Starting a new business and achieving sustainable success is a marathon, not a sprint. So if you’re thinking about what your new venture might look like, or how you might feel as you move forward and develop it, here are ten things to consider at the outset: 1. Work on your vision and strategy. If [...]
Access to funding is always a challenge for start-ups and early-stage entrepreneurs. If you haven’t got money of your own or can’t raise it through your family and friends, then where else can you realistically go? Luckily, the UK has a thriving business angel community. More and more private individuals are investing anything from hundreds [...]
"That ain't working, that's the way you do it. Money for nothin' and your chicks for free". So said Dire Straits on their 1985 album, Brothers in Arms. I attended an event recently, and these iconic lyrics sprang to mind when the conversation turned to the increasingly rare practice of having to actually pay for [...]
Family and friends are a great source of funding for start-ups and early-stage businesses, but raising money from external investors or business angels is challenging. Here are ten of the key issues that investors will be considering when they meet you or read your business plan. 1. First impressions First impressions are critical. Most investors [...]
Have you ever won the lottery? I was reminded recently of the old joke that, to win it, it’s helpful to buy a ticket. I was also inspired by an old article that defined the illiterate of the 21st century as “people who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn”. These thoughts combined to stir my entrepreneurial [...]
