As a start-up business owner, you will have access to all sorts of information about things you've never even thought about... we've tried to simplify our start-up advice with 8 top tips.
Tip 1: Success starts with self-esteem. No matter how hard you try to avoid it, your business will magnify your personal challenges and one of the biggest limiting factors in running a successful business is the self-esteem of the business owner. Become aware of how you are impacting your business and take steps early on to get the right support.
Tip 2: You will need help. The sooner you accept this the quicker you’ll be successful. When you need this help will depend on your existing skill set and how ambitious you are. Take your time to find the right help, work on finding help and suppliers that provide value and share your values.
Tip 3: There are only two things you really need to focus on: Sales and Delivery. Most of what we find online for support is irrelevant for a business under £50k. Business gets more sophisticated as you grow. This isn't diminishing the need for a good website or a great social media strategy, but you can get your business delivering results and then worry about these things. Get rid of what you can outside of sales and delivery by ditching, parking and outsourcing.
Tip 4: There are delivery traps that you need to be cautious of. If you’re not confident in what you are selling or you are the sort of person that likes to make sure everyone is completely satisfied, you’ll almost certainly be delivering too much for not enough. You can’t sell an Aston Martin at Fiat priced - you will run out of time and money (and energy).
Tip 5: It’s really competitive out there. It’s tough not to be invisible in a very noisy market where there are thousands of people that do what you do. No, they’re not you, and of course you bring your unique stamp to it, but unless your potential and existing clients are clear on that you’ll be lost. You must find a way to stand out - positioning, niche and credibility.
Tip 6: Sales is hard and getting harder. Being good at what you do isn’t enough. To run a successful business, you will need to learn how to sell. If that’s just sent you into a tailspin, you are not alone. Almost all business owners struggle with this. It is possible to love sales, even if you hate it today. Look for practical training and support that’s in alignment with the business you want to run.
Tip 7: You’ve got this! Despite the challenges you face as a business owner, there is opportunity out there and there are potential clients waiting for your unique way of doing things. You will learn more about yourself than you imagined on this business journey and when you crack it, you’ll realise what a privilege it is to be out there serving people in the way you want, whilst building the lifestyle you dreamed of for you and your family.
Tip 8: Never give up! Stay focused on the dream but be flexible in how it might happen.
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