startup – Business Plus Baby

March 15, 2016

The rules every startup should live by

Starting a business is one of the largest challenges that you will ever take on. There are many hurdles that you will need to clear, and there are many setbacks that you will experience along the way. But if you live by these top rules discussed below, you can make a success of your startup.

A Good Idea is Worth Stealing

If you notice another business doing something that you think could add something to your business, steal it. There is nothing wrong with stealing ideas as long as you’re not breaking any laws. Obviously, I don’t mean you should steal a copyrighted product or anything silly like that. But if you happen to notice a new marketing or advertising technique, steal it. It could be the best thing you ever do. This is why every business owner should always keep their eyes open. You should even steal from your direct rivals if they get the upper hand. Getting ahead means taking good ideas from wherever you can find them.

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Learn from the Best

There are so many businesses and entrepreneurs that have come before you. Once upon a time, they were where you are right now. And since then, they’ve seen and done it all. So, you need to think about how you can learn from these people. There are authors like Orrin Woodward, who write about these things. So, read their books and learn from their advice. But it’s not just about learning from their successes. It’s also about learning from their failures. If you ask me, it’s always better to learn from other people’s mistakes than to make your own. And this is a rule that all young entrepreneurs should live by.

Build a Diverse Team

The team that you have in your workplace is the most important thing in the world to your business. You can’t expect your startup to grow and expand if you haven’t built a strong team. It’s simply not possible to do it. A diverse team is crucial. That means that they need to have the right mix of skills and experience. Young employees are useful because they have that urgency and desire to grow that you don’t get from an older person. But older employees have more experience. And that can be very useful when it comes to overcoming challenges within the business. So, you need to get a balance between the two.

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Save Money Everywhere

Most startups don’t survive the first year. This is something that you have probably already heard a thousand times, but it’s true. And one of the major reasons for startup failures is financial mismanagement. Many entrepreneurs are excited about their product, and they want to share it with the world. But all that is useless if they are not managing the business’s finances the right way. There is no replacement for strong and cautious financial management. That’s why you should be looking to save money in every area of your business. Throwing away money is not something that a startup can afford to do.

November 25, 2015

Getting your startup started!

When it comes to starting and launching a business, you need to use your brain. There are certain elements you’ve got to sort out before you can launch. You need to make sure you get the vitals in order so you can look forward to success. The will provide a solid foundation on which you can build your business. These are some of the crucial factors you’ll need to sort out when getting your startup started.

Financial Backing

As any entrepreneur will tell you, financial backing is crucial when you’re trying to launch a business. You might have accumulated money independently, or you might have investors supporting you. There’s always the option of taking out a loan as well. Whatever means you use to get the financing you need to sort this out before anything. Proper financial backing is imperative for getting your company off the ground and helping it thrive.

Plan for the Future

One thing you can bet all successful businesses have in common is that they all plan for the future. And you need to make sure you do this with your business. Sure, it’s crucial to plan for short term success and operation. But you need to have the bigger picture in mind as well. A company thrives on careful planning and preparation. And if you want to get your startup started in the best possible way you need to plan. You should have an idea in mind of what you want to do before you even launch the company.

Set Up an Office

No matter how small your startup is, you’re going to need to have an office of some kind. All businesses need to have a base of operations where they can conduct business. And this is the way you need to view the office. Make sure include everything in your office that needs to be there. This means making sure you have furniture and computers. You’ve got to get air conditioning installed by professionals, and Wi-Fi put in place. It needs to be a place where you have everything you need to run your company successfully.

Promote Yourself

We all know how crucial it is to make your presence felt in the business world. If you want to build a successful brand, you’re going to need to get out there and make a name for yourself. Promotion and marketing are your business bread and butter. As an entrepreneur, you need to understand and appreciate the importance of these. That’s why you have to come up with strategies and ideas that will help you promote yourself. There are so many different ways you can do this; you just need to think outside the box.

These are all crucial factors you’ve got to take into account if you want to get your startup started. There’s a lot of work involved, and you need to make sure you make the right decisions now. It’s crucial to get your company off on the right foot, and hit the ground running, and these will help you to achieve that.

September 10, 2012

If I was starting out as a work at home mum now, here’s what I’d do…

It’s now four years since the day I took my three-month-old daughter to visit a nursery and discovered I couldn’t leave her and go back to work full-time. It wasn’t the nursery, I just couldn’t stand to be parted from my baby. (If you feel that way right now, you might like to read my story here?)

Next week she starts school! That’s quite a milestone for both of us.

I’ve had a lot of ups and downs in those years and I was just thinking what I’d say to myself if I could go back to where I was back in 2008. So I decided to share it because if you’re a work at home mum who is just starting out, you might find it helpful.

I’ve got a list of practical tips coming up (that’s me, always practical!) but my decision to start a business from home was anything but practical. It was very emotional at the time. So the first thing I would tell myself is that it’s OK, you’re not going crazy. It’ll all be fine. It’s going to be hard work and there is a lot to learn, but you won’t regret taking time out with your little girl during those precious few years before she starts school. And I know it doesn’t feel like it now, but those years really do go fast.

you won’t regret taking time to out with your little girl during those precious years

Despite that, there will be times when the frustration of not being able to work when you want to will drive you bonkers. You’ll have a task you desperately want to finish but it’ll have to wait until toddler goes to bed (yes, when you’ll be shattered and struggling to keep your eyes open). That doesn’t make you a bad mum, so don’t beat yourself up. In fact resist the urge to be too hard on yourself whenever you possibly can.

So (clicking back into practical mode again!) here’s what you need to do next: Continue reading “If I was starting out as a work at home mum now, here’s what I’d do…”