Categories for Startups
How To Review Your Business’s Performance in 2022 & Prepare For The Year Ahead
With the new year just around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about analyzing your business performance in 2023. As the business world continues to evolve, companies need to track their performance and adjust as needed. This means understanding where you are now, where you want to be, and how to get there. In this article, we will discuss the key components of analyzing your business performance and provide actionable tips for improving your results in 2022. In this blog, you’ll learn: How to determine which goals are most useful for the year ahead & what you should[...]
How To Prepare Your Business For The End of the Year
As the end of the year approaches, it’s time to start thinking about how you can prepare your business for the future. Here are a few things you can do to get started: Evaluate your current marketing strategy and objectives. Are you on track to achieve your goals? If not, what can you do differently in the coming year? In this blog, we’ll discuss how you can prepare your business for the end of the year. Take stock of your inventory and make sure you have enough to meet customer demand during the holiday season. Review your budget and[...]
Raking Up The Leaves: How To Prepare Your Business For Winter
As the weather gets colder and we move closer to winter, it’s important to start thinking about how this will impact your business operations. There are a few key things you can do to make sure your business is prepared for winter weather. Take the time to investigate what will help your employees save more money and how your customers can enjoy their online or physical shopping experiences as the snow falls and the ice builds up. In this blog, we’ll give you some additional strategies to prepare your business for winter (not just raking up the leaves found on[...]
In Honor of Thanksgiving
The season of Fall is a time for change. The leaves change color, the weather gets cooler, and people’s routines often change as well. Fall is also a season of gratitude. This is the time of year when people often reflect on what they are thankful for, and businesses look for new opportunities to grow and expand. Gratitude is good for our mental and physical health. It can help reduce stress, improve our moods, and increase our overall sense of well-being. In honor of thanksgiving, 3 Steps To Startup would like to share what we’re thankful for and how we[...]
West Virginia Capital Access Program (WVCAP) Expands Small Business Funding Opportunities
West Virginia Capital Access Program (WVCAP) Expands Small Business Funding Opportunities Small businesses and startups are the backbone of the American economy. They are responsible for nearly two-thirds of all new jobs in the US each year, and they have a huge impact on local communities. But despite their importance, small businesses and startups often have a hard time accessing the funding they need to grow and thrive. The West Virginia Capital Access Program (WVCAP) is changing that reality as it gives credit-worthy small businesses and startups access to nontraditional funding opportunities. What Is The West Virginia Capital Access[...]
Going Back to School with 3 Steps to Start Up
One of 3 Steps’ “steps” to startup is Awareness and Education, which makes “back to school” time especially resonate with us. Our mission to support West Virginia entrepreneurs and startups is laser-focused on giving them resources that can enhance their own missions. Entrepreneurship can be overwhelming, especially if you are a new entrepreneur embarking on your first business. In order to find success, you need to be open to “going back to school” and learning as you go. Lifelong learning is essential to entrepreneurship. That’s where 3 Steps to Start Up comes in. We provide a wealth of free resources[...]
What’s in a Headline? The Importance of Effective Communication
National Emoji Day is this month, on July 17th. Emojis have an interesting history, dating back to 1990s chat rooms. By 1999, the characters put together to express emotions in a chat room were given a name. “Emoji” comes from the Japanese words for “picture” and “letter” – only coincidentally sounding like the word “emotion.” More than 20 years later, emojis have only taken a firmer hold. There are approximately 3400 emojis in use today and it’s hard to imagine a society without them. At 3 Steps to Start Up, one of our “three steps” for supporting innovators in West[...]
Made in America: Homegrown Businesses
Part of our mission at 3 Steps to Startup is to let the talents and innovation of West Virginians shine. We have real local pride in the businesses we help thrive, and as we celebrate the fourth of July this month, we naturally feel extra patriotic. To put that patriotism on full display this blog is all about celebrating some homegrown West Virginia businesses that 3 Steps to Startup is honored to have worked with. Greenbrier Technical Services: Greenbrier is a tech company founded on serving the restaurant, banking, and mining industries. They manufacture circuit boards and other parts in[...]
An Ode to Small Business Fatherly Advice
“What’s long, brown, and sticky?” If your dad is particularly inclined to tell dad jokes, you have probably heard this one before. The answer, of course? “A stick.” [Slow clap] Dads can lend a special light to our lives, not least of which is bad humor. On the other hand, they are also sources of immense wisdom if we can tap into that wisdom. They’ve experienced so much more than we have! We can observe the same phenomenon when it comes to older, wiser mentors in the business. Some entrepreneurs are lucky enough to count their father as their mentor[...]
Social Media Dos and Don’ts for Your Small Business
One of the ways we support West Virginia small businesses at 3 Steps to StartUp is by spreading useful knowledge. Our venture fairs and LIINC events last year brought innovators and entrepreneurs together to share their technical knowledge with aspiring small business owners. We also strive to provide information through our blog with posts like this one! Social media cannot be ignored in today’s business world. With widespread social media use by consumers, a small business would be making a mistake to skip participating in social media. Business social media pages are a primary source of inbound marketing in today’s[...]
Let’s Celebrate West Virginia Small Business!
Earlier this month, we celebrated National Small Business Week, and West Virginian entrepreneurs have much to celebrate! In West Virginia, our small business climate has been steadily growing. Specifically, between 2018 and 2021, we’ve seen a 50% growth year-over-year in business filings. When you keep in mind that this span of years also played host to a global pandemic, it is clear West Virginia truly is a land of opportunity for small business entrepreneurs. Our state has claimed this success by moving the business registration process online, making it easier to access the means to start a business. We have[...]
6 Ways to Shop Local this Mother’s Day
Whoever the special mom is that you’re shopping for, you know you’ve got to get it right this Mother’s Day. One of the goals we have at 3 Steps to StartUp is to help small businesses survive and thrive in our state. We know that living in West Virginia gives us access to high-quality and unique options for spending our hard-earned money, and that includes gift-giving. What better way to say “Happy Mother’s Day” this year? Here are six ideas for your Mother’s Day small business shopping. Flowers The classic Mother’s Day gift, flowers are always an appreciated treat. Finding[...]