Man, yes these were for you, but I don't blame you.
Be serious, no matter how big or how small the business is, you must have a business plan before starting it, either on paper or on you mind, either simple or complicated.
You may think you have a business that is so small and and not worth a formal process to guide it. In no times I can figure out the reason you think a few tips from this forum would help you to reach your next milestone. Would it be happening? That's a hit or miss opportunity. At least it's not a calculated success, if any, unfortunately.
I hate to tell you the truth. And I hate to tell the majority of Chinese the truth that it doesn't matter how smart a guy is, he or she has only limited resources, can't avoid making mistakes, and can't afford to make mistakes too. Sounds like everyone is struggling between a rock and a stone. That's the ugly truth of doing business.
Did you hear somebody telling you that you can touch stones to cross the river? Man, that's irresposible!!! To your own business as well as to a nation's fortune. And how many Chinese Enterprises make its way growing into a globally recognizeable size without paying its way to buy the markets? Next to none!!! That's an unfortunate truth, but it is the ugly truth.
Would most of us have to pay ultimate tuition to get over with this overly simplicity mindset to begin a business with? I don't know from a personal perspective, but sure from a national perspective for which I can give you a little bit forecast that the crucial verification point is approaching when there are only two outcomes: live or die. Does the statement "business is war" ring a bell to you?
If you think I am BS all the way and nothing would help you with your busness, that's exactly the point you reach this crucial point. Yes, I don't doubt that you have been running a successful business, and trying to grow it in some way. There are too many parameters and too much uncertainties. You don't know how to analyze the risks and put up a mitigation plan to reduce them. Man, I share your pain. And here is my standpoint.
First and foremost, I don't talk money. Second, I don't talk business, last not least, I don't ask personal questions. So what am I here for? Simple, I am offering the approach you never heard before and I am doing with it like eating my lunch.
There are commonalities and differences between doing business on eBay and transform an idea or patent into an operational business. I don'd make comments on doing business on eBay because it's a relatively simple business model and everybody can afford to invest the whole process with full containment, with or without physical merchadise. When starting a model a little bit complicated, some people look losing the direction. They start to make request guaranteed to fail their own business. That's the reason I hate to see.
If a person is willing to learn and be patient, he or she may make it growing in some way. If, like the previous case couple days ago, a guy thinks his patents needs a whole world's attention, then I would tell him that patent itself really isn't worth a damn thing, the process and network capable of achieving the desired outcome would be everything. Did you learn some story like Coke Cola?
Sorry, didn't meant to offend your English, I myself can't type Chinese for some obvious reason.