 You’ve got a brilliant business idea and you’re raring to get started. So, what’s next? Is there a typical time it takes to develop a business idea and launch it on the world? Is it possible to get your business running in less than a month?
In short, yes. Working from a focused action plan, ensuring you complete all the necessary activities, you can 100% become your own boss in less than a month. Here’s what you need to do. Research Estimated time: 3 days You can’t launch a business without first doing a bit of homework. Your first three days should be spent answering the following key questions:
You don’t need to spend money gathering these insights, much of it is available for free online (competitor websites, TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, Reddit, Facebook) or simply by walking down your local high street, or talking to people. Gather as much insight as you can and get it all down. This will help you build an important picture and tell you if you should go ahead with your business idea. Remember:
Hopefully, you can now move forwards with confidence. Planning Estimated time: 3 days The next stage is to work out what you’re going to need to get your business up and running. We’re talking the basics here. Given the timeframes, you’re going to need to scale down your ambitions and look to launch something that can be refined once you’re generating income. Where are you going to run your business? Running a business from home is clearly a cheaper and easier solution when you’re getting started. But, if you need to find premises, co-working spaces are growing in popularity across the UK. What equipment are you going to need? Having a decent computer or laptop is nigh-on essential these days, but, if you’re working from home, you’ll also want to spend money on creating a suitable office environment. Clean space, clean mind, and all that. The rest will clearly depend on the type of business you’re setting up. For example, a street food business will need cooking equipment, whilst a plumbing business will need a van. What suppliers are you going to need? Most businesses will need suppliers of some kind. That can include manufacturers, distributers, and importers. Even if you don’t sell anything physical, you’re still going to need to have in place service providers for things like IT, electricity, energy, and website hosting. And, don’t forget, insurance. Finances Estimated time: 5 days You can now start piecing together your business plan. This is a crucial document that will provide an overview of your business idea and vision, the research and planning you’ve done in the last week, before moving on to your financial models (pricing and legal structure etc) and marketing plans (more on that in a moment). Whilst it’s easy to be overawed by this task, it’s important to note that your business plan is a working document; something that will evolve over time. Don’t worry about it being perfect at this stage. What it should do, though, is give you an idea of the finances you’re going to need for launch and your day-to-day operations. Are you going to fund the business yourself? Through friends and family? Through the bank? Or, perhaps, through alternative funding routes such as crowdfunding? Whatever you do, don’t dive in until you’ve weighed up all the options. Marketing Estimated time: 5 days It’s important to leave some money left over for promoting your business. After all, you’re going to struggle to bring in money if people don’t know your business exists. However, it’s definitely wise to keep your promotional expenditure to a modest level. It’s all too easy to flutter away your limited funds on ineffective tactics and strategies. So, what are the things you should definitely have in place? Your business name, logo, website and social media pages are all pretty much essential, and should cost little to set up, although, you might want to recruit a freelancer to help you on some aspects. Once they’re in place you can start to think about your marketing tactics and draw out a plan. The research work you did right at the beginning should play a key role in shaping who, what and how you want to promote your business. Tried and tested cost-effective tactics include Google AdWords, Facebook ads, and email marketing – but there’s no harm in also printing some business cards. Readying for launch Estimated time: 3 days Before you launch your business on the world there are a number of admin-based tasks you’ll need to do. These include:
That’s it! Well, at least these are the basics to getting your business launched. Clearly you could spend much longer planning and preparing your business, but then you might risk losing your momentum. Plus, the insights you’ll gather once you’re up and running are often the most  First impressions are crucial. In the business world, they can make a world of difference in getting a promotion or being the perfect candidate in a job interview. In this post, we’ll highlight a few aspects — from good oral health to dressing for the job you want — that impact your career prospects.
Many different factors influence how successful your career is. Some are out of your hands, whereas others — like how you carry yourself as a professional — are entirely up to you. Granted, this is somewhat of a broad statement, but the reality is there are many things to consider when it comes to how other people perceive you. Below we’ll discuss a few aspects of your appearance and self-maintenance that may be harming your career. Dressing for the Job You Want In the digital age, a large percentage of people opt for a freelance career and many SMEs and startups take a casual and less corporate approach to business. It’s safe to say that the stereotypical work clothes of a professional have changed. But, as a general rule of thumb, try aiming to dress slightly smarter than the employees of the business you want to join. If the job you’re applying for is at a bespoke company where professional clothing is mandatory, your choice of interview attire is a no-brainer. For men, this could be a suit, shirt and tie, or a smart sweater. For women, it depends on your own style — some will prefer a dress whereas others feel more comfortable in a suit. If the interview is with a startup, small business, or even a large organisation that prefers their employees to wear business-casual clothing, you have more options and room to incorporate some unique fashion choices. Tread lightly with this, as bright colours and flashy items can be distracting. If you want someone to focus on your attributes and skills as an industry professional, a flashy outfit isn’t helpful. Good Oral Health Although your physical appearance shouldn’t be a contributing factor when it comes to your career, good oral health and hygiene should be maintained with the correct care and attention. In an age where high-quality dentists and products are available to keep our teeth in good condition, failing to do so can project a lack of discipline or laziness. Not to mention that damaged or decayed teeth is unsightly for customers and colleagues. If you happen to have an infection it can cause serious health problems and produce fierce bad breath. The latter is especially troublesome for your colleagues and genuinely impacts your success during interviews. Being memorable as the applicant with bad breath isn’t ideal when you want to be remembered for what you bring to their company. If you’re someone who has missing teeth — whether removed by a dentist, knocked out, or fell out due to decay — there are several solutions that can return your smile to its former glory. If you’re looking for a long-term solution then your best bet is dental implants. This is where a metal root is fused with your jawbone and a prosthetic tooth is attached to the top. If you are self-conscious or suffer from a lack of confidence because of dental health, finding a solution that suits your needs and budget should be a top priority. Don’t Neglect Personal Hygiene Maintaining a good level of personal hygiene is not only important to stay healthy, but neglecting to do so demonstrates a lack of discipline and disregard for those around you. Being a bit smelly isn’t an acceptable reason for your employer to dismiss you, but it can significantly impact several aspects of your daily work life. The importance of good personal hygiene during an interview cannot be stressed enough. There is a vast range of things that can impact your hygiene so it’s crucial to keep it under control. Whether you’re rushing to catch the tube and start to sweat, wake up late and don’t have time to shower or forget to clean the dirt from underneath your fingernails — your interviewer will notice and unfortunately, it will influence their opinion of you. Everything about your appearance and hygiene gives an interviewer insight on how you perform at work and how well you’re prepared — choose an appropriate outfit, brush your teeth, and don’t forget to use deodorant. |
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