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11 Essential Resources for Starting a Local Business

Have you ever dreamed about leaving your 9-to-5 job and starting a local business instead? Starting a business takes a lot of effort, even if you plan to work as a freelancer, but working locally as an entrepreneur is a great way to serve your community. From scheduling a personal branding photoshoot with Gilded Sun to hosting an exciting grand opening, these resources will walk you through every aspect of the process.

Financial Tips

Managing your finances while trying to launch your business is tricky, but these resources can help.

  • Begin by putting together a business plan — this will help you figure out how much startup funding you’ll need to run your company.
  • If you can’t personally cover all of your expenses, check out the alternative funding options outlined in this guide.
  • Need to bring in money while building up your business? Choose a side hustle to boost your income. 

Marketing Strategy

How can you spread the word about your new business? Digital marketing is key.

Prepare for Opening

You’ll have a long to-do list to tackle before you can officially open your business. Here’s what you should take care of before opening day. 

  • Unless you’re running a fully remote business, you will probably need to rent a retail space.
  • Find affordable vendors who can provide you with high-quality materials for your products.
  • Need a few more pairs of hands on deck? Follow this checklist to hire your first employees.
  • You’re almost ready for your grand opening! Start promoting the big day to bring in your first customers. 

Running a local business is a great way to bring vital services to your own community. You’ll create jobs, boost the economy, and get to know other local entrepreneurs. Naturally, you’ll face challenges along the way, but with these resources, you’ll be ready to open a thriving business!

above photo via Pexels

Article by: Courtney Rosenfeld

Kenali: Branding

Kenali was able to fit in 5 different looks for her branding session. She knew she wanted to showcase her active boss-babe lifestyle, so her wardrobe was indicative of that! From this single morning shoot, Kenali has a plethora of content to post on her social media accounts with built-in captions about preparing for aerial gigs, enjoying coffee, loving the outdoors, business planning, and maintaining an active lifestyle. By choosing a location with a variety of “looks”, we were able to make the absolute most of our time- planning is key!

Be sure to check out Kenali at Texas Circus & Aerial to find out how you can learn some amazing circus skills right here in Houston!

Instagram: @fenyxaerial

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Courtney: Dancer

Courtney is a professional dancer and choreographer here in Houston who has performed in numerous musicals for TUTS and countless corporate events for J&D Entertainment. She also teaches dance and musical theatre classes to kids all over Houston.

By planning her shoot in the early morning, we were able to avoid crowds and take full advantage of the empty spaces around us. Her colorful wardrobe brought great contrast to the surroundings, and we were able to get some fun images that really showcase her personality. Courtney also utilized layers and created even more variety in her gallery by mixing tops and skirts. (Layers are a good tip for those wanting to get the most “looks” in the least amount of time!)

Follow Courtney at @tinyshowgirl on instagram
www.courtneychilton.com

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Soul Tribes: Promotional Shoot

Alexandra is an amazing planner, and it was absolutely key in this half day shoot! Before her yoga & meditation studio was open, she knew she would need to have promotional images to build her website and advertise her new business on social media. She rented a space at Leych Studio in downtown Houston, gathered a group of her future yoga teachers and current students, and requested everyone bring plants and props that would be used to create a more authentic yoga space for her images.

In just a few hours, we were able to create a myriad of images. We took headshots, group shots, class pictures, casual/ candid pictures, and even some detail images to share for future advertisements, promotions and information about the studio! Now that Soul Tribes is officially open, it is my pleasure to share just a few of the images we were able to create that day! (Click the link to view the Soul Tribes Yoga & Meditation website, to see how Alexandra used the images from our shoot throughout her entire website!)

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Flower Vault: Model Team

I love getting the chance to explore a bit with my Model Team; it’s always fun trying out new spaces and places around Houston! This week we went to the Flower Vault– a temporary art installation in Montrose. This was my first time visiting a pop-up like this, and I loved it! There were 5 distinct rooms decorated with varying flower-themes- perfect for taking “grammable” photos!

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