- \n
- Start with the resources you already have before chasing outside funding, so you can launch with more focus, less pressure and a clearer sense of what your business truly needs.<\/li>\n
- Use business growth hacks that help you test, learn and improve quickly instead of waiting until every idea feels perfectly polished.<\/li>\n
- Protect your focus with simple productivity hacks for business owners, like no-phone work blocks, task batching and repeatable routines that make your day easier to manage.<\/li>\n
- Build local visibility through in-person relationships, smart partnerships and printed materials that help customers remember, revisit and recommend your business.<\/li>\n
- Turn repeat tasks into simple systems, like quick SOP videos or checklists, so your business can grow without every process depending on you.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n
\n \n\n\n\n Need a quick small business hack? <\/div>\n\n\n Business cards are always a good investment. Check out Vista\u2019s custom templates today! <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n \n\n Shop business cards<\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n1. Set aside time for funding<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Venture capitalist and author Richard Harroch says<\/a>, \u201cIt\u2019s almost always harder to raise capital than you thought it would be, and it always takes longer. So plan for that.\u201d This quote actually contains two important pieces of advice: that raising capital isn\u2019t an easy, straightforward process, so you need to give yourself more time than you thought you\u2019d need for it, and more broadly, that this is true for most aspects of building a business.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t expect overnight results; be willing to invest the time and effort needed for a successful launch. This is one of those entrepreneur tips that applies far beyond money: Product development, hiring, marketing and customer trust usually take longer than your most optimistic plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"RealTalk](\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/vistaprint\/images\/w_1024,h_683,c_scale\/f_auto,q_auto\/v1721738661\/ideas-and-advice-prod\/en-us\/interview-clip-featuring-Karen-Blackwell\/interview-clip-featuring-Karen-Blackwell.jpg?_i=AA\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nRealTalk interview clip featuring Karen Blackwell<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. Start with your savings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The best place to start is with what you already have in your savings account, says Karen Blackwell, founder of Kanda Chocolates. She told VistaPrint, \u201cThe initial funding for my business came from my own savings. I had worked in executive roles in corporate America, so I had stock, I had all these different [personal] funding sources to pull from to start my business. And so, I started with my own money, and then eventually I got some grants throughout the years to further my business.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So if you\u2019re considering starting a business, you might have to use your savings initially before you find funding elsewhere. Starting with what you have can also force helpful discipline: You learn what is essential, what can wait and where every dollar works hardest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. You don\u2019t need much to start<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
However, depending on your business model and plan, you probably don\u2019t actually need much to get it up and running. Take inspiration from amarieacreates founder Ashley Addison, who told VistaPrint in a RealTalks interview, \u201cMy sister and I initially started our business by spending a couple hundred bucks on a Cricut, which is a cutting machine, and just using the printer we already had.\u201d That is the beauty of scrappy business growth hacks: they lower the pressure to launch perfectly and make it easier to start learning from real customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Amarieacreates](\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/vistaprint\/images\/w_1024,h_769,c_scale\/f_auto,q_auto\/v1721738655\/ideas-and-advice-prod\/en-us\/tote-bag-take-care\/tote-bag-take-care.jpg?_i=AA\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\namarieacreates tote bag via VistaPrint<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. \u201cDon\u2019t worry about funding\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Not every business will even need funding. \u201cDon\u2019t worry about funding if you don\u2019t need it,\u201d says Noah Everett<\/a>, founder of Pingly and Twitpic. \u201cToday it\u2019s cheaper to start a business than ever.\u201d Setting up a website can cost very little or even nothing with a website builder like Vista x Wix<\/a>. Take advantage of these and other free online tools, like AI logo makers<\/a> and cloud storage, to get your business up and running. You can always upgrade later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
5. \u201cEmbrace what you don\u2019t know\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
SPANX founder, Sara Blakely, advises<\/a> entrepreneurs, \u201cEmbrace what you don\u2019t know, especially in the beginning, because what you don\u2019t know can become your greatest asset. It ensures that you will absolutely be doing things differently from everybody else.\u201d This business hack guarantees that you\u2019re bringing something fresh to your market instead of imitating what\u2019s already there, consciously or subconsciously. Not knowing \u201cthe normal way\u201d can sometimes help you ask better questions, spot gaps and create a customer experience that feels refreshingly different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
6. \u201cPlant seeds of content\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Film producer and business executive, Amy Pascal, believes that \u201cbrands should think of themselves not as storytellers but as storybuilders.\u201d Pascal\u2019s top business hack, which she lives by, is to involve the community in building stories as opposed to just telling them: \u201cWe plant seeds of content and let our community build on it.\u201d For small businesses, this could mean asking customers to share photos, review products, vote on new designs or show how they use your products in real life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For Edy Massih of Edy\u2019s Grocer, community is not a marketing add-on; it is the reason behind the work. When asked what makes running the business worth it, Edy points to \u201camplifying and uplifting my queer, Middle Eastern community.\u201d That kind of purpose can help a brand feel rooted, specific and genuinely connected to the people it serves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For a deeper dive into the process of launching a small business, check out this case study of a vintage clothing brand launching<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
7. \u201cContent is fire; social media is gasoline\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Once you have your content, the next stage in growing brand awareness is social media. This is what bestselling author, marketing expert and founder of Convince & Convert, Jay Baer, meant when he said \u201cContent is fire; social media is gasoline.<\/a>\u201d For small businesses, social media is king and essential for creating a strong brand. But it works best when it has a clear job, whether that is building trust, answering customer questions, showing product use cases or supporting seasonal campaigns like fall marketing ideas<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tip box: Try a no-phone power hour. Digital notifications can break concentration fast. Research has suggested that every distraction costs you 23 minutes<\/a>, so one of the simplest productivity hacks for business owners is blocking one hour a day with your phone in another room. Use that time for the work that moves the business forward: pricing decisions, customer follow-up, financial review, campaign planning or figuring out how to market a product<\/a> before you start posting about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
8. \u201cUser experience is everything\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
To flourish in business, you need to understand the user and their needs. Twitter co-founder Evan Williams says<\/a> that his top business hack is to prioritize UX. \u201cUser experience is everything. It always has been, but it\u2019s undervalued and underinvested in. If you don\u2019t know user-centered design, study it. Hire people who know it. Obsess over it. Live and breathe it. Get your whole company on board.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For a small business, UX is not just your website. It is how easy it is to find your hours, choose the right product, place an order, understand shipping and get help when something goes wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"VistaPrint](\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/vistaprint\/images\/w_1024,h_1024,c_scale\/f_auto,q_auto\/v1721738659\/ideas-and-advice-prod\/en-us\/orange-and-violet-business-card\/orange-and-violet-business-card.png?_i=AA\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nSource: business card via VistaPrint<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
9. Diversify your business card<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Ashley Addison, founder of amarieacreates, told VistaPrint in a RealTalk interview that she uses \u201cbusiness cards as care cards and apparel cards. So every single cup, whether it\u2019s glassware or a tumbler, gets a business card\u201d with \u201call of my information on one side and the opposite side is how to care for your item for the best longevity.\u201d This means Addison\u2019s business cards aren\u2019t \u201cjust a business card,\u201d but a multi-purpose branding tool that considers the needs of both her customers and products. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can apply the same idea to loyalty offers, thank-you notes, referral cards or QR codes that point customers to tutorials, reorder pages or reviews.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
10. Prioritize in-person presence<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFor us, for the type of business that we run, that in-person presence is extremely important,\u201d Tlali Pani co-founder, Fabiola Lara, told VistaPrint. \u201cI think other businesses are able to have this online platform and this strictly online community, and it works very well for them. But for us, what we\u2019ve realized is that if we want to grow, we really have to be out there and be sharing our story. We have to explain what our products are, how they\u2019re made.\u201d E-commerce is great, but if you offer a tangible product, nothing can replace physical, in-person presence. People want to touch your product, so give them that opportunity through pop-up events and selling in local stores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For The Herd, in-person presence is the whole point. Founders Trey Douyon, Ivan Lanz and Kevin Arrieta say the real reward is seeing people find connection through what they have built: \u201cYou realize you\u2019re not just building a business, you\u2019re building a space for people.\u201d That is the kind of local influence that can turn a simple event, run club, pop-up or gathering into something customers want to come back to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n \n\n\n Tip <\/div>\n\nUse local micro-networking as a foot traffic hack. Partner with three complementary local businesses and create a shared physical bundle voucher. For example, a bakery, florist and gift shop could each offer a small discount when a customer visits the others. It is a low-cost way to turn nearby businesses into referral partners and make your brand visible in the places your customers already go.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n
\n \n\n\n\n\n![\"RealTalk](\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/vistaprint\/images\/w_1067,h_600,c_scale\/f_auto,q_auto\/v1780480561\/ideas-and-advice-prod\/blogadmin\/hands-folding-white-t-shirt\/hands-folding-white-t-shirt.jpg?_i=AA\")
<\/div>\n \n \nVistaPrint interviewed the founders of Tlali Pani<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\n\n![\"VistaPrint](\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/vistaprint\/images\/w_1067,h_600,c_scale\/f_auto,q_auto\/v1780480553\/ideas-and-advice-prod\/blogadmin\/promotional-products-at-trade-booth\/promotional-products-at-trade-booth.jpg?_i=AA\")
<\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n11. Start with a store<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Alexandra Scholtz, founder of WildFlora, also expressed the importance of real-world assets in a RealTalk interview. \u201cWe grew our business very organically, starting with our location. We found a really beautiful storefront\u2026 and put a lot of intention into the store itself to make sure it was attractive, clean and beautiful.\u201d So if your business needs a physical location, then make sure you consider its importance in the early stages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A storefront can become part of your marketing engine when your signage, window displays, product layout and printed takeaways all tell the same story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
12. Keep good company<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe fastest way to change yourself is to hang out with people who are already the way you want to be,\u201d says LinkedIn co-founder, Reid Hoffman<\/a>. Nobody is immune to being influenced, so surround yourself with fellow entrepreneurs and like-minded people you want<\/em> to be influenced by, and you will see the effects on your business. This is especially helpful when you are learning how to expand a business<\/a> because other owners can share the lessons, shortcuts and mistakes that do not always make it into polished success stories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maria Colalancia of Aperitivo puts it simply: \u201cHaving people in your corner is one of the most important business tools you can have.\u201d Whether that is a mentor, collaborator, employee, fellow founder or trusted friend, the right people can help you make clearer decisions when you are too close to the problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
13. \u201cAsk for the sale\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAt the end of the day, it really is that, ask for the sale,\u201d FRUITLOOTS co-founder David Cruz told VistaPrint. \u201cWhen you\u2019re networking, and you\u2019re introducing yourself to other people, tell them what you do, tell them how you can help their business and say, \u2018Here\u2019s my business card. If you\u2019d like to do some gift boxes through FRUITLOOTS, I\u2019ll give you a discount on your first order.\u2019\u201d Although it can feel awkward at first, asking for sales is how you make them, so be forward and don\u2019t miss a single opportunity. You do not have to be pushy; you just have to make the next step clear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"FRUITLOOTS](\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/vistaprint\/images\/w_1024,h_683,c_scale\/f_auto,q_auto\/v1780480620\/ideas-and-advice-prod\/blogadmin\/fruitloots-postcards-with-yellow-frame\/fruitloots-postcards-with-yellow-frame.jpeg?_i=AA\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
![\"RealTalk](\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/vistaprint\/images\/w_1024,h_683,c_scale\/f_auto,q_auto\/v1780480538\/ideas-and-advice-prod\/blogadmin\/black-sweatshirt-small-business\/black-sweatshirt-small-business.jpg?_i=AA\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"WildFlora](\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/vistaprint\/images\/w_1024,h_769,c_scale\/f_auto,q_auto\/v1780480649\/ideas-and-advice-prod\/blogadmin\/wild-flora-postcards\/wild-flora-postcards.jpeg?_i=AA\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"Business](\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/vistaprint\/images\/w_1024,h_683,c_scale\/f_auto,q_auto\/v1780480635\/ideas-and-advice-prod\/blogadmin\/green-business-cards-fanned-out\/green-business-cards-fanned-out.jpeg?_i=AA\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n