Hi, this is Carl Rakich, a licensed business start-up coach in the Bizstarters Virtual Incubator Coaching Network.

I invite you to take a couple of minutes to learn more about the advantages of working with a Virtual Incubator coach from Jeff Williams, the chief coach of the Virtual Incubator Coaches Network.

To start the audio clip, just click on the button with the arrowhead icon. To stop the recording, click on the button with the square icon.
(Make sure you turn your computer speakers up).

You use the planning workbook to organize your planning work

The Ultimate Boomer Business Start-Up Guide organizes your business planning into 25 streamlined steps.

You learn new skills as you need them and consider each decision using a pencil-on-paper worksheet.

You save hundreds of dollars by following our money-saving tips.

And you share in the real-world experience of launching a new business through the personal experiences of Jeff Williams, the chief coach for the Virtual Incubator Business Start-Up Program, who launched his second and third business after age 50.

You review your decisions each week with your coach

Guided by your personal Virtual Incubator coach you'll receive advice, critique and encouragement through weekly live coaching sessions.

And in between weekly coaching sessions, we encourage you to send any planning questions you have to your coach by e-mail, for a prompt reply.

You stay focused, always sure what comes next...and you see your business plan progress each week.

You accelerate your business launch
with the help of your service providers team

While you and your Virtual Incubator Coach work together to develop your winning business plan, the Virtual Incubator start-up services support team is working to quickly and professionally complete a series of key organizational tasks, including:

• Design of an attention-getting logo to define your business identity.
  
  
• Design and printing of your business cards.
  
  
• A traffic-stopping website design, featuring compelling selling copy.
  
  
• Expert design and copy editing for a selling brochure.
  
  
• Installation of QuickBooks accounting software and tutoring in its use.

Frequently Asked Questions About The Program

Q. How do you decide which clients to work with?

A. We talk to you. This is why we offer a free, 30-minute phone coaching session, so that we can use the information you provide in your coaching request form and what you tell us during your coaching session to determine if we are good fit for each other.

Q. How is Virtual Incubator coaching different from working with other small business counselors?

A. The big difference is the street-smart advice we provide in our start-up workbook and the do-it-for-you support you receive. Every planning resource and needed service provider is made available to you -- all in one place.

Virtual Incubator coaching is best described as a "soup-to-nuts" process, that includes an intensive period of coaching and coordination of our team of start-up service providers. It's not a quick, "here's-how-YOU-do-it" one weekend workshop. That won't get you past your time pressure and inertia.

In addition, each of our Virtual Incubator coaches has an extensive Rolodex of contacts and resources to tap into, for whatever your specialized need. Your coach is pleased to put you into contact with an array of people who are there to support your business needs.

Q. How long is my relationship with a Virtual Incubator coach?

A. It depends upon what business planning tasks, such as incorporation, you've already successfully completed. To provide flexibility in the length of your planning schedule, we break our business start-up coaching system into four modules, shown below.

If you feel that you need to work through all four business planning modules with your Virtual Incubator coach, you can expect to work with your coach for at least fourteen (14) weeks.

Q. Are study materials provided when working with a Virtual Incubator coach?

A. Yes, you'll use the 222-page Ultimate Boomer Business Start-Up Guide to organize your business launch preparation into 25 planning decisions, and to prepare you to most effectively work during each coaching session.

You'll also receive the Business Blueprint business planning CD (written in Word for Windows), which you'll use to enter your planning decisions into a word processing document thereby creating a narrative, which is supported by your financial projections.

Q. How do I know which organizational steps can be completed more quickly with outside assistance and how do I find the appropriate service provider?

A. We know exactly which of your planning decisions will get completed faster and more professionally with the help of an expert service provider. Your Virtual Incubator coach will note when these tasks come up in your business planning process, will help you prepare to work with the members of our expert start-up service providers team, and will coordinate your work with the service providers to assure timely completion.

Q. Am I expected to apply myself full-time to planning my new business?

A. If you mean 40 hours per week, then the answer is no. But we can tell you from working with hundreds of start-up clients that you will progress more rapidly if you commit at least 10 hours per week to prepare for each coaching session.

Q. What if I've already completed some of the organizational steps? Do I have to repeat the same work with my Virtual Incubator Coach?

A. No, we do our very best to customize the exact planning steps for which you receive coaching help to take into consideration what work you've already completed. As you can see further up this page, we break the business start-up coaching process into four modules. You can purchase just one module or a combination of modules.

However, each Virtual Incubator coach does reserve the right to review the work you feel you've completed to assure that the work was done correctly. If adjustments need to be made, your Virtual Incubator coach will guide you on what tasks need to be added to your chosen set of business planning modules.

Q. What can I expect to have done when I complete my work with a Virtual Incubator coach?

A. You will have:

• Selected a business address and created a business identity, including a logo, color scheme, business card layout, and web domain name.
  
  
• Completed legal registration and compliance with any other pertinent government regulations.
  
  
• Completed a plan to set up your office space, business technology and local business support services.
  
  
• Completed a marketing strategy plan along with a promotional action plan and schedule.
  
  
• Secured a website design and compelling website content.
  
  
• Set up your customer service and sales support systems.
  
  
• Arranged your business banking set up, including a merchants credit card account, where applicable.
  
  
• Installed QuickBooks accounting software and, when desired, received a tutorial on its use.
  
  
• Set your expense budget and projected your first year profit and loss and cash flow.
  
  
• Reviewed personal and business insurance coverage.
  
  
• Learned the tax filing requirements for your kind of business form and learned how to handle the Home Office Office Deduction.
  
  
• Set up your telecommunications system.
  
  
• Decided upon what kind of personnel support you will need.
  
  
• Arranged a reliable system for producing and delivering your product or service.

To request your free coaching appointment, please fill in and submit this form. We will promptly contact you.