Читать книгу Dear Entrepreneur - Danny Bailey - Страница 10

Dear Entrepreneur,

The definition of an entrepreneur is “an enterprising individual who builds capital through risk and/or initiative”.

I would have never classified myself as either enterprising or a risk taker.

If someone asked me to define myself I would have probably said a quiet person, who maybe lacked confidence that had an idea, and decided one day that it should be acted upon to see where it went. Maybe I am also a little quirky, or should that just be a unique individual.

However, when I talk about my business, I am a different person, I am that enterprising individual, I have that initiative, and I AM THAT RISK TAKER!!!!! Ok, I probably wouldn’t go that far.

I set up Blackberry Cottage Fayre, Cakes with Secret Ingredients (Vegetables), in September 2011. So what can I tell you my reader?

 Believe in your business. I am told I am infectious, obviously not in a diseased way but because of my enthusiasm. I tell everyone I meet about my business as you never know who you might tell that has a connection somewhere. For instance, I was telling my hairdresser about an award that I was through to the final for – a Best Product Award – and little did I know that one of his clients was setting up a coffee shop and was looking for “different” cakes. He spoke to her about me and a couple of days later I was having meetings. The same hairdresser told another client who ran a village community shop, which also lead to another outlet.

 One of the hardest lessons I have learnt is the ability to say no! Never be afraid to say no, sometimes it is the right thing to say.

 Have a book beside the bed. Lots of my ideas or thoughts happen at strange times, and you can never remember them in the morning, or if you do then you haven’t had a decent night’s sleep.

 Gut instinct is a funny one, but if something doesn’t feel right then it probably won’t be right so consider it carefully. Too many times I have acted against my gut instinct and have ended up in the mire wishing I had listened to it in the first place.

 Never jump into something, instead sit back for a little bit, maybe an hour or two or even a day or two. It may be an email you need to send, a quote (leave plenty of time to fill them in and keep re-reading) or a reply to a letter, but you will often go back to it and see mistakes, or think ‘should I really say that?’.

 On saying that I am not a risk taker, sometimes you need to take a risk or two, but just keep it realistic; you are already a risk taker for setting your business up.

 I was given a good bit of advice when I was setting up initially: go for awards, it will give you great publicity (and it does).

 Use your support network. You will need them, even if it is a friend who has offered a hand leafleting, manning a stall, or in my case babysitting whilst I had an important meeting. Your network will love to be asked if they have offered to help.

 In your support network try and have people that are also setting up businesses. It is a great journey to have together, and when you are feeling rubbish and things are not going right they will be there for you as you will for them in the same situation.

 Keep your plan to hand so you keep yourself focused, as it is all too easy to get side tracked. Do listen to your clients/customers – you need them!

 If an area of the business is becoming hard to achieve then it may be that you do not have the necessary skills to achieve it. This doesn’t mean that you have been defeated, just know your limitations. It may that be you need a specialist in that area, leaving you to concentrate on what you are good at: your business.

So with all that in mind, if you are reading this then you are probably one step nearer to starting up your new business. Good luck and go for it. Remember all you need is PHD: Passion, Hard work and Determination.

Good luck,

Kate Saunders

Founder, of Blackberry Cottage Fayre

www.blackberrycottagefayre.co.uk