How long can it take to start your own company? Days? Weeks? Months? Years? It can take up to three years for a small company to become profitable. In other words, entrepreneurs who can’t deliver any long-term performance are unlikely ever to come close to success.

So, it’s natural to believe that it will take you several years to become a respected entrepreneur. There’s no denying that success doesn’t happen overnight. However, becoming an entrepreneur, on the other hand, doesn’t have to be a lengthy and complex project.

After all, a company is all it takes to be described as a business owner. And launching a new business doesn’t have to be dragging.

7 AM - 9 AM: Your business plan

Starting your day early, you will need to spend a couple of hours on researching the market. Don’t skip this step as you need to understand what the marketing situation is like and who your competitors are before you begin your journey as an entrepreneur.

The market analysis will highlight the problem(s) your customers have as well as identify the current trends, threats, and opportunities. On this basis, you can write a micro business plan, which should serve as a guide to introduce your company and define its strategy.

Indeed, your plan needs to clarify essential points, such as the solution your offer, how you intend to make money, your target, your competitive advantage, and the required funding. You need to accept as well that at the end of the process, you will have a lean strategic plan.

While you need to dive into details of management style, financial summary, audience segmentation, and marketing activities, your business summary is a compass pointing toward the general direction.

9 AM - 10 AM: Your brand name

Through your market research, you will have identified your main competitors. Hopefully, this can inspire you to find your business name – unless you already knew how to call it. It’s a good idea to look for domain availability as you decide on your brand name.

Indeed, a company name that isn’t available as a typical domain URL, aka name.co.uk or name.com for instance, can be confusing for customers. Once you know how to call your business, you can get in touch with the expert team from Your Company Formation.

You can rely on the site to register the creation of your company with the relevant authorities. Additionally, most company formation specialists also offer discounted services to help you find a brand designer or even a banking institution.

10 AM - 1 PM: Your keywords

You’ve got a  name; now you need to find the best way to refer to your products. Indeed, answer the essential question – How will people find me? – begins with a quest for the best keywords for your brand. A killer keyword is not limited by size, for a start.

You need to find the best search terms that define your offering, and that is likely to be used by customers. Additionally, there is no need to use keywords that are popular but not relevant to your products. For instance, a watch retailer doesn’t use ‘jewellery’ terms; as the competition and market are too big.

1 PM - 4 PM: Your online presence

Once you’ve got your name and your keywords, you can establish your online presence. Thankfully, you don’t need to be an expert web designer to make it work.

There are plenty of affordable and intuitive platforms such as Wix, Squarespace, and Weebly that can do a professional-looking job. Most platforms can also offer hosting and domain purchase services, so that you can keep everything under one roof. Make sure also to add a customised mailbox to match your domain name.

You don't need to be an online expert to build your website

4 PM - 6 PM: Your first blog post

This is the moment every new entrepreneur dreads: your first blog article. Put yourself in the shoes of your audience and address their core problems. This will help you to position yourself as an expert who understands their pain.

As a rule of the thumb, most blog posts contain 500 to 1250 words. However, if you plan to write about a complex topic, keep your articles short and sweet; it’s best to spread it over several posts.

6 PM - 7 PM: Spread the word

It’s now time to shout out about your company. You can use LinkedIn to mention your new business and promote it, with a company page for instance. You should also join online entrepreneur communities to exchange tips and ideas with same-minded people.

Finally, social media platforms, and online advertising via Twitter or LinkedIn, can boost the popularity of your first article.

In conclusion, in 12 hours you can have a working business, starting with a professional business plan. Your hard work doesn’t end after half a day, of course. But after such a powerful beginning, you’re more likely to stick with it and drive it to success.