One of my weaknesses is my talent for over-complicating things. Whenever I have an idea, it usually expands into a massive project that would take me years to work through. And that’s not good while I’m working part-time around children.
Like many mums of small children, my life is very much online these days because it’s hard to travel far. Especially last week, when we were grounded by chicken pox. That means I’m exposed to a mind-blowing amount of information about running a business.
I think being a mum actually makes this worse. On top of all the practical info about marketing, legal requirements and tax, you’ve got the work-life balance, confidence-building, dressing-for-success stuff as well as all the guilt-inducing articles about being a good parent.
That doesn’t help me simplify things, that’s for sure.
Last week the UK Government announced their Start Up Britain campaign to help British entrepreneurs. It seems to have been widely slated by the small business community, but it was thrown together in less than a month (why?!) so let’s hope it gets better. Start Up Britain’s top tips are…
1. Find a great idea
2. Write a business plan
3. Get a free start up kit
4. Create a logo
So far it’s looking pretty straightforward, which makes a refreshing change. But great ideas don’t simply pop out of thin air – I should know, I worked through so many business ideas that I wrote a book about it! Most small business owners see a business plan only as a means of getting a loan from the bank and there’s no point in getting a logo unless you’re pretty sure your business idea is going to fly.
Not so helpful?
That’s why I loved the way JFDI Britain (presumably ‘Just F****** Do It’) was set up in response. JFDI Britain says…
“Contrary to popular belief, thousands of people create wealth in the UK everyday without great ideas, business plans, startup kits or logos.
You can too by following three simple steps and applying one golden rule:
STEP 1) Create something that would be useful for you and thus others
STEP 2) Keep changing it, whilst listening to and delighting customers
STEP 3) Cash is king, so find a way to get money from their pockets into yours
GOLDEN RULE: Don’t spend more time or money than you can afford to lose
Which is the most useful piece of business advice I’ve had in a long time.
So from now on I’m going to put aside my messing about with details and JFDI.
Want to join me?
