Alexandra Novo Vila Verde, february 2012

The big challenge The conception of the idea. A business project may have several sources of inspiration but the key is that this process must be above all realistic. At this step are laid the foundations of the company. It is one of the most importante stages of the process of creating a business and no detail should be overlooked..

In structuring the business idea, the entreperneur should consider various aspects from his professional experience to the consumer profile, through the business opportunity and the existence or not of similiar ventures. Realism should guide the design of your idea. For no suprises should seek to describe: - Possible trends in your market and its growth potencial.

- The legal processes required for the beginning of its activity. - The ability of the business in the early years. - Identify the strengths and the weaknesses of the company.

It is true that secrecy is the soul of business. But the fact remains that only makes sense to create a company if the market need the product or service that you are offering. This is the stage where they will begin to test whether your idea has potencial. The key at this stage is to analyze accurately – based on actual surveys and studies – the real market conditions.

 Among the aspects to be considered at this stage are: - The uniqueness of the product/service. - The customer profile – type. - Market size - Competition - Market shares. - Potencial for business growth. It is the time which should be prepared the marketing plan Where you describe products/services by choosing distribution policies, pricing and promotion.

In this constitution of the team you must try to establish firm commitments to human resources that it considers critical to your project. You will not recruit employees, but will surround yourself of partners that can enrich your project. The sense of reality is crucial Choose the “warriors” right for your army.

This phase is a key to the success of the company. It is time to discuss strategies, set priorities, discarding less good ideas. This is the step where you will draw the visit’s card of your company to potentiol investors. The main objective is that the team devise a business plan setting out realistically how the team plans to transform their ideas into a buniness sustainable and profitable.

The Business Plan should contain data on Market Analysis, Investiment Plan, Funding Sources, Treasury and Profitability Plan Project. This is the step more complicated.

The entrepeneur and his team must decide how they will finance their project. There are several posible options: your own money or be prepared to defend your project from banking and private investors. The life of your business depends on funding and so it is important to have a fairly realistic estimate of the fundamental needs of initial capital to start up the business. You should have a strategy to attract investors and convince them that your project is viable.

Once overcome the issue of initial capital the entreperneur can proceed to the formal establishment of the company. Begin by choosing the right legal form for the case of your company. From here you can go to one of the various Centers Business Formalities (CBF) to fulfill several tasks.

The place you choose to install your company makes all the difference. Besides being one of the first images that your customers have of yourselves, should match the activity you want to develop and the “targets” who you want to achieve. Do not precipate – one mistake can cause you an unnecessary waste of money. Be prudent in your choices.

Now it is time to start the recruitment process. You should pay particular attention to management positions and remember that you can start the business with a small number of employees and bet on a subsequent recruitment, as the company’s expansion. Remember that talent is vital – you must be surrounded by professionals. Your commitment to your company’s human resources goes beyond the wage conditions.

If you survived these phases is time to start the activity of your business. Make sure that all the details are operational to receive the customer since the human resources to strucures of communication. YOU ARE READY TO RECEIVE YOUR CUSTOMERS!!!