Tag Archive: Educational Resource

How Critical is Luck When it Comes to Small Business Success? 

March 1, 2022 8:00 am

Many entrepreneurs attribute the success of their businesses to hard work… and a little bit of luck. This month, in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, we ask: is luck the determining factor for a business’s success?  The consensus is no. Entrepreneurs who credit good luck for their success usually indicate that it is only a portion of what goes into business success – and far smaller than the majority. Most of them give luck credit amounting to 20% or less. When pressed, the common thread for what people consider “luck” is actually just good timing. Elon Musk revealed that Tesla[...]

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Self-Care For Entrepreneurs

February 1, 2022 8:00 am

February is typically a month that people start to think about how they’ll show others they care. We think that February should inspire you to show yourself some care as well! Entrepreneurs can seem super-human, but they are no exception when it comes to needing self-care. Small business owners report working twice as much as regular employees. The number of hours entrepreneurs work is not the only reason they might need to treat themselves every once in a while. If you need more convincing, here’s a list of more reasons entrepreneurs need self-care:  They are under immense stress, one source[...]

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West Virginia BusinessLink & 3 Steps to Startup Team up for West Virginia Business Success 

January 4, 2022 8:00 am

West Virginia BusinessLink and 3 Steps to Startup Team up for West Virginia Business Success   The business growth that West Virginia has experienced just in the past three years has been spectacular. Following 2018, each year has shown an almost 50% increase in business registrations in the Mountain State. Statistics show 4,345 new business formations from 2010 to 2020, and we expect that once the data is published, 2021 will evidence even more growth for West Virginia businesses. These numbers are nothing short of impressive, especially during nearly two years of business experiencing strain by a global pandemic affecting everything[...]

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2021 Was a Success – Let’s Do it Again in 2022! 

December 30, 2021 7:00 am

3 Steps Year in Review It was an eventful 2021 here at 3 Steps to Startup! What started as a year of hopefulness with some uncertainty has finished with even more optimism and an opportunity to reflect on West Virginia’s economic growth, including the formation of well over 12,000 new small businesses. At 3 Steps to Startup, we are proud to have played a part in furthering our state’s goals for economic growth.   Throughout 2021, new entrepreneurs and veteran small business owners connected with us for help with their businesses. We have assisted them with information gathering, commercialization of ideas,[...]

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How to Kickstart your Startup in 2022 

December 21, 2021 8:00 am

2021 is coming to a close and next year is your year! Do you have a business idea that you just haven’t followed through with yet? 3 Steps to Startup can help you turn your plans into action, and there’s no better time than right now to make it happen. Our Master Class Series is a good place to start if you’re exploring a business idea. Otherwise, here are four things you need to do to ensure your business idea can become a reality in 2022.  Formulate a Business Plan   Your startup needs a business plan. What exactly does that[...]

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10 Reasons to Start Your Business in 2022

December 7, 2021 8:00 am

When people talk about owning their own business, they discuss the concept of “being your own boss.” Overall owning your business is liberating! Entrepreneurs make their own decisions – ranging from where they work to how much money they make. If you are thinking about making your idea a reality, 2022 could be your year! Here are ten reasons why you shouldn’t wait to go for it in the new year:   It’s time for you to take control of when and where you work.  There’s no better time than the present to regain control of how much you work. Many[...]

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November Venture Fair & Its Success 

November 30, 2021 7:35 pm

Earlier this month, 3 Steps to Startup’s November Venture Fair was another successful 2021 event bringing together investors, entrepreneurs, and other West Virginia stakeholders in a virtual summit to exchange ideas and grow by learning from experienced entrepreneurs and investors. The venture fair picked up where our March event left off. In March, we heard from Intuit Chairman of the Board, Brad D. Smith.   If you attended our November Venture Fair, you heard from Mitch Carmichael, Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Economic Development, when he discussed the importance of entrepreneurism for the West Virginia economy and how our[...]

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3 Steps to Startup’s November Venture Fair is a Can’t-Miss! 

November 2, 2021 2:23 pm

At 3 Steps to Startup, we are excited to present an opportunity to attend our free, virtual venture fair on Tuesday, November 16th, from 9:00 am until 12:00 pm. Our second venture fair of 2021 builds upon the work we did earlier in March 2021 at the 3 Steps to Startup Venture Fair. If you missed our March event, all recordings are accessible here.   What exactly is a venture fair?   A venture fair provides the opportunity for entrepreneurs, funders, economic developers, and other startup stakeholders to gather and share information. The goal of a venture fair is to match small[...]

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LIINC Up with 3 Steps to Startup! 

October 5, 2021 8:00 am

LIINC Up with 3 Steps to Startup!  This month, 3 Steps to Startup will host two “LIINC” events: Linking Innovation, Industry, and Commercialization. These events are designed to allow hopeful research entrepreneurs access to business acumen and venture capital while simultaneously allowing those in the private sector to collaborate with a researcher in an area of interest. The two LIINC events will take place virtually on October 6th, 2021, via West Virginia University, and on October 20th, 2021, via Marshall University.    Researchers are essential members of the entrepreneur community. At our virtual LIINC events, 3 Steps inspires collaboration between researchers[...]

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Five Reasons Networking is Vital to Your Startup  

September 21, 2021 8:00 am

Whether you’re a natural or not, networking is truly vital when you’re starting a business. 3 Steps to Startup recognizes this necessity! We offer five reasons why you should focus your efforts on networking from the startup process to the day-to-day operation of a business.     Access to Resources, Including Venture Capital    Networking quite literally means expanding your “network” of people, creating links as you go. Those in your network are resources for you to contact when you find that there’s something you can’t accomplish on your own. Connections can put you in touch with their connections, and the network[...]

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