July 2011 – Business Plus Baby

July 29, 2011May 18, 2012

I started a business with a baby: Suzannah Butcher of Work For Mums

Tell us a little about your business

I run a resource and information website called Work for Mums which is aimed at mums who are working from home or who are looking for the opportunity to work from home.

What was your job before starting your business?

I have been running a successful direct selling business (Phoenix Trading) for the past 3 years and have also worked as a Youth Support Worker and Pre-School Assistant within the last 5 years.

How did you go from your old career to your new business? Continue reading “I started a business with a baby: Suzannah Butcher of Work For Mums”

July 27, 2011August 2, 2011

Online business basics: Why you MUST have a mailing list

(This is the third article in my Online business basics series. You can find links to the other posts in the series on this page: Online business basics)

A mailing list is an essential tool in business, yet many new online business owners don’t have one. So why is a mailing list so important and how can you start your own?

Why a mailing list is so important

A mailing list is crucial because most people aren’t willing to get out their credit card the first time they hear about you. Instead, they prefer to get to know you and your content bit by bit over time. As they get to know you, realise you’re good at what you do and that you can help them, they’ll be willing to dig out their credit cards and make a purchase.

A mailing list allows you to stay in touch with people after they’ve left your website, to show them you’re an expert and to keep them updated with what you have to offer.

Setting up your mailing list Continue reading “Online business basics: Why you MUST have a mailing list”

July 26, 2011

Tax Credit Deadline – don’t save all your changes until 31st July!

Today I’ve got a reminder for you from guest blogger Claire Meredith of Pennies For Parents and Zest Payroll Solutions. Over to you Claire!

As the Tax Credit Renewal deadline of 31^st July fast approaches, I’d like to remind you how important it is to tell the Tax Credit office of changes to your circumstances at the time that they actually happen.

Please don’t save them all up until the renewal pack falls on your door mat!

If you have any kind of change in your personal life, work/self employment or childcare please pick up the phone and call the Tax Credit office as soon as you possibly can. Leaving important changes to information until July could mean you are possibly being overpaid (a real nightmare) or that you are losing out on additional payments that you could be receiving at a time you need them most.

If you have not yet sent back your renewal form or given them a call please do so now.

Remember: if you do not contact them your payments will STOP!

Call the Tax Credit Helpline NOW on: 0845 300 3900

Please also watch this great “Tell ‘Em” video from Martin Lewis too:

www.itv.com/daybreak/money/taxcredits/

July 20, 2011July 19, 2011

Online business basics: The different business models

(This is the second article in my Online business basics series. You can find links to the other posts in the series on this page: Online business basics)

One of the big pitfalls when you’re in the early stages of your online business is trying to reinvent the wheel.

I know this one well because I’ve done it myself!

Online business looks easy – you set up a website, get Facebook and Twitter account and start blogging. You get a few followers and everything looks great. Until one day you realise you’re not making any money!

It’s much easier to follow a tried-and-tested online business model than it is to make it all up as you go along. Here’s a quick guide to the different types of online business: Continue reading “Online business basics: The different business models”

July 19, 2011July 20, 2011

Mums making a difference: Erica and Kayte of We Are Bedford

Has your town lost some of its sparkle in the last few years?

The recession and the rise of online shopping has hit our towns and cities hard. With rents and bills going up and the disposable income of your average shopper going down, out towns are feeling the strain.

That’s certainly true for my home town, Bedford. I spent half of my childhood and most of my teenage years here, so I’ve got a soft spot for the old place. It may look like a fairly average town in south-east England, but there’s a lot of history here and it’s one of the most multicultural places in the UK.

It’s been a shock to see shops that I went in as a kid back in the eighties close down. It’s like watching an old friend fall on hard times.

Fortunately for Bedford, two local mums are determined to turn this town around. Kayte Judge (here’s her guest post) and Erica Roffe (I still haven’t managed to catch up with her!) started We Are Bedford after a random meeting on Facebook. Their first event was the Castle Quay Weekender in March this year, where they held an arts festival in 7 empty shops. They followed this with the Big Lunch ( a giant picnic) and this weekend ( 23rd & 24th July) the first ever Bedford Busking Festival takes place.

The aim of the the Bedford Busking Festival is to launch Bedford as a busker friendly town, showcasing some of the best local busking talent as part of the wider Bedfringe Festival. Over 2 days, in 8 locations across Bedford town centre, 22 different acts will be performing. As well as musical acts, performers will include the likes of lion dancers, walking tours and even vintage hair stylists!

We Are Bedford is now a community group of people (volunteers, crafters, poets, musicians, photographers and more) who want to breathe life back into the town. In their own words:

“We aim to become a community collective for people who want to make a change in the town and to open up space for dialogue between the community, commerce and the council.”

So if you’re in the area this weekend, take a look at the Bedford Busking Festival and keep watching because I’m sure there’s plenty more to come from We Are Bedford!

Twitter: @wearebedford Web: wearebedford.co.uk

Photo: Shaun Armstrong