Business Plus Baby

October 14, 2013October 14, 2013

Proof that you can start and grow a business despite all the challenges

If you’ve been watching the news over the last few years you’d be forgiven for thinking that you’d be crazy to start a business in such tough financial times. But entrepreneurship is alive and well in the UK. For one thing, entrepreneurs have plenty of ideas and determination. For another, all the changes that the recession has brought – such as old companies closing down and more personal ones like losing your job – can open up new opportunities.

In the case of Business Plus Baby readers, it’s the major life change of having a baby that sparks our impulse to start a business.

Santander’s latest campaign celebrates the success of their customers by presenting them in a series of online films.

Take a look at the first one here…

In this video, Graeme Scott (owner of a chain of children’s nurseries) says “I’ve always been entrepreneurial, I’ve never been very good at working for anyone else”. If you’ve got an entrepreneurial streak you can definitely relate to that! He also says that he and his business partner are dyslexic and that their passion and drive is to prove their teachers wrong.

For me, that’s great example of entrepreneurs’ determination to overcome challenging circumstances.

Although an entrepreneur is often shown as a lone figure, business isn’t really something you can do alone. In all the videos, Santander has offered investment and advice to businesses to allow them to grow. Something that hasn’t been all that easy to find since the crash of 2007.

You can see the rest of the series of films here and to find out more, visit: www.businessinsight.santandercb.co.uk/

How I finally started fighting my self-doubt and became happier

This is going to be the most personal post I’ve written in a long time. In fact I feel nervous about hitting the ‘publish’ button, but it’s a really important subject so here goes.

One of the hardest parts about working from home as a self-employed person is dealing with the self-doubt. When things don’t go to plan it’s the easiest thing in the world to take it all to heart and decide that it’s all your own fault. The reason you’re not successful is because frankly, you’re not good enough.

It goes without saying that this mindset is only going to make your life harder. Much harder.

So a while ago now I decided to do something about my own mindset. I suspected that if I learned some simple techniques I could get myself out of these patches of self-doubt much faster. I looked around for an online cognitive behavioural therapy course (CBT) because people I know have recommended CBT. The fact it’s therapy rather than personal development might sound extreme, but I’ve done lots of personal development in the past and although it’s made a little difference, lasting change has been harder to come by.

A quick Google search led me to Living Life To The Full (not an affiliate link), a free online CBT course which was written by a psychiatrist. A couple of minutes later I knew I’d found what I was looking for, because it had very simple techniques for getting you out of that vicious downward spiral that sucks away your energy and confidence.

As part of the course I took a test to check how I was feeling. The idea is that you do this every week and you can see your mood improve as you work through the course. So I clicked all the checkboxes on the test, hit the submit button and….found out I had ‘mild to moderate depression’. Continue reading “How I finally started fighting my self-doubt and became happier”

September 22, 2013September 22, 2013

Should I be a blogger or just go out and get a job?

I’ve started a blog but it’s not making any money just yet. I know it’s going to take some time to turn my blog into a business but I’m a single parent so I don’t have a partner to help pay the bills cover the bills. Everyone I know says I should just go out and get a job.

So how should I work on building my blog and keep a roof over my head at the same time? Should I get a job? My big worry is that I won’t have the time and energy to do everything and that my online business will suffer. What should I do?

When friends and family are worried about your finances the first thing they will recommend is that you get a job. This may be the right choice – only you can know for sure – but keep in mind that almost everyone is heavily biased towards employment being the only responsible way to earn a living. We’re taught this is true from an early age by parents and schools, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it IS true for you right now. Continue reading “Should I be a blogger or just go out and get a job?”

September 20, 2013

Four Things You Need for Business Success

It might seem that you need a huge list of things for your little business to be a success, but I really do think if you have four key things you can achieve almost anything. Let me tell you about them in this video…

The four things are:

1. Knowledge

2. Community

3. An expert

4. Hard work

The great news is that the top three are easier to come by than you might think, and I explain why in the video.

Of course, you have to supply number 4 yourself! 🙂

Here’s the link to Leonie Dawson’s Amazing Biz and Life Academy that I mention the video –

http://businessplusbaby.com/go/leonie/

If you’d like to join the Academy, make sure you do it before the end of September as Leonie is doubling the price at the start of October.

September 18, 2013September 18, 2013

Three ways your business could be advertising but isn’t

Effective advertising is the backbone of a successful business! It is the definitive way for businesses raise their game, grab audience attention and get noticed in the sea of competition. There are a million and one different forms of advertising, some of which you’re undoubtedly utilising and some which may have passed you by, if you want to maximise your exposure in an effective and engaging way then it is time to think about branching out with new, creative and effective advertising techniques. Continue reading “Three ways your business could be advertising but isn’t”