Starting a Business in Orlando, Florida

In the last 20 years governments and some private groups are being motivated to create strategies to promote the development of new business ideas. They are moved by the growing need to develop new sources of employment and to generate wealth for our cities and countries. In fact, knowing that new entrepreneurs may quit before finding answers to the questions mentioned before, the governments are trying to delete or minimize the fears, doubts, or laziness confronted by the entrepreneurs with all kind of strategies (Neider 22). One of those governments is the United State’s.

In fact, in the United States most jobs are not created by big business or by the government (although the government has certainly added a lot of people in the last eight years), they are created by entrepreneurs who start or expand small businesses (Judd 1). Moreover, statistics collected by the Small Business Administration´s Office of Advocacy of U.S. between 1980 and 1999, show that more than 2 million businesses (17.2%) across the country were owned by 25- to 34-year-olds, and 3.5 millions of firms (29.7%), a larger percentage of small business are owned by 35-to 44-year-olds (Garcia 1). Also, its show that females are starting small business at a rate five times grater than that of males in the U.S., it is estimated that over one-third of the new companies in the U.S. were founded by women, in the last 20 years (Neider 1). Therefore, to overcome the actual financial crisis, more entrepreneurs are needed by the country.

Moreover, the State of Florida offered special advantages to the entrepreneurs interested on doing business related with exports and import to and from Latin-Americans countries (CAFTA 2009), outside services, tourism and hospitality, and to franchise operators (PR Newswire). Actually, the city of Orlando is a wonderful example of what the governments are doing to cheer the entrepreneur’s careers. Supported by his mayor Buddy Dyer, the City has a web site, which contain a complete guide to all those interested in starting a business in there. There is a comprehensive guide, full of useful contacts and information to make starting an operating business in the City as convenient and easy as possible. Some specials programs are offered to minority and women owned firms. One of the goals is educate and provide resources, thus enabling them to become more competitive and self-sufficient. Also, is possible check out the requirements to qualify for up to $20,000 of development fee assistance, participating on the Business Assistance Program expanded, which include retail, restaurant and personal service businesses. As a evidence of the effectiveness of the strategies adopted by the city, in the latest years, the City of Orlando has been recognized by the Wall Street Journal as one of the top 10 cities for “business vitality” and Fortune Small Business magazine named Orlando as one of the nation’s best places in the U.S. to live and launch a new business (City 2007).

However, to conquer the nearest frontier, several obstacles have to be defeated by the entrepreneurs. First, entrepreneurs have to find a motivation to conquer by them self. These motives differ principally in the origin of the concept of entrepreneurism, but they will be supported by the same needs. Some entrepreneurs have been motivated because of the lack of a job after finishing school or after being fired, the urgency of staying in some specific area or just to be the owners of their own time. The principal reason is that most of them found in entrepreneurism a way to independence (Brattina 7). Second, all successful entrepreneurs or business owners are going to need an idea, lots of enthusiasm, an incredible sense of urgency and a high level of commitment. Indeed, whatever impulse motivates their entrepreneurial careers; the enthusiasm and the commitment are going to be the basic support for the first years of the marriage between the entrepreneur and his or her business idea (Gumpert 4). Third, entrepreneurs have to find the appropriate process to start their own business. This process includes find out the governmental and environmental policies and regulations that cover the field in which they want to get in, build the business plan, and the search for investors or capital to start the business. The business plan includes set up the industry analysis (bargaining power of suppliers and buyers, treat of substitutes and new entrants, and rivalry among competitors), the Market analysis (Place, Product, Promotion and Price), and the financial analysis, between other minor details (Warda).

Moreover, to get start the entrepreneur have to know that it will require a lot of his or her personal time and the support of the family members, at least the first 6 years of development. Most of the times, it is a commitment of 24 hours daily. On the other hand, with a good planning and a good started strategy, the careful entrepreneur could make some difference. First, the best technology at the lowest price, it could be useful to reduce and simplify process hours, worker-hand, increasing effectiveness, and the rentability of the business. Second, a starter business always have to be conservative in its expenses, including get started with fewer people and subcontracting services non related with the core business. Third, look well established, professional, and stable, are crucial aspects to create a market and to get new customers (Gumpert 5). Fifth, sustain with the quality of the product and the service the good will of the business. Finally, never take out the view of the deer and the beasts; the entrepreneurs always have to watch the market, the behavior of the consumer, and the competitors.

Nonetheless, the entrepreneurism is no a magical solution to reduce the rates of unemployment. Moreover when the taxes to start a business aren’t agree with the People wishes and the governmental goals. Also, it is not an easy way to earn some money or to find a job. Still, it is a way to achieve job satisfaction, challenge, independence, and autonomy, and if it is do it appropriately, it could be a source of capital for the entrepreneur and his or her employees, and alleviates suffers of the economy. It may be consider as a patriotic sacrifice, in which the only gun is the creativity and the effort.