Embedded Files
An introductory business training that helps entrepreneurs create their own seed funding and start an income generating activity
click to learn more
Start Now is first stage of the Act Now program, and the first step towards financial self-reliance. As you work through this stage you will learn that you can be the answer to your own financial problems, you will start your Income Generating Activity, and you will raise your own seed money to get started.
Each stage of Act Now begins with the training sessions and follows action plans that move you towards the milestone of that stage.
Training
click to learn more
The Start Now Training a 4-5 day program intended to help inspire change and good habits. The main purpose of the training is to help individuals start their own business by generating their own seed money. Participants are not required to come with any seed money and The Academy for Creating Enterprise does not provide the seed money, but rather helps the participants generate their own seed money.
Action Plan:
Small and Simple Goals
click to learn more
A Small and Simple Goal is the reason that you want to become more financially self-reliant. You might want to purchase better internet so your kids can do school from home, or maybe you need to replace your leaky roof. Your Small and Simple Goal is the reason you are participating in the Academy Programs.
Here are the nine categories of Small and Simple Goals that we have come up with:
Badges:
click to learn more
These are the individual tasks associated with the 25 Rules of Thumb required to complete in order to complete each stage. Each badge has a set of "to-do's" to be completed.
Salary Tracking:
click to learn more
At each stage you will record your salary in order to track salary growth from stage to stage. This information will not be viewable by any member or leaders in country, and will only be viewable by The Academy HQ.
Chapter Attendance
click to learn more
Upon completing the Start Now Training you will be added to your local Academy Chapter. The chapters meet monthly and discuss the 25 Rules of Thumb for continual improvement.
Milestone:
Successfully start your Income Generating Activity
click to learn more
Once you have completed all of the badges in Start Now you should have been able to successfully start your IGA, thus accomplishing the Milestone, completing this stage, and you will receive the Stage Badge of Dreamer.
Each of the 25 Rules of Thumb applies at every stage of Act Now, but to learn how you can apply the rules in the Start Now stage look to David as an example.
David: Farmer | Start Now
click to learn more about David
David is a farmer from Peru that wants to take control of his life financially. Previously he worked for other farmers on their land, but after attending the first session of Start Now he noticed an empty plot of land near his home. He got permission to grow a few crops there and is now working to generate real income.
David has the Small and Simple Goal of supplying better school supplies for his children. He is working hard in the Act Now program to start his Income Generating Activity with sound principles so that he can provide for himself and his family.
David's Applications of the 25 Rules of Thumb
Start Small; Think Big
Start Small; Think Big
click to learn more
"I don't have to sell truckloads of vegetables...yet."
Started with one small plot of land that he can manage by himself
Started with just three different kinds of crops
Bought only the minimum tools that he needed to get the job done
Sell What the Market Will Buy
Sell What the Market Will Buy
click to learn more
"I noticed right away that people bought much more cabbage than squash."
Went to a local market and watched to see what people bought the most of
Asked 10 friends what vegetables they bought the most of
Decided to grow the three crops that people preferred most
Focus, Focus, Focus
Focus, Focus, Focus
click to learn more
"I really needed to direct all my attention to my crops so that I could make real money."
Started with one IGA
Quit other side jobs so he could direct all of his attention to the crops
Worked harder in the fields every day
Use Suggestive Selling
Use Suggestive Selling
click to learn more
"When I decided to sell only three crops at first, I also decided to sell the three that go well together. From there I would sell them together."
Bundled his three crops in the market
Gave promotional prices to customers that bought in bulk
Didn't push too hard to oversell
Practice Separate Entities
Practice Separate Entities
click to learn more
"At first it was really hard to keep my money separate from the business'. When you first start out it all feels the same. Then I learned that the business is the boss and I'm just an employee."
Had one wallet for personal money and one wallet for business money
Kept track in his notepad how much personal money he had and how much money the business had
Never used business money for personal purchases
Pay Yourself a Livable Salary
Pay Yourself a Livable Salary
click to learn more
"Once I started making some money it was really tempting to take as much as I could, but I knew that if I just paid myself a small, livable salary that I could really grow the business."
Set his salary to the minimum that he could live with
Put all the remaining money back into the business
Worked as long as it took each day to at least make his own salary
Keep Good Records
Keep Good Records
click to learn more
"Keeping records was hard at first because I was always out working in the field. But I learned that even a small notebook in my back pocket made a big difference."
Kept simple but impactful records
Analyzed records at the end of each day
Always worked to beat previous day's records
Turn Inventory Often
Turn Inventory Often
click to learn more
"One season I grew the wrong crops and they didn't sell quick enough. Eventually almost all of my crops rotted. For me it is very important that I turn inventory quickly."
Paid attention to what products sold the quickest
Grew crops that sold the fastest
Made sure to sell products before they went bad
Don't Eat Your Inventory
Don't Eat Your Inventory
click to learn more
"It is really tempting to just eat my own product, especially when I haven't made as much money and need to feed my children."
Knows that if he eats his own product without paying for it his business will struggle more
Doesn't give away product for free
Understands that the product belongs to the business and isn't his to use
Practice Kaizen
Practice Kaizen
click to learn more
"My father and grandfather were both farmers, and they taught me certain ways of doing the work. It was difficult to change some old ways of doing things, but doing so has helped me grow more."
Decides that it was okay to do things differently
Remembers that it's more important to provide than to follow tradition
Looks for faster ways to do the same job
Buy Low; Sell High
Buy Low; Sell High
click to learn more
"It's really important to maximize your margin as much as you can because that makes all the effort that you're doing worth it."
Knows that it is important to have a margin
Is patient when selling
Keeps customers happy with good prices
Inspect More, Assume Less
Inspect More, Assume Less
click to learn more
"It's easy to think that you know everything that happens in your business, but it is even easier to miss big things if you don't pay attention."
Keeps track of every detail in his records
Monitors how his crops are doing
Never assumes that everything is okay
Be Nice Later
Be Nice Later
click to learn more
"My siblings would always ask me for crops. I really had to learn that the crops belonged to the business, they were not mine to give."
Established a good relationship with the business assets
Tells family that he cannot give away business assets for free or the business will not grow
Reinvests all profits back into his IGA
Work on Your Business 10 Hours a day, 5.5 days a Week
Work on Your Business 10 Hours a day, 5.5 days a Week
click to learn more
"You have to work hard. Hard work is the only way to be successful."
Set a regular work schedule
Treats his IGA like he would a job for someone else
Pushed through tiredness
Make a Profit Everyday
Make a Profit Everyday
click to learn more
"Somedays I just gotta work until I make a profit on that day."
Works enough hours to profit every day
Priced good appropriately
Kept costs low enough to make a profit
Value Your Customers
Value Your Customers
click to learn more
"I don't have to sell truckloads of vegetables...yet."
Started with one small plot of land that he can manage by himself
Started with just three different kinds of crops
Bought only the minimum tools that he needed to get the job done
Hire Slow, Fire Fast
Hire Slow, Fire Fast
click to learn more
"I don't have to sell truckloads of vegetables...yet."
Started with one small plot of land that he can manage by himself
Started with just three different kinds of crops
Bought only the minimum tools that he needed to get the job done
Work on Your Business, not Just In Your Business
Work on Your Business, not Just In Your Business
click to learn more
"I don't have to sell truckloads of vegetables...yet."
Started with one small plot of land that he can manage by himself
Started with just three different kinds of crops
Bought only the minimum tools that he needed to get the job done
Buy on Credit, Sell for Cash
Buy on Credit, Sell for Cash
click to learn more
"I don't have to sell truckloads of vegetables...yet."
Started with one small plot of land that he can manage by himself
Started with just three different kinds of crops
Bought only the minimum tools that he needed to get the job done
Use Multiple Suppliers
Use Multiple Suppliers
click to learn more
"I don't have to sell truckloads of vegetables...yet."
Started with one small plot of land that he can manage by himself
Started with just three different kinds of crops
Bought only the minimum tools that he needed to get the job done
Purchase in Bulk
Purchase in Bulk
click to learn more
"I don't have to sell truckloads of vegetables...yet."
Started with one small plot of land that he can manage by himself
Started with just three different kinds of crops
Bought only the minimum tools that he needed to get the job done
Have Written Agreements
Have Written Agreements
click to learn more
"I don't have to sell truckloads of vegetables...yet."
Started with one small plot of land that he can manage by himself
Started with just three different kinds of crops
Bought only the minimum tools that he needed to get the job done
Increase Sales; Decrease Costs
Increase Sales; Decrease Costs
click to learn more
"I don't have to sell truckloads of vegetables...yet."
Started with one small plot of land that he can manage by himself
Started with just three different kinds of crops
Bought only the minimum tools that he needed to get the job done
Write Down Daily and Weekly Goals
Write Down Daily and Weekly Goals
click to learn more
"I don't have to sell truckloads of vegetables...yet."
Started with one small plot of land that he can manage by himself
Started with just three different kinds of crops
Bought only the minimum tools that he needed to get the job done
Differentiate Your Business
Differentiate Your Business
click to learn more
"I don't have to sell truckloads of vegetables...yet."
Started with one small plot of land that he can manage by himself
Started with just three different kinds of crops
Bought only the minimum tools that he needed to get the job done
Page updated
Report abuse