I Started My Business With Just $350 — Now It Makes $2 Million a Year

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Launching a successful business from humble beginnings is the dream of many aspiring entrepreneurs. While having startup capital on hand will definitely give your new business a head start, a lack of funds doesn’t mean you can’t still be successful.

Many entrepreneurs who began with almost nothing turned their small ventures into thriving, high-income businesses. It only proves that you don’t need a lot of cash to succeed. 

Brian Town is the CEO and founder of the award-winning marketing and branding agency, Michigan Creative. But when he first started his business, he had very limited resources. 

“I quit my job as a teacher on a Friday and started Michigan Creative the following Monday,” said Town. “With no money saved up and no investors, I secured an office in a small incubator in East Lansing, Michigan.”

All he had to start was $350, the small shared office space and a desktop computer. Today, he owns his own building.

As Town explained, “Thirteen years later, we are bringing in seven figures and working with clients all over the country.”

Here’s a look at how Town built his business from the ground up.

Use Your Existing Skills

When you start a business, it only makes sense to take advantage of the skills you already have. But you may also find that your previous experience can be used in unexpected ways in your new business.

Town’s teaching background equipped him with communication and leadership skills, which were essential to a successful marketing agency. 

“From teaching, I had honed my skills in public speaking and leadership, which proved invaluable in my entrepreneurial journey,” said Town. “The first step was to just go for it — try things, fail and try again.”

You Don’t Have To Do It All Yourself

This is a hard lesson for many entrepreneurial types, but a key element of success is to get help. You don’t have to do everything yourself — in fact, if you can, you should hire employees whose skills complement your own and fill in the gaps.

“I quickly learned the importance of surrounding myself with people who are smarter and better than me,” said Town.

Delegation is also important. If you know when to delegate, it’ll allow you to focus on the parts of your business where your skills are most valuable.

Have a Clear Brand Identity

You’ve probably heard this over and over again, but it bears repeating: A strong brand identity is essential for standing out from your competition.

This is especially true if you’re not starting with a ton of capital — you have to rely on a strong brand to attract and keep customers.

What does that mean exactly? Well, developing a clear, consistent message that resonates with your target audience and reflects the spirit of your company. This includes your logo, social media, customer service and everything else that’s customer facing. 

“It was crucial to let people know who we were and what Michigan Creative stood for,” said Town. “We needed to communicate our unique position in the market. We focused on telling our story and demonstrating how our values differentiated us from the competition.”

Stay the Course

The most important lesson of all is this: You must stay the course if you want to succeed. As long as you’re able to stay afloat — and aren’t ruining your financial future, as this is also key! — you should keep going.

Remember that entrepreneurial success can sometimes take a while. Building any business is full of challenges, but especially so when you’re starting out with limited resources. And because failure is part of the process and a learning opportunity, think of ways you can use it grow.

“The journey was challenging, but every failure was a lesson that propelled us forward,” Town shared.

“By leveraging my background in teaching and focusing on clear, consistent communication, we built a strong brand that resonated with clients. Today, Michigan Creative is not just a company; it’s a testament to perseverance, adaptability and the power of a clear vision.”

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