Q&A

If you have a question that’s not answered on this website or on this page, that means other people could have the same question. I’d like to know what it is.

To ask a question, please call 877-447-1677. At the tone, please record your question. I’ll answer it and add it to the list. If you’d like me to respond to you directly, you may leave your name and phone number or an email address.

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I am currently employed but thinking about starting my own business. Can this program still help me?

YES! It can definitely help you, and here’s how: Most people spend a lot of time thinking about a part-time (or full-time) business, but they don’t take action steps soon enough to validate that their business is viable. From Unemployed To Self-Employed compresses three vital steps into the first 4 weeks. These steps include 1) selecting the right business based on skills, knowledge, and experience that you already possess, 2) systematically determining what your business is – in terms of what you will sell and to who – and 3) building an action plan to validate that the business is viable and to start it on its way.

In addition, From Unemployed To Self-Employed was designed for people who are unemployed. So my goal was and is to get them up and running in their own business – generating revenue – in the least amount of time. That means doing the right things in the right order and minimizing distractions during the startup period.

I know what business I want to go into. So I don’t need help with that. Can From Unemployed To Self-Employed help me anyway?

Only two of the lessons deal with choosing the right business. Even if you know what business you want to go into – or think you do – these two lessons will help you confirm that you’re on the right track and the best track. Work through all the lessons as though you don’t yet have the answer. If you come up with a “thumbs up,” you can move onto the next lessons and start building.

What if I feel that I want one-on-one coaching in addition to the lessons?

Please see coaching.

I’ve been told that developing a business plan is always the first step in starting a business. Does From Unemployed To Self-Employed help me create a business plan?

If I asked you to sit down right now and write a business plan, chances are you’d be overwhelmed because you’re thinking more about how to write the business plan than how to build the business. When you work through the first three steps of my program – 1) selecting the right business based on skills, knowledge, and experience that you already possess, 2) determining what your business is – in terms of what you will sell and to who – and 3) building an action plan to validate that the business is viable – you will have completed 80% of the business plan.

I don’t care if business plans look pretty because this first draft is really for you. In addition, business plans are not cast in stone. They need to be fluid. That means updating it as you learn more about your business and the market. The From Unemployed To Self-Employed approach seems to work fine for most people.

Can I speak directly with Gil Effron if I have questions?

Yes. Please send me an email at gil@ThinkSelfEmployed.com. Give me an idea as to what’s on your mind and the best days/times for me to call you. Be sure to include your contact information.

How much money do I need to start a business?

Because I’m targeting people who are unemployed, for obvious reasons, I want to keep any investment as low as possible. So I work to keep people away from pie-in-the-sky ideas or ideas that require a great deal of money up front or retraining. I believe that if you follow the formula in the first 8 lessons, your investment to get started in a service business could be as little as couple of hundred dollars. You’ll only need to or want to invest more as you prove to yourself that your business is viable.

To ask a question that’s not answered on this website or on this page, please call 877-447-1677.