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Business Start-up

One sunny spring day in 2003 I decided enough was enough and said goodbye to employment and set out on my own. Little did I know that it would change my life forever and lead me on many adventures for the next 20 years. These businesses lasted for multiple years and although neither are around today they have helped make me the person I am today. I think business is in the blood and it was only a matter of time when I would launch my next endeavour.

The thought of a new business start-up thrills me no end and once the idea is in my head I love the journey from concept to launch and everything in between. The road is never smooth with many twists, turns, bumps, wrong ways oh and even a few crashes, that’s fine and it’s totally ok but having someone to hold your hand along the way is gold.

The process is relatively straightforward and the same for each business, you start with an idea, a plan or even a dream. People, usually friends and family tell you you are crazy and it’s best to stay where you are. However the idea never goes away and you decide to take the plunge. You plan and then you plan some more, you do your research and due diligence, you plough ahead whilst others sow the seeds of self-doubt, but you battle on through. It’s at this point the dream becomes reality, you are going to be self-employed and make a million. Sadly this is where it can all go wrong and the dream turns into a never-ending nightmare.

But it really doesn’t have to be like that, with guidance, determination and a whole lot of resilience your dream of becoming a business owner can come true.

Enjoy yourself and laugh, even when things aren’t going to plan, just take a break reset, recharge and start again!

So despite all the pitfalls of running a business, the long hours, the trials and tribulations, the stresses and strains at the end of the day I will say this

JUST DO IT

I’m sure Nike won’t mind me borrowing their slogan to inspire you, but yes just go for it. Cast off those shackles and do something for yourself. I’ll be here to guide you where I can whether you have an idea or not, we can text, email, zoom and even do that old fashioned thing and have a face-to-face meeting. Everything we discuss is confidential and I'm happy to sign a non-disclosure agreement if needed.

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My Top Tips

01.

Be honest with yourself and others, just because you think it’s a great idea it doesn’t mean it is.

02.

Look for a gap in the market, but just because there’s a GAP it doesn’t mean there’s a market in the GAP.

03.

Do your research, especially on your competitors. Are they working in your local area?, will you be fighting for the same customers? Can you compete on price, are they well established? Get out in the local area and do market research, speak to people, Google them.

04.

Never be afraid to ask for help, most people are willing to help but are not always forthcoming.

05.

Don’t be afraid to take risks, sure you could fall flat on your face but standing still and doing nothing will not get your anywhere. But only take calculated risks, don’t mortgage your house or take out huge loans and certainly don’t blow your life savings on a business idea.

06.

Do a business plan, this will act as the foundation of your business and refer to it on a regular basis, it will help you see determine if your business is heading in the right direction. Be realistic and don’t set your sights too high, if anything underestimate income and overestimate expenditure.

07.

Find yourself a good bookkeeper/accountant, their help and advice can be worth it’s weight in gold, on the flip side bad ones can cost you money especially if tax returns aren't filed on time, keeping HMRC happy is vital.

08.

Have a contingency plan, what happens if it all fails? will you be left with a huge debt with bills you’re unable to pay? Will you be left with a warehouse full of stock or staff you can’t pay? These possibilities are so very real and represent a huge risk not only financially but can cause significant damage to personal relationships and mental health.

09.

Used to working a 40 hour week Mon-Fri, having sick pay, 28 days holiday each year, pay rises, lunch breaks!
Yeah well you can say goodbye to all of these things, in the first few years of my initial start up I worked in excess of 80 hours a week 7 days a week 365 days a year earning well below minimum wage. This is what you do when working for yourself. Having said all of this it's important to strike some sort of work/life balance especially if you have a family.

10.

Working for yourself is one of the most rewarding experiences you can ever imagine and if you get it right it will bring you so many rewards.

Services

Brainstorming

This is the best bit, lets work together and get our brains working overtime, we’ll chat about your idea and go from there and really see if the project is viable and what areas you need assistance with.

Marketing

How do we get your business to market? Sounds simple and it is but it’s not easy, we need to get your business seen and loved, a lot depends on budget but there are many things that are low cost or even free.

Logo & Branding

Ok so I said brainstorming was the best bit but this is right up there, whatever your business name or product we can come up with something catching, fun and professional that people will remember and turn to time and time again.

Business Plan

There are plenty of free templates out there but what do you put in your plan, we’ll discuss and work on this together, it’s not the most exciting of tasks but it’s one that is vital.

Research

Another important task, you have the idea, you have the drive and determination, but research is one of the tasks you have to do before, during and throughout your business ventures. It’s also one that takes up a lot of time, if only there was someone who could help you

Hint Hint….

Product Sourcing

Finding products is both easy and difficult, it’s imperative you keep up with market trends and what people want (or don’t want). You can go the cheap route and look to sell vast quantities or go premium and rely on just a few sales, you can even go somewhere in the middle.

Will you buy the product from a wholesaler in or can you make it yourself? If you’re buying it from the UK it will cost more but you can usually buy it in lower quantities. Buying from China will be cheaper but quality control is harder and you’ll have to buy in much larger quantities and wait much longer for delivery.

There’s so much to consider in this area and it can be a total minefield..

Customer Service

Oooh this is one of my favourite areas to work on, and one so many companies get wrong. The sad fact is that many businesses don’t prioritise this and I feel it will only get worse with the rise of AI. AI has its place but real-life personal interactions are becoming more and more important. Get it right from day 1 and you will have customers returning time after time, that’s what every business should be striving towards. There are many companies that are great at getting new customers but have no idea what to do to keep them.

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