and creative people create what has enduring success?

Ryan Holiday, creator of provocative marketing campaigns and author of the acclaimed books Believe Me - I Lie and The Ego Is the Enemy, discusses the strategies and principles of such "unfading salespeople" in his book.

Side Hustle by Chris Guilbeaux

A new book by Chris Guilbeaux, who became widely known in Russia thanks to the bestseller "Startup for $ 100", about how to become financially independent and do things that you can enjoy.

Side Hustle is a real guide for those who want to start their own business, but cannot decide yet. It contains a lot of useful practical advice, which can be applied not only in the West, but also here in Russia.

Derek Thompson's Hitmakers

The book by Derek Thompson, writer and editor of The Atlantic, The Hitmakers. The Science of Popularity in the Age of Entertainment ”(“ Hit Makers ”, not published in Russian) is a 2017 bestseller, which many compare to the book“ Tipping Point ”by Malcolm Gladwell.

The Hitmakers book tells about human tastes and preferences that have evolved and changed over the centuries, about the struggle and unity of the old and the new, about how real hits are born - from ancient legends to blockbusters and rock compositions.

"Blue Ocean Shift" by Kim Chan and Rene Mauborgne

In "Switching the Blue Ocean" (original name "Blue Ocean Shift", not published in Russian), the authors of "Blue Ocean Strategy" continue their analysis of unoccupied markets. In their new book, the professors give a detailed step by step plan, with the help of which any beginner and not so entrepreneur can find his "Blue Ocean".

The main message of this book:

Find out about those companies that have already gone their hard way and found blue oceans.

The authors remind the reader that the blue oceans shift only happens after we create in the minds of the buyer unprecedented value for our new product that can push the boundaries of existing markets.

"Startup Evolution Curve" by Donatas Jonikas

Scientist, marketer and investor Donatas Yonikas conducted a global study of 1,500 startups and several hundred in-depth interviews with their founders in order to understand the main mistakes and identify successful techniques and approaches to building a marketing strategy.

The result of the conclusions made during the research and the author's own experience was the book "Startup Evolution Curve", which is literally a step-by-step guide to creating a working business for the founder of a startup.

"Stretch" by Scott Zonenschein

This book is about how working with what we already have helps us achieve more, and how constraints spur creativity. Recommended by: Jim Collins, author of the bestselling book Good to Great; Robert Sutton, author of the bestselling book Never Work With Shit; Daniel Pink, author of the bestselling books "Drive" and "It Is Human Being to Sell."

The book tells us that making the most of what we already have, we achieve much more than the thoughtless use of resources, when we want more and more. Resources can be monetary, production, intellectual, very different - but in each case it is important to make the most of what we already have.

"Man to All Markets" by Edward Thorpe

Edward Thorpe's book, unlike his previous works, is not so much an instruction for use as a memoir. This is a gripping story about his difficult childhood, love of science and experiments with early years, broad interests, which included gambling. Thorpe saw them as an application to mathematical methods, but in the end he had to challenge the casino - first in blackjack and baccarat, and then in roulette. Contrary to the general belief that the outcome of the game is impossible to predict, the author, together with several like-minded people, proved that all his theories are correct.

The book is not a textbook on gaming systems, although they are described in sufficient detail. This is a life story worthy of imitation and admiration. It will be useful for those who are interested in mathematics, playing on stock markets and biographies of outstanding personalities.

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This book will help you change your life. It contains recommendations from those for whom their own business has become the key to self-realization. All her heroes, not possessing any special skills, managed to turn a hobby into a source of income and radically change their lives, and in return they received freedom and satisfaction. Try to start small. It will take very little time and money to open your own business, and only when you are confident of success will you take the last, decisive, step, leaving old profession, and begin to live the way you want.

This book is well complemented by:

Jason Fraid, David Heinemeier Hensson

Publishing partner's foreword

The art of minimalism

Singularity University CEO Salim Ishmael likes to talk about one interesting fact in his lectures. A few decades ago, the cost of organizing a high-tech business in Silicon Valley, a solid business with a solid customer base, already bringing a decent income, amounted to several million dollars. And setting up such a business was a matter of concern and a point of application for venture capital. Now the cost of organizing such a business in the same place, in California, has significantly decreased - to about 100 thousand dollars. It is no longer necessary to look for such money in a venture fund; it is quite possible to collect it on your own using the crowdfunding scheme. Moreover, according to Salim, today this applies not only to Internet and IT startups, for which the threshold for entering the business has always been not too high, but also to projects related to biotechnology. Yes, people manage to successfully do biotech in a garage on decommissioned equipment (like the founders of today's IT giants once did).

Within this trend towards minimalism, the initial cost of starting a startup of $ 100, a 140-character tweet-style mission statement, a one-page business plan, and a similarly sized business promotion plan fit into this minimalist trend. These are the parameters that Chris Guilbeaux sets in his book "Startup for $ 100".

But minimalism is a great art. Remember, for example, the most striking example of this style in music - "Bolero" by Ravel.

High skill is required to organize a successful business, although for this, according to Chris, there are only three elements: a product or service, customers who are willing to pay, and a mechanism for accepting payments.

Yes, the skeleton of any business project is simple, you just need to correctly combine these three components. Check the viability of your business idea, choose correct model business, draw the attention of potential customers to it.