Dream Big in Dallas in 2023: Opening a Business

Happy New Year Dallas! We are so grateful to our community and so excited to kick off 2023. One of the ways we use this blog is to offer you tools to be able to succeed and make your dreams come true. One of the biggest dreams people have is to own their own business. One of the biggest misconceptions about owning your own business is that it is out of reach without a large amount of capital to invest. This January we are giving you the tools to start a small business, but also offering some insight into whether it is time to take your side hustle to the sidewalk! 

Side Hustle to Sidewalk: A Business Plan 

The trajectory from side hustle to business owner is rarely a straight line, or a steady ascent. Knowing when it is time to open a brick and mortar location is never going to be completely obvious, however there are some calculations you can make to determine this. Where we look to make this determination is to a business plan. Below are some questions that your business plan should answer. 

  • What money do you need to save?

  • Who is your customer base?

  • What are your operating costs? 

  • What do you anticipate to make in the first year? (Are you talking about what type of product or service to make or how much money you want to make?)

  • What are you producing? 

  • Who is your competition? 

  • How is your pricing compared to competition? 

  • How can you grow? 

What is Sales to Scale 

As you grow a small business, say a bakery, you might grow out of the stage where you are baking for friends and family or where you are catering to larger groups, and you would like to include real estate in your small business plan. Dallas City Homes is one of the few developers who have the ability to adapt underperforming mixed use properties and reconfigure them to provide new commercial space, at affordable prices to renters or potential owners. We can help you realize this type of goal where brick and mortar enter the picture. 

There are many types of businesses that have the potential to scale and are also typically started as a side hustle. Many of them do not require advanced knowledge but simply require a good business plan, a customer base, and hard work. Here is a list of the types of jobs that many entrepreneurs start with 

  • Freelance writing, transcribing, or proofreading

  • Virtual assistant

  • Bookkeeper, Accountant, or other personal finance assistants

  • Computer programmer

  • Social media manager

  • Consultant 

  • Retail eCommerce (on Amazon, eBay, or Craigslist)

  • Create and sell digital products on Etsy

  • Graphic designer

  • Website designer

  • Photographer

  • Notary

  • Event planner

  • Personal trainer

  • Real estate agent 

  • Influencer or content creator (for example, starting a Youtube channel)

Keep Learning, Keep Believing, Keep Growing 

When there is a business plan in place, you have found a solid customer base, and you have developed goals, being able to scale is your next step. But what does scaling mean? Scaling is the growth of your business to include more personnel to produce more goods and services, or to grow into a retail location. To properly scale you will need to revise your business plan and, if it requires it, obtain financing or a grant. If you are already operating a small business and are looking to scale, like opening a franchise, there are opportunities with local development offices who can support these dreams. 

If you are like others making resolutions this year, and in particular, making resolutions to improve or level up your business, we wish you luck! We are working alongside our community members to offer as many tips and resources as we can. We believe in you! 


Dallas City Homes