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,[...]
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[...]
September 7, 2021 8:00 am
It has historically been tough to get a business going in rural America. With current obstacles like the COVID-19 pandemic affecting ventures across the board, things have been even more difficult for startups in small towns. A statistic shared in early 2020 (pre-pandemic) showed that startups in rural communities make up only 12% of all startups (compared to 20% in the 1980s). Rural entrepreneurship poses some obstacles that big city entrepreneurship doesn’t. Finding capital is a big issue for entrepreneurs everywhere, but startups struggle even more in small towns. Utility access problems like the lack of access to high-speed internet hinder ventures[...]
August 11, 2021 10:00 am
Many agree that there are recognizable “types” of entrepreneurs with specific motivations and specific characteristics. Knowing what entrepreneur type you are can help you fully understand and unlock your highest potential… and it can also help you avoid pitfalls associated with your entrepreneur type. Below, we’ll describe 4 major entrepreneur types so you can see which type matches you – and so you’ll be aware of weaknesses as you pursue your entrepreneurial dreams. The Innovator The Innovator is solution-driven. Innovators are typically enthusiastic and creative, offering innovative (hence the name) solutions for currently existing problems or even problems consumers don’t know[...]
