Bootstrapped is an online platform – that helps you build the skills you need to plan, start and manage a business. Check out their website here.
Entrepreneurialism gives you the edge
More and more grads are finding it challenging to secure a job in their chosen field because of limited opportunities to cultivate practical experiences.
Consider a pathway with a low barrier to entry, such as developing a blog, moderating a Facebook group or opening a small e-com store. Having a title such as Founder / Author / Membership Co-ordinator / Website Developer or Marketer can take your resume to the next level.
But wait, there’s more! You’re also in prime position to gain essential business and life skills including negotiation, communication, resilience, perseverance and self-reliance.
Consider the tax perks
Working for the man and fed up with long and inflexible shifts? Side gigs are all about when and where you want to work.
In Australia, people aren’t required to pay tax on the first $18,000 they earn. They can also claim on business-related expenses like travel, food, phone bills and portions of car payments. If your degree is aligned to your business, you may also have the opportunity to claim back on education.
International students can also gain through applying for an ABN and sourcing contracted work.
Prepare now and prosper later
Overnight success is the stuff of corporate fairy tales – many people find it takes up to three years before they can pull a decent full time wage. Developing a business prior to graduation gives you a tidy head start while learning (and even failing) in a relatively safe environment. See the following point.
Fail before succeeding
Most businesses fail early with many early stage entrepreneurs cycling through three business ideas and countless mistakes before striking gold.
History is littered with stories of those who persevered and went on to reap the rewards. Think about household names including Bill Gates (Microsoft), Henry Ford (Ford Motors), Fred Smith (FedEx) and Akio Morita (Sony).
Youth is also a pretty handy asset when starting out – it is better to fail at 20 then having to juggle responsibilities like a mortgage and kids.
Join a community, fire up your networks
Being an entrepreneur shouldn’t happen in splendid isolation. Australia is going through a boom time with start-ups, and new players are always welcome. There’s never been a better time to access incubators, co-working spaces, events, mentoring, tips, courses, Meetup groups and all round inspo to create a business.
Diving into the ecosystem is also invaluable to building a professional and social network of smart, innovative and driven connections.
Take advantage of your immediate surroundings
Not quite ready to strike out within the wider innovation community? Unis, TAFEs and schools have access to fast internet, meeting rooms, clubs and other learning resources. There’s also the people element. Most campuses host a range of experts including academics, career advisers and entrepreneurs, many of whom are accessible (and free) to provide their insights and advice.
Your peer group is the perfect test market
Students are one of the most coveted target markets – valuable for testing new ideas. Young entrepreneurs are more likely to thrive when they tap into this market while they are still part of it. After all, no one wants to be seen as the “toolie” on campus.
Cheap as chips
Businesses can be launched online, from anywhere, and with virtually no capital outlay. Once mapped out, you can get a business up and running for as little as $500 which covers the following necessities – ABN registration, website development, ecommerce, hosting, social channels, logo design, business cards, T&Cs, legal advice, insurance and more.
Cool story, Bro
Build a job seeker narrative that’s different from the usual retail or hospitality employment backstory. If you can talk about actual experiences relating project management, team building and problem solving, employers will sit up and take notice.
Fast-track your mindset maturity
Starting a business shows that you’re proactive, innovative, open to learning and driven – attributes which are prized by companies across a range of industries and serve you throughout your career progression.
Who are Bootstrapped?
Bootstrapped is on an online community bringing together small business owners and industry gurus in one place through providing a full suite of discounted services, tools and resources, training guides and expert advice to help entrepreneurs start, plan and manage their business.
Their mission is to build a young entrepreneurial culture to ensure the younger generation is equipped to learn the necessary skills needed to secure future employment. Bootstrapped is helping uni, TAFE and school students to develop hands-on skills through launching their own business or hobby.
Bootstrapped is offering Ribit users a special price access to its entrepreneurial platform for $35 annually. Use discount code: RIBIT at checkout
https://www.bootstrappedmembership.com/