There are many places you can go to find advice on starting your business, including agencies, development centers, colleges and universities. There are many well-intentioned people who will offer to work with you, including consultants, counselors and students.

The bottom line for the success or failure of your startup business may be defined in one word: experience.

Before you risk the future of your business, ask those who wish to advise you about their level of experience in starting, owning, or operating a successful business.

When they have none, don't waste your time or gamble the success of your business with people who have not been there, done that, and have the experience to guide you through the process to produce the results you deserve.

Before you seek anyone's assistance, ask the question: "Have you ever started, owned or operated a successful business?" When the answer is "no," ask the question: "Who can you recommend with experience in starting, owning or operating a successful business?" If they make up some cockamamie reason or excuse that they can't or won't refer you to someone with experience, leave.

Avoid being misled by good intentions, academic degrees, university sponsorships, government partnerships or the mumbo-jumbo of who or what are their funding sources and how they qualify to be giving you business advice.

Be aware that there are tax subsidized small business development groups regretfully having a primary purpose of providing employment to their directors, associate directors, administrators, staff, counselors and seminar leaders, not as giving you advice you can use for your business.

Don't be fooled by their statistics on number of startup businesses they claim they've worked with. They count you (and everyone else who just walks through their door) regardless of whether they gave any information or not.

When you have the courage to start a business, have the smarts to seek only those with the experience it takes to make your business a success.

Accept no substitutes. Seek resultants not consultants

In Houston, call C. Dean Kring, Director of Research at (713) 932-7495 x 13 to find experience and learn how business incubators with an exclusive Entrepreneurial Development Program, tailored development methodology, advisory board, mentor and professional development coach accelerate business growth.

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