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OtherGround Forum >> Carreer Change -Advice for aspiring business man?
| 3/21/13 1:25 PM | |
Max Spaff
102 
Member Since: 2/3/12 Posts: 125 |
I know there are quite a few business owners/entrepreneurs on this board. After over a decade as a litigation attorney, and hating it, (full of crunts, unsatisfying, tedious) I'm throwing in the towel and looking to start my own business in import/export. I have some good connections in China and SE Asia. I think I have some transferable skills which I can apply to this new career. Problem is, I am very risk adverse (typical attorney mind set) and am close to CLUELESS as to how to run a business. Would you recommend first doing some extra study ie. some short courses or a year long business course? Are there any books you would recommend (other than those by Dale Carnegie, which I am busy pouring over now)? Any advice you could impart however brief would be very very much appreciated. Thanks |
| 3/21/13 2:37 PM | |
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Chimp Strength
45
Member Since: 12/17/11 Posts: 2185 |
'averse' Sorry I had nothing constructive to add, but I opened the thread so thought the least I could do is give you a bump. Good luck with the career change though. 
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| 3/21/13 2:44 PM | |
BIGWHITESEXY
406
Member Since: 12/20/05 Posts: 37345 |
DUDE YOU HAVE A LAW DEGREE.....YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO FALL BACK ON......I SAY TAKE SOME RISK. ABSOLUTELY TAKE SOME CLASSES AND READ SOME BOOKS. LEARN EVERYTHING YOU POSSIBLY CAN ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS AND JUMP IN WITH BOTH FEET. A GOOD PIECE OF ADVICE: MAKE SURE YOU KNOW EVERY FUCKING JOB IN YOUR COMPANY BACK AND FORTH SO YOU ARE NOT AT THE MERCY OF YOUR EMPLOYEE'S. KNOWLEDGE IS THE KEY. KNOWING YOUR BUSINESS FROM THE GROUND UP. ALSO DON'T BE AFRAID TO MAKE SOME MISTAKES ITS HOW YOU LEARN. MY INTERNAL DIALOGUE USUALLY GOES SOMETHING LIKE THIS "SACK UP AND GET IT DONE FAGGOT" WHEN EVER I WANT TO DO SOMETHING I AM AFRAID TO START. |
| 3/21/13 2:55 PM | |
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illini89i
391
Member Since: 5/2/02 Posts: 2884 |
First thing you should do, is learn to spell "career".
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| 3/21/13 2:57 PM | |
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4pdboxing
1
Member Since: 11/9/04 Posts: 4578 |
illini89i - First thing you should do, is learn to spell "career". Not a bad start. |
| 3/21/13 3:01 PM | |
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27CrazyFeet
4
Member Since: 9/10/02 Posts: 2051 |
go for it I know nothing about that field but when i wanted to start my own business i found a mentor, i visited other similar businesses, talked to the owners, talked to the customers, etc etc read as much info as you can. learn how to market the business.. because truthfully the second you start a business.. you are really in the business of marketing your services. |
| 3/21/13 3:02 PM | |
caseharts
331
Member Since: 7/18/11 Posts: 16888 |
Just launched my own business. Im in love with the grind. 
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| 3/21/13 3:03 PM | |
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Dinho
Member Since: 11/11/12 Posts: 452 |
You came to the right place!
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| 3/21/13 3:12 PM | |
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thembones
29
Member Since: 10/27/06 Posts: 1115 |
Max Spaff - I know there are quite a few business owners/entrepreneurs on this board. Read books by actual entrepreneurs, not business professors. Frequent forums where you can interact with actual entrepreneurs. DO NOT go to business school to try to learn how to start your own business. You go to business school to get a management job at a big company - what you learn there won't be useful at all when you're in the trenches trying to bootstrap a small biz or start up. If you're risk adverse, start some kind of online biz while you're still working. Your first one will probably fail miserably, but you'll learn valuable lessons and skills, and it'll still be cheaper than going to business school. |
| 3/21/13 3:14 PM | |
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HaoleBoy
148
Member Since: 4/9/02 Posts: 7389 |
If your business deals with the public be prepared for adjustments most people are VERY far from the front line and only play a role in the business small business guys have to deal with EVERYTHING - ALL THE TIME |
| 3/21/13 3:15 PM | |
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cruedi
32
Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 3985 |
Start with the magic of thinking big by david schwartz, also read think and grow rich |
| 3/21/13 7:41 PM | |
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Joey_Diaz_Army
102
Member Since: 2/3/12 Posts: 128 |
thembones -Max Spaff - I know there are quite a few business owners/entrepreneurs on this board. That is a very good point re management/business degrees/studies. Thanks for all the advice. |
| 3/21/13 7:44 PM | |
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Joey_Diaz_Army
102
Member Since: 2/3/12 Posts: 129 |
illini89i - First thing you should do, is learn to spell "career". My carrer will be running frate tranes. J/K my bad. |
| 3/21/13 7:50 PM | |
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Joey_Diaz_Army
102
Member Since: 2/3/12 Posts: 130 |
Thanks for the responses. I'm going to go hard at this goal, and am taking on board every one's comments and advice. Still scared sh!tless though... |
| 3/21/13 8:15 PM | |
Cotton
333
Member Since: 5/30/05 Posts: 51601 |
Science, cocksucka!
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| 3/21/13 8:22 PM | |
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GaryG
20
Member Since: 12/16/00 Posts: 5203 |
1. Keep the day job for now. 2. Build a war chest 3. Work part time after your day job is done learning and building the import business for at least a year. 4. figure out what and why you can operate your business better than your competitors 5. Consider working for one of your competitors before you go out on your own to learn as much as you can. |
| 3/21/13 8:23 PM | |
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GaryG
20
Member Since: 12/16/00 Posts: 5204 |
6. Draft a business plan |
| 3/21/13 8:26 PM | |
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Joey_Diaz_Army
102
Edited: 03/21/13 8:27 PM Member Since: 2/3/12 Posts: 131 |
Thanks GaryG. Solid Advice. VU. |
| 3/21/13 8:31 PM | |
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Joey_Diaz_Army
102
Member Since: 2/3/12 Posts: 132 |
BIGWHITESEXY - DUDE YOU HAVE A LAW DEGREE.....YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO FALL BACK ON......I SAY TAKE SOME RISK. ABSOLUTELY TAKE SOME CLASSES AND READ SOME BOOKS. LEARN EVERYTHING YOU POSSIBLY CAN ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS AND JUMP IN WITH BOTH FEET. A GOOD PIECE OF ADVICE: MAKE SURE YOU KNOW EVERY FUCKING JOB IN YOUR COMPANY BACK AND FORTH SO YOU ARE NOT AT THE MERCY OF YOUR EMPLOYEE'S. KNOWLEDGE IS THE KEY. KNOWING YOUR BUSINESS FROM THE GROUND UP. ALSO DON'T BE AFRAID TO MAKE SOME MISTAKES ITS HOW YOU LEARN. "SACK UP AND GET IT DONE FAGGOT" LOL. This is great. Harsh but so, so true. I really need to sack up. Thanks man. |
| 3/21/13 8:44 PM | |
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pulsar
Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 49476 |
Hope for a shit ton of luck. You already have what appears to be the credentials and work ethic. So the only part of the puzzle is luck - which you'll have to expend some risk to have a chance at. |
| 3/21/13 8:51 PM | |
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PayItForward
113
Member Since: 6/4/02 Posts: 14768 |
maybe a website where people can get inexpensive legal documents done for them. maybe call it something like "LegalEagle". |
| 3/21/13 10:24 PM | |
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thembones
29
Member Since: 10/27/06 Posts: 1127 |
What kind of connections do you have in Asia? What kind of business did you picture yourself starting? Does it matter, or just any opportunity to start your own thing? |
| 3/21/13 11:03 PM | |
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illini89i
391
Member Since: 5/2/02 Posts: 2886 |
Joey_Diaz_Army -Lolillini89i - First thing you should do, is learn to spell "career".
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| 3/22/13 8:42 AM | |
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GaryG
20
Member Since: 12/16/00 Posts: 5207 |
Very useful decision making tool. SWOT analysis is a structured planning method used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats involved in a project or in a business venture. A SWOT analysis can be carried out for a product, place, industry or person. It involves specifying the objective of the business venture or project and identifying the internal and external factors that are favorable and unfavorable to achieving that objective. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SWOT_analysis Good luck. Working for yourself is the hardest (but potentially the most rewarding)job in the world |
| 3/22/13 8:58 AM | |
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TheEssence
35
Member Since: 2/22/12 Posts: 1581 |
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