Small Business Startup Costs_1917

Determining Your Small Business Start Up Cost
2. Ask as few questions as possible. There is always a ton of information in the script that should let you make an educated choice and your job is to make choices, not ask the director for some. Some actors may argue with me but I have to push back and say I'm right here. In the 30 or so auditions I read for last week, about half the actors asked some form of, "What are you looking for?" to the producers...and the answer was the same in every case..."Let's see your interpretation and if we need to make any changes, we'll let you know". I have never been in a room where the producers wanted to direct an actor before they had seen the actors preparation first. That's why they use actors and not robots...you bring your own personality to everything and you might be the person they are looking for, so bring your A game and show them what you've got.
Small business start up costs will vary depending on the type of business you are looking to start. Different types of businesses have different start up cash requirements so there really is no generic means of estimating how much your start up will cost. While some businesses can be funded on a shoe string budget, others may be more capital-intensive and require significant investments in a building, inventory, and equipment. An important step for entrepreneurs is to confirm that they have enough capital to cover the start up costs for their new venture.
A List of Potential Start Up Expenses
There are several other questions people ask like, "Should I sit or stand"...etc that are also unnecessary. While some humor that demonstrates your confidence and amicability can be helpful and won't hurt (don't try it unless you are super comfortable), worrying about what they 'want' is unnecessary and won't get you the job. The only thing that will get you the job is being awesome. You should learn all that from an on camera audition class. That is the place to make mistakes. Other unhelpful questions such as, "What is my frame...what is my eye line...will the cameraman follow me?", etc. are things that only make you worry about what it is that you are doing. Think about it. You have a really great preparation based on your interpretation and then you ask some questions and they tell you that everything you have prepared is wrong...then what? You're mentally, if not physically, screwed. Better to do your thing and then let them re-direct.
Here are some of the most common start up costs a new business owner might expect:
Utilities- Such as heat and electricity.
Equipment- Such things as computers, copiers, telephones, and faxes are essential for most small businesses. Your business may require more equipment (e.g. machinery that helps you make your product).
Employees- If your company will require more workers than just you, you will have to plan for wage expenses.
Inventory- If you will be selling hard goods, you will need to plan for such costs as materials, production, and packaging.
In order to determine your start up cost, you will need to create a list of the expenses you will incur on start up. While many of these expenses will be one-time fees (e.g. licenses and permits), others will be recurring fees (e.g. wages, utilities, insurance). To assuage your costs, you will want to determine which are required and which can be postponed until later phases of the business. For further analysis, you should also separate your costs into those that are fixed (e.g. rent, utilities) and those that are variable (e.g. advertising, shipping expenses).
Building- Your building or location cost can include monthly rent and any improvements or renovations.
It may be a good idea to create a worksheet that outlines all of your expected costs. It is also advisable to overestimate what you believe your initial funding requirements will be as unforeseen expenses often arise.
Marketing and sales- You will need to plan for advertising expenses and (if you have a sales team) commission payments.