Is Moonlighting For You?

According to Dictionary.com, Moonlighting is defined as working an additional job after one's regular full-time employment, as at night. Many people moonlight in different forms. Some people work their regiular 9-to-5 job along with running their own business. While others may decide to only run their business at certain times, i.e. weekend only hours.
There are also many reasons why some small business owners deicde to moonlight, rather than quitting their full-time job. For some, it's just another way to supplement their income, for others, it is an alternative work option in the even that they may be laid off.

Tips for Success

• Make a weekly list of all your duties, meetings, and other business activites.
• Try to save up six months enough living expenses before your quit day job.
• Set a timetable of how long you plan on moonlighting before you cross over to the other side. Some suggest anywhere form six months to a year.
• Plan on writing a business and/or marketing plan.

Good Luck and Happy Moonlighting!

Create a Marketing Plan For Success

We all know that a business plan is necessary to receive a small business loan. But did you know that it is also advantageous to create a marketing plan as well? Marketing plans specify key marketing objectives that you will use to market your product, service, and/or brand. Typically marketing plans are used for one year. However, you can create a five-year marketing plan for long-term goals. Marketing plans can stand alone or included in your business plan. As a small business owner some key statistics will be needed in order for your marketing campaign to succeed. Some ideas to think about are: Demographics, Pricing Strategy, Competition, Marketing Budget, Description of your product or service, and Market Segmentation.

For assistance in creating a marketing plan, check out the SBA.gov website for more information.