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Virtual Incubator
 
 
 

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We've Blazed The Trail For You

As a successful corporate manager, you're experienced at developing creative strategies backed by step-by-step implementation plans in order to achieve important goals.

And you're accustomed to being able to call upon the services of an experienced support staff to accelerate the completion of your task.

When you enroll in the Virtual Incubator Program you receive the very same step-by-step planning process backed by a talented support staff as you plan your transition from corporate manager to your new life as an entrepreneurial business owner.

Download program brochure

You don't have to blaze your own trail as you turn your good business idea into a great business.

Working with more than 4,000 new entrepreneurs over the past 20 years, we've already blazed the trail for you.

"When I was downsized at age 52, I knew immediately that it was time to start my own business. Thanks to the step by step planning process presented in Virtual Incubator Program and Jeff Williams's always reliable guidance, I was able to turn my dream into a highly profitable business".

- Ken Proskie
Compass Health & Safety

Share Ken's story of how he went from corporate manager to a successful 50+ business owner.

With The Help Of Your Start-Up Team, You're Free To Concentrate On What You Do Best

You want to center a fun and rewarding business around a very specific business skill, a market opportunity or an in-demand area of knowledge.

You know that you need a solid plan of action, but you don't want to waste time and money wandering through the business planning process...you want to get out there and start selling what you're really good at doing!

When you enroll in the Virtual Incubator Program, you work with a business start-up expert to quickly and cost effectively put together a sound business strategy and action plan to make your business's entry into the marketplace dramatic and highly profitable.

"I was quite confident in making the dramatic transformation from corporate CPA to life coach. But I was less sure of how to turn my newly gained skills into a lucrative business. Jeff's insightful and caring coaching, backed by the systematic planning offered in the Virtual Incubator Program gave me all the confidence I needed to successfully launch my coaching practice".

- Althea McIntyre
ARM Career & Life Coaching

Following Our Step By Step Business Planning Process Assures You Never
Have To Wonder What To Do Next

You Work 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.

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You Plan Anywhere You Have Internet Access

You'll prepare for your weekly coaching sessions by using by our Online Planning Center, which shows you exactly which decision to make in which sequence.

A typical online planning module page is presented below.


The Online Planning Center serves as the "traffic cop" of your business planning, directing you, step by step, on how to complete each planning decision.

The Planning Modules feature links to outside websites to permit "one click" access to a wide variety of useful information. We also feature proven management tips in special "pop up windows".

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You Learn Every Key Management Skill


The 286-page Business Starter Guide educates you in every skill you will need to launch and grow your own business.

You can also access dozens of proven money-saving tips, as well as more than 30 personal reflections by Jeff Williams, Chief Coach of the Virtual Incubator Network, on his real-world business start-up experiences.

You complete a series of pencil-on-paper worksheets, guided by the Online Planning Modules, to conceptualize, evaluate and fine-tune each of your business planning decisions before you record it in your business planning software.

You'll learn every management skill essential to running a profitable, growing company by completing a series of step-by-step planning worksheets - it's like getting a small business MBA in just a few weeks!

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Your Business Plan Will Almost Write Itself

As you make each planning decision, you'll enter it into your Business Blueprint outline to create a comprehensive business plan, complete with a full description of your new business, including:

A marketing strategy that will get you the sales you need to make your new business go the distance!

A marketing action plan for a whole year - so you can concentrate on running your business in the first critical year instead of worrying about what step comes next in your marketing.

A management plan so that you'll build reliable systems to permit you to continue to provide excellent customer service as your company grows.

A system to gather vital financial data so that you can project how your brand new business will perform over the next weeks and months!

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Your Start-Up Team Powers Up Your Business

Your Virtual Incubator Business Start-Up Services Package provides expert assistance to aid you in completing a series of key organizational and marketing tasks.

Your work with our Business Start-Up Support Team is coordinated by your Virtual Incubator Coach.

Use the table below to learn more about each Support Team Task.

Planning Week #2 Decision 7 - Design Business Logo & Identity Materials Learn more
Planning Week #2 Decision 8 - Select Legal Form Learn more
Planning Week #6 Decision 26 - Design Website & Create Content Learn more
Planning Week #8 Decision 37 - Install & Use QuickBooks Learn more

Design your logo
and business identity materials


Your Virtual Incubator Coach will help you select a strong name for your business and then our Start-Up Team goes to work creating an eye-catching logo and business identity built around your business name and mission.

See a logo example above for our client, Compass Health & Safety, a consulting company.

Your logo is used on your business cards and website and is sent to you in several digital file formats so that you can place the logo anywhere you wish in the future.

Note: Your Virtual Incubator Start-Up Services Package includes 500 full-color business cards for your use.

Select your business legal form

Your Virtual Incubator Start-Up Services Package includes a 30-minute consultation with a local accountant to discuss the mission of your business, how you plan to set up the management team and any personal financial information that is pertinent to selecting the appropriate legal form for your business.

Once you and your accountant-advisor agree upon a legal form for your business, your Virtual Incubator coach will assist you in legally reqistering your business.

Design your company website

An eye-catching and well-worded website is a critically important marketing tool for your business. Our Virtual Incubator designer works with you once again to create a dynamic lead-generating and sales support website for your new company.

We've created a special web page through which you submit all the information the website designer needs to customize your website design to your business's marketing strategy.

Your Virtual Incubator coach will direct you on how to access the website design input page.

Install & use the QuickBooks Pro software

Strong financial management for your new business demands that you collect all of your sales and expenses in one place and then use this data to produce useful management reports.

To help you automate your bookkeeping, we include a copy of the QuickBooks Pro accounting software program in your Startup Package, which we will send to you once you are under way working with your Virtual Incubator coach.

To prepare you to use your QuickBooks software, your coach will guide you through three planning decisions that relate to managing your business accounting.

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Download program brochure

Launch Your Business In Just Fourteen Weeks

At key points during the 14-week Virtual Incubator Program, your coach will request that you submit via email sections of your Business Blueprint outline for review and critique.

And during your final coaching session in the 14-week program, your coach will review the 60-point Pre-Launch Checklist to assure that no important planning details have been overlooked.

14 Week Business Planning Schedule

Program Week #1

During your first week of business planning, you will complete the following business planning decisions:

  • Describe your form of launch - from scratch; franchise purchase; or buying a business.
  • Write out your business description.
  • Create research plan to find additional concept information.
  • Evaluate your concept to identify multiple streams of revenue.
  • Examine your personal financial situation.
  • Set personal & business goals.
  • Describe your business-related experience.

Service Provider Note: Our accountant completes a phone consultation with you regarding the appropriate legal form to select.

Program Week #2

During your second week of business planning, you will complete the following business planning decisions:

  • Create a company identity for both print and the Web.
  • Select your business's legal form.
  • Legally register your business, as well as your Web domain name.
  • Complete any other legal needs.
  • Set up marketing and management resources.
  • Examine and properly abide by all government regulations.
  • Explore your business space needs. If outside space is necessary, begin search.
  • Decide upon what type of business advisors you need. Approach suitable individuals.
  • Examine your personnel needs. If employee(s) is needed, create job description, decide upon the wage level, organize recruiting and interviewing strategy and obtain required tax paperwork.

Service Provider Note: Our graphic design partner starts work on your logo and identity material layout.

Program Week #3

During your third week of business planning, you will complete the following business planning decisions:

  • Describe your target customers.
  • Complete a competitive assessment.
  • Describe your product/service features and customer buying benefits.
  • Define your desired market niche.
  • Create and implement a market research plan.

Service Provider Note: Your logo is done and your identity materials are ready to be printed. 500 full-color business cards will be sent directly to you.

Program Week #4

During your fourth week of business planning, you will complete the following business planning decisions:

  • Define your business's Unique Selling Proposition.
  • Explain what customer segments you will sell to.
  • Describe and evaluate the affect of trends on your marketing strategy.
  • Describe your customer service strategy.
  • Complete your marketing startegy section of your marketing plan.

Program Week #5

During your fifth week of business planning, you take on no new planning decisions.

Instead, you spend this week working on filling in your Business Blueprint outline for Sections IV-VIII, your marketing strategy.

Service Provider Note: Our website designer begins work on your company's website, using the previously designed logo.

Program Week #6

During your sixth week of business planning, you will complete the following business planning decisions:

  • Create your selling story and describe how you will communicate the message.
  • Describe your chosen promotional tactics, budget and schedule.
  • Explain your sales support system.
  • Finish the marketing action plan portion of your marketing plan.
  • Create copy for your sales promotion pieces. Start work with graphic designer to layout materials and then have them printed.
  • Create content for website. Start work with web designer to create site layout, navigation and special features.

Program Week #7

During your seventh week of business planning, you once again have no new planning decisions to consider, but instead spend time filling in your Business Blueprint Outline for Sections IX-X, your marketing action plan.

Program Week #8

During your eighth week of business planning, you will complete the following business planning decisions:

  • Compare local banks. Set up business checking account and merchants credit card account (if necessary).
  • Research and describe your business start-up and monthly operating expenses.
  • Set fees and/or prices.
  • Establish your accounting Chart of Accounts on paper.
  • Acquire and install QuickBooks® accounting software, inputting your Chart of Accounts.
  • Obtain manual support supplies for your accounting system.

Service Provider Note: Your website design and at least your first draft of website content is done. Your coach assists you in setting up your website hosting.

Program Week #9

During your ninth week of business planning, you will complete the following business planning decisions:

  • Complete Profit & Loss and Cash Flow Projections for your first year in business.
  • Estimate your start-up capital needs and identify realistic sources of this capital.
  • Review your business income tax obligations, including employment tax requirements.
  • Determine if your business is subject to sales tax collection. If yes, set up recordkeeping system.
  • Review your personal and business insurance needs. Obtain needed insurance.

Service Provider Note: You've approved the design of your website and we've helped you set up your web hosting and tested your website as it "goes live".

Program Week #10

During your tenth week of business planning, you once again have no new planning decisions to consider, but instead spend time filling in your Business Blueprint Outline for Section XI, your financial management plan.

Program Week #11

During your eleventh week of business planning, you will complete the following business planning decisions:

  • Set up your time and scheduling system, including contact management.
  • Set up your office furniture and equipment.
  • Set up your production & delivery system.
  • Set up your records filing system.
  • Review your telecommunications plan & acquire any needed equipment.
  • Review your computer hardware and software. Obtain any additional software and computer accessories.
  • Complete your Pre-Launch Checklist.

Program Week #12

During your twelfth week of business planning, you once again have no new planning decisions to consider, but instead spend time filling in your Business Blueprint Outline for Section XII, your operations plan.

Program Week #13

During week thirteen of your business planning you discuss the critique of your Business Blueprint plan with your coach and work on revisions, additions and expansions of your plan narrative and fine-tuning your financial projections.

Program Week #14

In this last week of your business planning, you review the 60-point Pre-Launch Checklist with your program coach, to assure that you haven't forgotten to complete any key organizational activities.

Download program brochure

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