Starting An Online Business is Easier than You Think

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By USDR.

With the presence of technology becoming more and more prevalent in our daily lives, it makes sense that people would flock to the Internet for more than just checking their e-mail. There are quite a few people who have started their own business online and have become successful. Starting an online business may seem a little daunting to some people, but that shouldn’t stop you from giving it a try. If you have wanted to start your own online business for some time, or you just started considering the idea but are intimidated by the process, have no fear- it’s easier than you think, especially with online tutoring.

A few of the first steps in starting your online business is coming up with a name, purpose/goal, and how your business will be better than its competitors (i.e. other tutoring websites). This requires a lot of thinking and research, on the Internet, as well as talking to people who are currently in the field you are interested in. Doing this market research will benefit you when you are pitching your idea to investors or mentors. Once you have those initial things lined up, the rest will fall into place- with a little more work of course. After you have thought through and figured out the previously mentioned items, you should start researching tools that will benefit you by making your tasks easier.

For example, one thing that most people do not like to do, but that has to be done is invoicing. Invoicing is one of the most crucial parts of any online business because it can show you how your business is doing at a quick glance, as well as make sure you get paid and so do your customers (i.e. tutors). With online tutoring invoicing is more important because you are not able to see your customers in person to pay them so you need a system that will verify payments to and for your customers. Luckily, there are some systems (such as PayPal, QuickBooks, Microsoft Excel, etc.) that are already set up and ready to be used so you don’t have to figure out how to build your own invoicing system. Along with invoicing tools there are many other tools that are at your disposal ready to go for your tutoring website. For example, there are whiteboards with document sharing systems so the tutor and student can view the same document simultaneously, Skype or Google Hangouts for video chat, and more.

I may have made it seem like once you have your idea and name then it will be an easy road to success, but the truth is there are still challenges that hinder some people from continuing or even starting this process. One of these challenges is finding someone to invest in your business. Another challenge you may come across is finding clients, specifically beta testers, to use your website. However, if you have a great idea, believe in that idea wholeheartedly, and are willing to commit to it 110%, you will be successful and see growth in your company.

Kayle Copley is the co-founder of Tutormind. Visit tutormind.com, facebook.com/tutormind, and follow on Twitter @tutormind.