Launching a business can be a daunting process, but an Ann Arbor media company is trying to make it a little bit easier through a robust selection of free, user-friendly online guides.
Since 2008, The Really Useful Information Company (TRUiC) has been helping people start businesses through two websites: www.howtostartanllc.com and www.startupsavant.com. More recently, TRUiC has also added a comprehensive YouTube channel.
"We are essentially becoming a marketplace for people starting a business. We have all the free guides, legal templates, and links to the resources people need to be successful entrepreneurs," says TRUiC CEO Nagabhushanam "Bobby" Peddi.
Peddi's experience with starting his first business many years ago led him to create TRUiC.
"I wanted to start my own company and didn't know where to begin. I found places that were charging several hundred dollars and it didn't seem right," he says. "So I learned everything I could about the process and put it up on a website (howtostartanllc.com) for free."
A few years later, Peddi realized his site was the top Google search result for "how to start an LLC." He had a feeling that he was onto something, so he continued to add information (and staff) to assist in the endeavor, allowing TRUiC to become what it is today.
Over the last four years TRUiC has grown twenty-fold, financially and in online reach. All content on the site is free, but TRUiC makes money by providing referrals to professional service providers. The company logs 600,000 unique visitors to its sites monthly, and it estimates that 10,000 new businesses are formed every month nationwide using TRUiC resources.
In addition to step-by-step instructions on forming an LLC, users can find information on essentials such as business insurance, the best bank accounts for businesses, the best website builders, and vetted local resources. According to Peddi, Business Ideas (the largest series on the site, with over 600 dedicated articles) is increasingly popular as more people seek guidance in this early stage of entrepreneurship.
TRUiC's YouTube channel boasts 100 videos covering a wide scope of business information designed to be non-intimidating and entertaining. Passive income ideas, eco-friendly business ideas, and how to name your business are some of the topics covered. A more recently added series focuses on starting a coffee shop, featuring local experts.
Peddi says he plans to add 250 more videos within the next four months, and is working on expanding into other countries.
"We will continue to provide the useful information and inspiration that people need to bring their business dreams to life," Peddi says. "Whether you want to run a robotics company or a flower shop, come to us and we will help you on your journey."
Jaishree Drepaul-Bruder is a freelance writer and editor currently based in Ann Arbor. She can be reached at jaishreeedit@gmail.com.
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