What kind of business are you creating?

Helping Businesses

Grow & Succeed

Building vs. Being a Business

PRESENTED BY OREGON SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER PORTLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Starting a business has never been easier - thanks to the internet, digital tools, crowdfunding, microloans, and an extensive small business resource

ecosystem across the U.S.

So, what kind of business do you want to create?

There are many different types of business models out there. Here are two popular models:

SMALL BUSINESS OWNER -Build a business -

SOLOPRENEUR -Be the business-

The journey of a solopreneur and a small business owner start off very similar. They both wear multiple hats and are focused on creating a

customer base.

But over time, operational differences start to emerge.

The typical small business path.

Phase 1: When you’re starting out, you are doing everything and there’s so much to do. Things are a bit chaotic.

Phase 2: Sales are constant so you hire employees. Now, you become a manager.

Phase 3: You’ve developed systems and a team that work well. You now enter into a strategic leadership role for your business.

The owner focuses on their core skill or services and outsources other components of their business. Their team becomes a network of other solopreneurs and contractors.

Above is a photography business example.

The Waterbug ModelTM for solopreneurs.

Photographer

Virtual assistant

Webmaster

Bookkeeper Copywriter

Graphic designer

Social media manager

There is no right or wrong business model; it just depends on what you’re seeking. Here are some

questions to help you decide what kind of business you want:

What kind of lifestyle do you want to have?

What kind of legacy do you want to leave?

What kind of impact do you want your business to have on your family? Your community? Your industry?

You don’t need to have all the answers right now. But not taking the time to figure out what kind of business you want, can lead to burnout

and unfulfillment in the future.

“If you don’t know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else.” – Yogi Berra

Whichever business model works best for you, we offer business courses to

help you start your business on a solid path.

SMALL BUSINESS BUILDERS

Learn more about the Small Business Builders at

bit.ly/SmallBizBuilders

SOLO BUSINESS BUILDERS

Learn more about Solo Business Buiders at

bit.ly/SoloBiz

Oregon Small Business Development Center Portland Community College

971-722-5080 | sbdc@pcc.edu | www.bizcenter.org/PCC

PCC CLIMB Center for Advancement 1626 SE Water Ave, Suite 310

Portland, OR

PCC Willow Creek Campus 185th Baseline Beaverton, OR

PCC SE Campus SE 82nd & Division

Portland, OR

2014 Recipient of SBA’s Region 10 SBDC in Excellence and Innovation The Portland Community College Small Business Development Center has helped thousands of businesses over the past 30 years. We combine one-on-one advising with programs taught by business experts, giving our clients the resources they need to grow their businesses. In 2014 we worked with over 700 small business owners, trained over 1,500 clients in a wide range of courses, and celebrated many successes. We'd love to celebrate your success.