Last Updated on November 16, 2020
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About Nellie Akalp
I am a mother of four and CEO/Founder of CorpNet.com which I started with my husband in 2009. My husband and I are entrepreneurs and started our first business in our small apartment living room back in 1997 with $100. We grew that business to a large company that was acquired by Intuit in 2005 for $20 million.
We took a few years off to focus on our growing family and in 2009 got back to work with the launch of CorpNet.com. At CorpNet we help entrepreneurs with the business incorporation and compliance process by streamlining filings for incorporating a business, forming an LLC, filing a DBA and more across all 50 United States.
About CorpNet.com
CorpNet is an online legal document filing service that helps streamline the business incorporation and compliance process. My husband and I started CorpNet in 2009 at the height of the last recession!
Although it sounds like a ‘bad’ idea to start a business in a down economy, we saw great opportunity – and we were right! We noticed our big-name competitors in the space really lacked that individual small business-to-small business feel. Afterall, we were a business helping other businesses with the startup process. We didn’t want to be some automated process, but instead focused on being a resource for those entrepreneurs throughout their journey of business ownership.
That brought us great success yet again as CorpNet has been recognized on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing privately-held companies in America.
Contents
How Did You Get Your First Several Customers Or Users? How Many Users Or Customers Do You Have Now?
We secured most of our initial customers through organic marketing on social media. I worked hard to establish myself as an expert in my field and a resource on the topic of legally starting a business.
Combined between our consumer network and our professionals network of reseller and referral partners, we have over 20,000 plus and counting.
How Does Your Company Grow And Acquire New Customers?
We have a few avenues where we secure new business. Many are through my network as I established myself as a resource to the startup community. In addition we secure interest by exhibiting at an array of tradeshows where I speak on topics related to legally starting a business. We’ve also recently launched a partner program for legal, tax and business professionals to help them streamline the business incorporation and compliance process for their clients. So business has been streaming in through referrals from our amazing partners to their communities!
What Actionable Tips And Tricks Do You Have For New Founders Who Are Looking To Get Their First Thousand Users Or Dollars?
Make sure you believe and are passionate about what you are selling. Treat it as if it is your brand new baby! Get out there and promote it and network it yourself. There is no magic pill – you are the magic behind the company so you need to get out there and make it happen or it wont happen. While you’re promoting be sure to come across genuine and authentic!
What Is Something You’ve Learned That Would Not Be Obvious To Somebody Who Hasn’t Worked In Your Space Before?
I’ve learned that there is a plenty of business to go around even in a saturated industry like ours as long as you position yourself properly and differentiate yourself from the rest of your competition. You can still become the number one leader amongst the 800 lb gorillas in the industry!
What’s The Craziest Thing That’s Happened To You (Good Or Bad) On Your Founder Journey?
I made my first million at the age of 30; I made my first 20 million at the age of 34 and now on track to multiply those numbers with my current company!
What Are Your Favorite Books?
- Delivering Happiness by “Zappos” Founder by Tony Hsieh
- Super Attractor by Gabrielle Bernstein
- How to win friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
- The Four Agreements by Don Migeul Ruiz
Anything You’d Like To Plug?
The CorpNet.com partner program is an excellent way to streamline the business formation and compliance process for yourself and your clients! Learn more here: https://www.corpnet.com/partners/
Recommended Posts:
- Why You Should Reach Out To Everybody You Know With Kara Duffy
- How To Build A Company on Poshmark With Shameeca Funderburk
- Why You Should Network As Much As You Can With Terri Lynn Yanke
Book summaries, notes, interviews, and more!
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