Lecture Notes: Starting a Business from Scratch with Tina Nguyen

Introduction

• Speaker: Tina Nguyen, Founder of XXL Scrunchie
• Business Start Date: January 2020
• Current Operations: 5,000 sq ft warehouse

Content Overview

• How Tina started her business
• Mistakes and lessons learned
• Practical advice and tools for starting a business
• Personal transformation through entrepreneurship

Starting the Business

Initial Stage

• Location: 400 sq ft apartment
• First Product: Scrunchie made from old shirt
• Encouragement: Cousin suggested starting a business
• Initial Reaction: Hesitation and doubt

Early Preparations

1. Business Name: XXL Scrunchie and Co. (Domain: XXLandCo.com)
2. Business Email: Started with a simple Gmail account
3. Address: Used parents’ home address initially
4. Logo: Self-designed (graphic designer background)
5. Photography: Used personal Nikon camera and iPhone; utilized condo amenities room for photos
6. Biography and Social Media: Prepared “About Me” bio; consistent handles across social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok, Twitter)

Registration and Legalities

• Business Registration: Sole proprietorship in Ontario, Canada
• Advice: Consult an accountant for business structure and financial planning
• Process: Registered through OWNR.com

Platforms and Websites

Initial Website

• Platform: Started with Squarespace (graphictina.ca/shop)
• Transition: Moved to Shopify for better e-commerce functionality
• Domain: Purchased from GoDaddy.com
• Customizations: Shopify allows for various customizations, app integrations, and better inventory management

Shipping and Orders

Initial Shipping Practices

• Manual Process: Hand wrote addresses and mailed packages via Canada Post
• Realization: Discovered Shopify’s shipping label printing to save time and cost

Current Shipping Practices

• Commercial Account: Set up with Canada Post for better rates
• Use of ShipStation: Organizes packing slips, verifies orders with barcodes, and prints shipping labels

Practical Tips

• Photography: Use good lighting, iPhone quality is sufficient
• About Page: Essential for customer connection
• Social Media: Consistent handles, use for marketing
• Website Navigation: User-friendly design critical for sales
• Shipping: Consider platforms like ClickShip or Stallion Express for better rates
• Accountant Consultation: Early advice can save money and improve financial management

Final Advice and Motivation

• Encouragement: Anyone can start a business; benefits include being your own boss and creating something unique
• Personal Fulfillment: Tina’s journey has brought joy and closer connections with her family
• Mistakes as Lessons: Learn from errors to improve over time
• Engagement: Actively helps and inspires others to start their own businesses
• Closing Note: Start today; the chances of success increase with action

Additional Resources

• Video links for more detailed guidance on marketing and growing sales
• Special mention of CRM software (Bigin by Zoho CRM) for managing customer relations