SALLIE HYMAN

Qualifying for personal loans when you are self-employed can be very difficult, especially in today’s economic climate.

When the frustration of the daily grind or the thoughts that “I could do this and be my own boss” start to cross your mind, then it is time to sit down and plan how to get from the “here” of a job to the “there” of starting your own business.

Somewhere between that “ah-ha” moment of a great business idea and cashing your first paycheck should be a lot of research to determine what the market is like for your idea. Many entrepreneurs are very good at coming up with services or products that sound like they fill a need, but fall short in how to enter the market. Often they will blindly jump into the business arena, only to find that they either failed to do any market research or grossly misunderstood the market.

Have a great idea or product that you think will make you money? Or do you already have a small business that is ready to grow? Where will you get the money you need to start up or grow? Many forms of financing are available, but few business owners are aware of the potential of crowdfunding.