Bootstrapping a business startup does not necessarily mean that you are unable to find traditional sources of capital. It may mean that you are clever Bo Jackson Womens Jersey , or that you know a bargain when you see it, or that you are the type of person who derives a certain satisfaction from crafting something using your own hands and vision, from scratch. If this is the way you feel, a franchise is probably not for you. A venture capitalist, if you could even find a member of that rare species when you are just starting out, is also likely to want some or too much control, and your vision might be thrown out of the window in that scenario as well.


It's kind of the same thing when you make your first homemade cheesecake using a recipe from a gourmet magazine, and then you realize how horrible those store bought cheesecakes in a box (that you used to eat) would taste in a side-by-side comparison. Just think, if you embrace the ?entrepreneur as gourmet chef? metaphor that I have suggested above George Brett Womens Jersey , you can tell people that you are an ?Entrepreneurship Connoisseur? at social gatherings and when you are seated next to other first class passengers on your next flight to someplace exciting. Not going anyplace exciting, you say? Funny you should exhibit such a lack of enthusiasm, because that leads us to tip number one:


1) You may have thought that we'd start out with some high-powered 'secret? bargaining strategy for bartering or negotiating with suppliers or landlords. Well, in a way you are right. The all time top tip, numero uno, has to do with your attitude. Do you think you are ?having a bad day,? routinely? Maybe it's not the kind of day or days that you are having; maybe it's your contagious nasty attitude that infects everyone around you and holds you back.


Here's a technique that you can use to thwart ?nasty attitude syndrome??a vicious, virulent disease: Use a mirror. If you don't like the way that you look, imagine how other people feel. Put the biggest Wily Peralta Jersey , nastiest snarl on your face that you can muster. Stare hard into that mirror and say, ?I want the best price?now.? Does the person in the mirror look like he or she would be inclined to melt before your eyes and say, ?For you, my friend, I'd give you the world on a silver patter, because you are my favorite kind of person??


Perhaps I should explain the almost magical curative powers of the mirror that you should now be holding in your hand (yes, use a pocket-sized model that you can carry along, wherever you go?on all of those exciting trips). If you will stand on your head while you are frowning, you can 'turn that frown upside down.? Other people will smile at you Danny Duffy Jersey , and perhaps even chuckle, or roar out loud, rolling in laughter. Now you're getting the hang of it. A positive attitude and a smile on your face will help you start your business, get out of trouble with your spouse, or get you a date if you are single. Practice being excited, (just about) everywhere you go.


2) For anyone who has forgotten kindergarten, let me remind you that you used to be creative'maybe you still are?and creativity is the heart and soul of bootstrapping. If you have lost touch with your creative side, or it has been pounded out of you as a result of other people's efforts to turn you into a compliant drone, one who fits perfectly in a cubicle Ian Kennedy Jersey , then it's high time you start acting like a kid again.


Yes, we're talking crayons, paint, glue, cardboard, scissors, wood, and trips to a junk yard. We're talking Animal House (the movie), and good old-fashioned food fights. We're talking about imaginary worlds depicted in amusement park rides. We're talking about science fairs Jorge Soler Jersey , contraptions in your garage, and blue-green gooey stuff oozing out of boiling pots. We may even be talking about an illustration of the product idea that you have, or a three-dimensional model of a store layout'like the one that you will implement in real life when you start your business.


If all of the above seems too silly, you are just flat-out in desperate need of the intervention described under tip number 1. You must get out of the rut that you are in. Working in a cubicle for the rest of your life is the notion that's really silly. When you leave your present workplace to go home, take a different route. You may find that by getting lost while you are on your journey, you rediscover your creative inner child, inside.


Creativity is an act, something one does, not a trait. You have to give your creative side the time and tools to act. Get yourself unstuck through lots of stimulation. Take the time to actually study innovation Raul Mondesi Jersey , invention, the future, the past, and specific creative techniques. On that last point, here's an example of one technique: think about opposites. What's the opposite of a high priced anything? An economy priced version. What's the opposite of a big package? A small one. It's chunky versus creamy. Light versus full-bodied.


There are books, Web sites, training programs, articles, and devotees of the study of creativity. It's time for you to 'start your creative engine Frank White Jersey ,? buckle-up, and blast off to other worlds that can be reached only in your imagination.


3) Research, research, research. Study, study, study. Read, read, read. Do your homework. Remember that old adage about 'location, location Willie Wilson Jersey , location?? Well, now you can forget that one, at least for the moment. Your location, your customer base, your supply channels, your price, all of these things will become clear if you become a researcher. We are not talking about the stereotypical, wimpy, ?beat me up in the schoolyard and take my lunch money? type of researcher. We're talking about a new breed of formidable Salvador Perez Jersey , respectable, 'super researcher?: A guerilla fighter who takes names, observes weaknesses, and kicks booty.


Quickly, the next time you visit your neighborhood video store, count the tapes (DVD's, games, etc.) on