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Couple of months ago I had lunch with the co-founder of Debonair Magazine, Eddie Hertzman.  He gave me the push I needed to get my business idea going.  If you have a business idea and wonder what to do next, his advice can help you, too.  So I told him about my grand idea: I want to create a website where women that choose to have it all -- professional success and a family -- can connect, network, and get support.  I wanted  to create a website with good content and with the potential to replace my day job. 

Why am I talking to him about this?  He created a successful online magazine for men in their 20s that won an award of Best Web Content 2007. 

This is what he told me:

1.) If you already have a domain name in mind and it is available, don’t waste another second, go buy it now.  Go!

2.) Get a designer for a logo and the site.  What kind of look or feel do you want the site to have?  When you go to Waldorf Astoria hotel, you feel aristocratic.  How do you want your site to make people feel? 

3.) Don’t overwhelm yourself.  Start small.  You don’t need thousands of dollars to start.  You will need couple of hundreds to start slowly.  You don’t need to rent office space, or buy expensive equipment.  Start from your home. 

4.) Think about what makes you an expert.  What makes you different?  These are the questions you should be able to answer as you do your research. 

5.) Don’t quit your day job.  Start on a part-time basis.  Start by writing for established online sites.  Promote one article/blog post at a time. 

6.) Start attending networking events, talk to people, and get to know your competition.  Understand your target market, what they want and looking for. 

7.) Start building a mailing list.  You will do this by talking to people, attending networking events, and collect business cards. 

 What do you think of Eddie’s advice?  Do you have ideas that you are trying to turn into a business?  What obstacles are you facing?