Q: Most businesses require capital to start. Money is typically required to purchase supplies and equipment, as well as keep the business operational for the period before your business becomes profitable. The first place to look for financing is yourself.. Do you have investments or savings? If so, consider using a portion to fund your business. You should never invest all your savings into a business due to the risk of failure. In addition, you should never invest money put aside for emergency savings (experts recommend having three to six months of income put aside for this purpose), or money you will need over the next few years for various obligations. Consider a home equity loan. If you have a home, looking to get a home equity loan can be a wise idea, since these loans are typically easily approved (since your home acts as collateral), and interest rates are typically lower. If you have a 401(k) plan through your employer, consider borrowing against the plan. Plans typically allow you to borrow against 50% of your account balance up to a maximum of $50,000. Consider saving ahead as another option. If you have a job, save a portion of your monthly income over time to cover your start-up costs. Visit a bank to inquire about small business loans or lines of credit. When doing this, always visit many providers to ensure you are getting the best rate. Keep a close eye on your running costs and keep them in line with your projections. Whenever you see something spent wastefullylike electricity, phone plans, stationery, packaginglook around and estimate how much you really need, and minimize or remove the cost in every way possible. Think frugally when you start up, including renting items instead of purchasing them and using pre-paid plans for services your business needs instead of locking yourself into long-term contracts. You may determine it will take $50,000 to start your business, and that's fine. You get your $50,000, buy your desks and printers and raw materials, and then then the second month arrives, and you're still in production, and the rent is due, and your employees want to be paid, and all the bills hit at once. When this happens, your only likely recourse will be to pack it in. If you can, try to have the reserves for a year of no income. Plan to keep purchases of office equipment and overheads to a minimum when starting up. You do not need amazing office premises, the latest in office chairs and pricey artwork on the walls. A broom cupboard in the best address can be sufficient if you can artfully steer clients to the local coffee shop for meetings every time (meet them in the foyer). Many a business start-up has failed by purchasing the expensive gizmos instead of focusing on the business itself. . You will need to do something to get payment from your clients or customers. You can get something like a Square, which is great for small businesses since it requires the minimum amount of paperwork and the fees are minimal. However, if you feel uncomfortable with technology, you can inquire about a more traditional merchant account. A merchant account is a contract under which an acquiring bank extends a line of credit to a merchant, who wishes to accept payment card transactions of a particular card association brand. Previously, without such a contract, one could not accept payments by any of the major credit card brands. However, the Square has changed that, so don't feel locked in or limited to this option. Do your research. The Square is a card swiping device which connects with a smartphone or tablet and turns that device into a sort of cash register. You may have encountered this device in the businesses you frequent, as they are becoming common at coffee shops, restaurants, street food stands and other businesses (look for a postage-stamp sized plastic square plugged into a tablet or phone). Note that PayPal, Intuit, and Amazon all offer similar solutions. Make sure to look into all options before making a selection. If you are online business, services like PayPal offer an excellent way to receive payment and make transfers.
A: Secure start-up costs. Manage your running costs. Have more than the minimum. Pinch those pennies. Decide how to accept payment

Q: Once you've completed your degree, begin searching for jobs in the public relations or communications field. Websites like journalismjobs.com and prsa.org are great places to share your resume or search through job listings, but many area businesses will also advertise openings in your local newspaper. Contain your search to positions specified as "entry level" or "assistant" if you don't have any professional experience; employers understand that the applicants for these positions are often straight out of college or just breaking into the career field. Relate any major projects, rewards or achievements you garnered for yourself through your education or internship to prospective employers during the interview process. After all, your intended career is based around promoting a positive public image. Whether it's your first interview or your first day of work, be sure that you're dressed appropriately and professionally, you're ready to meet and share ideas with new people and you have everything you need to get to work. Publicists often speak for their client in front of the cameras as well as in print, so many employers demand a personable attitude, friendly demeanor and professional bearing. How you carry yourself reflects on your capabilities as a public relations expert every bit as much as the image you manage to construct for your clients. You are your own first PR project! Publicity can be an excellent career choice if you consider yourself a "people person," as the type of work it entails is centered around establishing and maintaining positive relationships and interactions between a single person or group and the public at large. Attaining one of the more coveted and high-earning publicist positions, like public relations director, can take many years of taxing work. Be prepared to spend your first few years writing press releases and taking care of basic administrative tasks before you make it into the big leagues being trusted with high-profile projects. Stay focused and put your best ideas out. If you work hard enough for long enough, you're bound to be noticed and rewarded for your efforts. Don't be discouraged if you don't land your dream job right away. Publicity is a complex and evolving profession that can often be very competitive, and as you gain experience, you're sure to move ahead in the runnings for bigger opportunities, more important assignments, and higher wages. Returning to school to pursue a master's level degree or higher can help keep you marketable and make you a sought-after commodity after a few years in the industry. Many publicists who represent important entertainment and business luminaries got there by furthering their education and gradually taking on bigger, more important assignments as their expertise grew. Should you ever wish to teach public relations courses at a university level or operate your own PR firm, having a graduate degree may give you just the advantage you need. In general, the higher the level of education you've achieved, the more qualified you will seem to employers heading the field.
A:
Start looking for public relations work. Develop your own professional image. Work your way to the top. Consider going back to school.