Here’s our list of companies offering a variety of different services and products, from home furniture, loan providers and coach training programmes to put your mind at ease and aid in getting your start-up business running as smoothly and successfully as possible.

1. Access Credit Management

As one of the UK’s leading commercial debt collection agencies, Access Credit Management Limited (ACM) provides global commercial debt recovery services to a wide range of organisations, large and small, national and international.

Established in 2000, ACM offers many years of experience in dealing with slow paying debtors and has established a reputation for securing and recovering outstanding commercial debt from around the world.

In addition, they also take time to understand your business needs. So whether you require assistance to develop or revise your company credit policy and procedures, a full sales ledger cleanse or a helping hand with selective overdue accounts, the team are here to help you.

Access Credit Management Limited specialises in commercial debt recovery and has a proven track record of improving client cash flow by securing payment of outstanding receivables from around the world.

Find out more at accesscm.co.uk

2. Bisley Direct

With A huge range of office storage, desks and chairs, BisleyDirect can provide a comfortable working solution that allows you to grow and expand. Being your own boss means you want to work well without distractions, so designing the right space is important.

BisleyDirect delivers and install your products for you so you can focus on your business.

Chairs are important, so invest in reasonable quality seats for you and your employees. Use bench desks as you can add and expand easily. Make sure to add cable management so you hide all those cables and plugs.

Consider colour storage to enhance your environment. Check your measurements and access to offices as some items are large. A clean working environment with space to store is important so you have room for all files and tasks.

You spend a large amount of time in your office, so should invest in the right environment as staff are more productive in a smart workspace.

Whether you need one office space or a hundred the team have solutions to suit you. How can BisleyDirect help your business?

Find out more at bisleydirect.co.uk

3. ITC London

Find an expert team that excels at all things digital at ITC London. Offering 24/7 fully managed support, these highly qualified experts can act as your outsourced IT department.

From a small business looking for complete support, or a director of a large company with international subsidiaries, ITC London hold the highest levels of certification and can deal with all aspects of IT support no matter how demanding.

The company specialise in cross-functional platform, device and database agnostic solutions – including network solutions, IT support, consultancy or assistance with telephony systems.

ITC London is proud to have forged partnerships with some of the world’s leading and highly rated companies who deliver high-end quality customer service and solutions using the most up-to-date and innovative technology with the end-user in mind.

Find out more at itclondon.com

4. Academy of Executive Coaching

The AoEC offer world-class executive coach training programmes to suit career levels and areas of expertise. Accredited and validated by the industry’s top professional bodies, the AoEC works with you to develop your own model, style and ‘signature presence’.

Executive coaching is one of the most valuable skills in the workplace and in the world. Over 20 years ago the organisation wanted to change the world through conversation, today they hold this value more than ever.

Market demand for executive coaching is on the rise. If you have a background in HR, consultancy, training or team leadership, now could be the right time for you to train as an executive coach.

Training over 11,000 people since 1999, start your AoEC journey at one of their free open events. Kickstart your career in executive coaching now.

Find out more at aoec.com

5. Integrated Resources

Integrated Resources are here to help you release potential, improve performance and growth in your business.

The pros and cons of being your own boss. You can’t be fired! You will have immense freedom but to start with, no security; the freedom is heady after being in-house. The thrill of being paid is far greater.

Becoming your own boss requires planning, a viable business idea, and brand. There’s a natural order in the hierarchy of support and its run like this: Finance, IT, HR, Marketing and virtual facilities.

Digital marketing is critical; you need not only an effective website but pathways to drive people there. Integrated Resources have advised many people in the last 18 years, from established and listed companies to SMEs across all sectors.

Find out more at integratedresources.co.uk

6. LawBite

LawBite provides what businesses really want from law firms. The team help you make informed decisions, ensure your company is legally compliant, protected and help increase revenue opportunities – supporting your businesses at every stage as you start, grow and succeed – to save you time and effort.

Expect great value with expert business lawyers at half the cost of high-street law firms. The teams affordable and understandable access to legal services will provide you with SRA regulated and insured LawBriefs lawyers; averaging around 10 years of experience.

On top of that, a full range of commercial and corporate legal services and skills match the right expert lawyer to your needs.

Stay in control of all your legal matters with their innovative legal tech platform and app. LawBite are flexible to your deadlines and gives you 24/7 access to UK lawyers anytime, anywhere through the online platform.

Find out more at lawbite.co.uk

7. Peak Vantage

Dan Gayle’s Peak Performance and Wellbeing Coaching maximises clients’ talents and potential, and that of their employees.

A person’s mindset plays an absolutely pivotal role in success. Following many years as a coach, Dan developed the Marginal Accumulated Gains concept (inspired by an approach used by Team GB) and The 6P’s Coaching Framework leading clients to achieve between 10% to 30% increase in performance and productivity levels.

Their team has extensive experience in business, economics, finance and investment analysis, coaching and consultancy, and psychology, which combine to make our services a powerful offering for you to integrate.

On a £50k per annum salary, a client stands to gain £15k in added value improved confidence, resiliency, and physical and mental wellbeing. These are just a fraction of the possible benefits.

To see how this could benefit you, get 50% off any future coaching, by quoting COACH50.

Find out more at thepeakvantage.com

8. Hiddleston Trade Marks

Hiddleston Trade Marks act for many SMEs and know the demands upon your time and pocket. The organisation aim to provide their trade mark services with a new eye and fresh approach.

You’ve set up a new business but are snowed under with expenses and other demands. It is so easy to put off protecting your trademarks.

However, properly protected, your trade marks and other intellectual property are valuable assets, which may be an important consideration for any potential purchaser of your business down the line. Equally, however, they can be a potential trap for the unwary.

Get help searching the UK trade marks register to avoid infringing third-party trade markets and to register your mark for the future.

Hiddleston Trade Marks is here to provide a helping hand. They are now also offering a free 30-minute consultancy if you contact them

Find out more at hiddlestons.com

9. Support Tree

Support Tree, in response to this pandemic, has rolled out an immediate solution that will give you access directly to your work desktop from any system – whether that is a tablet, laptop, home computer and even a smartphone.

This costs just £10 per month and can be subscribed to for as little as three months plus a small setup fee.

Why purchase a high-value system that can take weeks to roll out, when an immediate and cost-effective solution is available? With Support Tree you can work from anywhere as though you are in the office in a few minutes.

Even for those with a remote solution, this is an effective backup.

Find out more at supporttree.co.uk

10. UK Wholesale

Many businesses have quickly adopted UK Wholesale’s phone systems to give their employees and businesses the flexibility they need to flourish.

UK Wholesale provides a range of communication options including ‘softphones’ with headsets for PCs and Macs, desk phones for plug in through any modern worldwide and a mobile app – all answering the same number.

Software behind UK Wholesale’s leading phone systems providers user-friendly functions and features, including conference and video calling, easy call transfer, document sharing, call queuing and auto attendants.

UK Wholesale has provided traditional and cloud-based phone systems to thousands of UK companies for more than a decade. Its customers include household brands. Plus, its sets up businesses to work remotely and flexibly within 24 hours.

Find out more at uk-wholesale.co.uk

To see your company in any upcoming features we are arranging please email laura@hurstmediacompany.co.uk or editorial@hurstmediacompany.co.uk

The post Top 10 companies that can help you start a business appeared first on Checklists.

It is time to break it down into what steps you need to do to get the business off the ground and running. There are plenty of companies that are offering services to help kickstart your business with ease.

1. ArchOver

ArchOver is a peer-to-peer business lending platform. They connect SME’s that need working capital with investors looking for a favourable return. Through their platform, lenders pledge to your project, providing you with the money you need to achieve your goals.

They carry out rigorous due diligence to ensure they fully understand our borrowers’ businesses, what they’re trying to achieve, and the challenges they face. They get to know them, spending time with them to ensure they get the best loan for their needs.

They have a proven record not only of helping businesses secure funding, but also helping their borrowers when they meet challenges outside their control.

Find out more at archover.com

2. WorkLife

WorkLife coworking spaces provide businesses with everything they need from an office space; whether it’s hot-desking or a private hub, including Wi-Fi, printing, meeting rooms, private phone booths, a reception and a fully fitted kitchen.

WorkLife know that work happiness plays a huge part in productivity, so the community-led spaces are designed to make you feel good, and the membership teams go the extra mile to make your experience special.

Your membership includes networking, unlimited coffee from Redemption Roasters, weekly fitness classes, regular breakfasts, monthly massages with Urban and training sessions with Jolt.

Located across London, Manchester and Reading, the spaces allow businesses to feel part of a wider community. Plus, members get easy access to a network of different skills and services all under the same roof, and the opportunity to share ideas and collaborate across companies.

Find out more at work.life

3. OKI

OKI sells the smallest A3 printer on the market – the C800 series – that can handle all your printing needs, including business cards, pre-cut media, posters, banners up to 1.3m long and beyond. Combining media flexibility, ultra-reliability and OKI’s pioneering digital LED technology, this productivity-boosting device is perfect for creating professional quality customer-facing collateral, as well as day-to-day office documents in-house and on-demand.

The C800 series warms up instantly and conserves energy thanks to OKI’s innovative fusing technology, saving time and creating efficiency, making it the perfect choice for any business workgroup.

Find out more at oki.com

4. Octopus Electric Vehicles

Octopus Electric Vehicles makes it easy for everyone – individuals and businesses – to join the electric vehicle revolution. They bring together everything you need to get you on the road.

They’ve got a team of experts who live and breathe electric vehicles day in, day out, ready to find you the best finance options, unlock government incentives and save you money wherever you can.

They’ve got a handpicked range of the best electric vehicles from all the top manufacturers including BMW, Nissan, Jaguar and of course Tesla. Their hassle-free smart charging solutions mean you’ll be able to wake up every day with a full charge.

They’re even changing the rules of how vehicles are used and energy is consumed, through Powerloop their vehicle to grid product that turns your parked car into a battery for your home. They’ve got the complete EV solution to start saving.

Find out more at octopusev.com

5. Payswell

Payswell can help you and your business with payroll solutions for contractors, temporary workers, recruitment agencies and individuals. Their organisation manages systems such as PAYE, LTD, UMBRELLA and CIS. 

They understand the demands made by contractors and agencies and can assist in mitigating the volume of paperwork and offer an HMRC-compliant payment model, ensuring both agencies and workers are up to date with current legislation.

 Payswell accept that charges can be one of the biggest deal-breakers when it comes to choosing an umbrella solution, that suits you and your company. They believe it is essential to be highly competitive and with the lowest charges in the industry tailored to your needs. Payswell simply puts you and your business first.

All clients are assigned their own dedicated personal account manager who will take care of all your payroll needs efficiently and offer advice whenever needed.

Find out more at payswell.net

6. Rockwool

Energy efficient upgrades to your building with ROCKWOOL with not only make your property more environmentally friendly, but they could also save you up to £600 per year on your energy bills.

Insulating your office is one of the easiest ways to improve energy efficiency, reducing energy usage by up to 70%. Using non-combustible Rockwool stone wool insulation will help you achieve much wider benefits than just energy savings.

There are many benefits to improving your insulation. Stone wool’s superior sound reduction performance will help you to turn noise down. Its insulation regulates internal temperature to make your building cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. Plus, as non-combustible insulation, stone wool won’t burn, making your property as safe as it is warm.

Find out more at rockwool.com

7. Pack & Send

For nearly 30 years Pack & Send have been delivering far more than just a simple courier service. They are the UK’s largest network of packing and shipping specialists with huge experience of safely moving virtually anything to all parts of the globe.

Their unique range of secure packing options make them particularly effective in handling fragile and valuable goods. They can also transport medical and laboratory equipment, vehicle parts and engineering machinery.

They understand the concerns of buyers and vendors when moving unique things. Pack & Send apply the same high level of attention to detail in executing the shipment. They are so confident in the security of their shipping services that they offer a loss and damage warranty on anything that they have packed – regardless of its value.

Pack & Send’s flexibility, attention to detail, and premium customer service can be the answer.

Find out more at packsend.co.uk

8. Dehns

Dehns is one of Europe’s leading firms of patent and trademark attorneys, working with SMEs in all sectors over the last 100 years to help increase the value of businesses. Dehns can help identify, obtain and protect your intellectual property, which in turn can help you achieve your corporate objectives.

Two of the most important IP are trademarks and patents. Brand recognition and loyalty are developed in a trademark over time. It can become a highly valuable asset; obtaining appropriate trademark protection early on is important, otherwise third parties may be able to use an identical or similar trademark, in a way that may confuse customers, divert business and/or damage your brand’s image.

Patents protect new inventions. The owner of a patent can generally prevent others from using, making, or selling the invention for a limited period of time.

Find out more at dehns.com

9. Amazon Business

Amazon Business and American Express launched two new products aimed at the small business market.

This allows you to tap into the ability to make of the most of your future spending. In addition to no annual fee in the first year, you will receive a £25 Amazon Gift Card upon approval, and on top of that, the freedom to choose between 1.5% Amazon Rewards or deferred payment for 60 days on UK purchases at Amazon Business, amazon.co.uk and Whole Foods Market.

Find out more amazon.co.uk

10. Hampshire Trust Bank

When it comes to saving, opening an ISA is a great start. That’s where Hampshire Trust Bank can help.

Basically, it means you can save up to £20,000 a year, tax free. They offer a range of cash-ISAs available for new subscriptions and transfers from both cash, stocks and shares ISAs.

And, when you choose Hampshire Trust Bank, you have the added peace of mind that comes from knowing your money is protected up to a total of £85,000 by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, the UK’s deposit guarantee scheme.

Find out more at htb.co.uk

To see your company in any upcoming features we are arranging please email laura@hurstmediacompany.co.uk or editorial@hurstmediacompany.co.uk

The post Ten top companies to help you run your business appeared first on Checklists.

1. KBSP Partners LLP 

With over 50 years’ experience, KBSP Partners LLP are perfectly equipped to advise when it comes to professional finance management.

Being self-employed and running your own business is an incredible achievement – not to mention, liberating. Keeping on top of your game, however, does mean being all over your finances – and for some of us, that isn’t always something that comes naturally.

To ensure your business can continue to make strides – and to help you concentrate on the fun bit of working for yourself – trust your accounting to the experts at KBSP Partners LLP, a well-established accountancy firm based in Swiss Cottage, London.

Whether it’s help dealing with HMRC, auditing, bookkeeping or even setting up your company that you’re after, the team will be more than happy to help you keep your numbers in check, so you can stick to the bit you’re best at.

Find out more at kbsp.co.uk

2. GoDaddy

GoDaddy is empowering everyday entrepreneurs to build amazing online businesses by introducing GoDaddy Websites and Marketing, combining an easy-to-use website builder with a suite of marketing tools to help people with little or no marketing know-how reach new customers and fuel business growth.

GoDaddy have always helped customers build business websites, but now offers GoDaddy InSight™ – a smart technology which guides users through the process of marketing their website and bringing their business to an ever-growing marketplace. GoDaddy InSight™ is the only product in the industry that provides tailored ongoing guidance based on business goals, comparing performance to other businesses in the same sector.

GoDaddy Websites + Marketing is designed to be the single tool you need to manage an online presence, combining the power of a professional website with the marketing reach of the world’s largest search, social and commerce platforms.

Find out more at uk.godaddy.com

3. TaxAssist Accountants

Introducing Vince Dalaimo, the TaxAssist Accountants franchisee for Central London. He joined the group in 2003 after deciding he needed to change his career path. Now, operating from a shop in Southwark, he looks after over 1,000 clients with a fee bank of over £1 million.

Before he joined TaxAssist, Vince was a senior product controller in credit derivatives for the Royal Bank of Canada. A qualified accountant, he had also worked for Deutsche Bank, supervising and training teams on corporate and government bond work.

“I was a very small cog in a very big wheel and thought there must be more to life,” explained Vince. “I didn’t think there would be a franchise model which matched my skills set so well, but TaxAssist Accountants enables you to build your client base, with the back-up of a national brand and the high visibility of shop-front premises.”

Find out more at taxassistfranchise.co.uk

4. Kaplan 

Training is an essential part of not only growing a business but its employees too. When it comes to finance, accountancy and digital training, you need to know you’re investing in trusted experts so your company and your staff can flourish.

As a world-leading apprenticeship provider, Kaplan is currently offering a free consultation to ensure you’re fully up to date with the very latest information regarding training, including funding to upskill your existing staff or recruit your future workforce.

As part of its training consultation, Kaplan will be able to advise you on available government funding and apprenticeships, accountancy and tax training programmes, digital training programmes and more. 

With 75 of the FTSE Top 100 companies using Kaplan Financial in the UK for accountancy, banking, finance and digital training, it seems clear who you can trust when it comes to training your staff.

Find out more at kaplan.co.uk

5. BuzzBrand

As an entrepreneur you’ll be looking forward to your business growing, the money starting to flow in and that critical point when you start generating a healthy profit. But are you dedicating enough time to developing your strategy, products and services, or are you tied-up with making boxes, negotiating with parcel couriers or learning the intricacies of SEO?

BuzzBrand know that starting and scaling an eCommerce business can be complicated and confusing. So, they offer a personalised set of services to help start-up, small and medium size eCommerce businesses turn their dreams into reality. The BuzzBrand team can help you with almost anything, from website development and digital marketing to order fulfilment and book-keeping.

They have been helping businesses grow for over 30 years and their goal is to put your success at the heart of what they do. Every business is unique, so BuzzBrand services are tailored to you.

Find out more at buzzbrand.com

6.  Car4Leasing ­

Whether you are looking to upgrade your existing fleet of cars, add to your fleet or get your first company car, Car4Leasing have the tools to assist. With contract lengths from two to five years, variable mileage allowances and optional maintenance contracts covering servicing, tyres and breakdown, they have you covered.

All Car4Leasing vehicles are brand new with a minimum of three years’ manufacturer warranty. Leasing is now the norm for business car contracts and leasing from Car4Leasing will provide you affordable, fixed-cost motoring plus unrivalled service and the peace of mind that you need to concentrate on running your own business.

Find out more at car4leasing.co.uk

7. Starling Bank

Lockdown has forced many of us to do more of our banking digitally, saving us time and making it easier than ever to manage our finances wherever, whenever.

But Starling Bank have gone one step further. Award-winning Starling Bank is entirely digital and has no bricks and mortar stores – the ideal app for those who live their lives through their phones. With the Starling banking app, you’ll get instant notifications about your ingoings and outgoings, as well as up-to-date insight on your spending habits, so you can constantly improve and save more.

You can set yourself goals using the app to help you save for a rainy day, you can manage any IOUs from your mobile and generate a link to share with friends and family on those occasions you’re splitting a bill.

Find out more at starlingbank.com

8. Aldermore

Running your own business can bring a great sense of achievement and satisfaction. Nothing beats seeing new customers coming on board and watching your business grow.

But managing any business also brings challenges. Inevitably, one of these is cash flow. Some business customers may insist on payment terms of 60 or 90 days, while others may not pay reliably on time. It’s a fact of life that you can never be entirely sure when those vital funds will come in.

However, there are solutions. One of these is invoice finance. Instead of waiting around for funds to arrive or spending valuable time chasing payments, invoice finance can help you access up to 90% of your full invoice value straightaway.

Aldermore specialises in offering finance solutions like this to help businesses achieve their aspirations, lending over £2.9 billion each year to help fuel growth.

Find out more at aldermore.co.uk

9. Ideal Schools

Let Ideal Schools take the stress out of starting up your own business. When you embark on the road to self-employment, proper planning is essential and an Ideal Schools’ tutor-supported course will ensure you give yourself the very best chance of success.

Covering aspects such as start-up considerations, market research, business planning, funding, VAT, marketing and more, you’ll be able to embrace the flexibility that self-employment provides. At the end of your course, you will be presented with a completion certification and continued career support.

Ideal Schools’ professional, award-winning, accredited bookkeeping and accounting courses also provide a valuable skill where self-employment opportunities are available.

Find out more at idealschools.co.uk

10. Northgate Vehicles

With over 35 years of experience, Northgate Vehicle Hire provides bespoke fleet management services that offer businesses a range of flexible, fair and financially savvy hire plans.

Whether you need a flexible or fixed-term rental, each vehicle comes with servicing, maintenance, road tax, and breakdown recovery, all included in one simple regular cost.

Northgate serve various sized businesses, from owner-operators to corporate customers, across a wide range of industries. By working with Northgate, you will have access to a comprehensive range of vehicles that can be supplied to match any requirement. From branding to beacons, racking to roof bars, you can tailor our hire vans to your business.

Find out more at northgatevehiclehire.co.uk

To see your company in any upcoming features we are arranging please email laura@hurstmediacompany.co.uk or editorial@hurstmediacompany.co.uk

The post Bossing it – 10 ways to master running your own business appeared first on Checklists.

1. Check out alternative sources of funding

Virtually every business will need outside investment, but that can take a more diverse set of forms than ever before. Traditional bank loans will still do the job, of course, but perhaps you could borrow via an overdraft or credit card instead. Credit in particular can be a vital source of cashflow, and you can often pick up perks or cashback for spending on a card.

Rather than go through an intermediary such as a bank, you can approach investors directly via a peer-to-peer funding platform. Or, approach everyone at once through crowdfunding. Platforms such as Kickstarter – for getting new products off the ground – or Patreon – for businesses that want to sell via a subscription service – can give you quick access to funding if your offering is attractive to the public.

Once you are taking over £2,500 a month in credit or debit card payments, ‘business cash advance’ arrangements are available. You can apply for up to £300,000, which you repay through a small percentage of business card takings instead of a fixed amount each month.

2. Have clear ideas, goals and budgets

Identifying a trend is one thing, but ideally, your business will be based around something you have a personal passion for, or skill base in. That will enable you to more quickly refine your idea and produce a business plan, target market description, and summary of your offering to potential investors.

The less glamorous side of business planning is producing a budget – but it’s utterly essential not just to create one, but to review past budgets regularly to ensure you stuck to them (or, if you didn’t, what cost centres were responsible for the overspend). Over time, you can use software such as Quickbooks to build in forecasting, reporting and detailed analysis.

Maintain a healthy scepticism when setting business goals. It’s fairly unlikely that your startup will make you a millionaire in the first couple of years. Remember that if your business is giving you greater personal freedom, and the ability to work in a field you love, that’s a success story of its own.

3. Clamp down on small costs

Cash flow is king! It’s a sad fact that any business can run out of cash – in fact, it’s the most common reason for small business failure. Your business idea can be excellent, your marketing flawless, your strategy well-thought-out – but none of that is a complete safeguard against cash flow issues.

As a business owner, you’re the one who, by default, gets the responsibility of poring over the books and reconciling the outgoings against the revenues. So you need to keep an eagle eye on expenditures. Even small costs can add up to something out of control.

There are simple steps you can take to cut those costs. Check your debts and switch credit to a new provider for a better rate. Audit your software licences and make sure they’re actually being used. Go green – limiting travel should be easier than ever right now, so why not take the next step and encourage employees to go paperless and reduce their energy use? Finally, cut down on opportunity costs too – make sure tasks aren’t being needlessly duplicated, or meetings proliferating out of control.

4. Flexibility and transparency are keys

We live in the ‘Amazon era’ where everyone wants everything instantly. And it would be ideal if you could supply everything your customer wants, tailored to their exact specification, an instant after they place their order. In the real world, despite your laudable efforts to over-deliver for every customer, this isn’t always going to happen. The solution? Transparent communication, giving as much visibility on every stage of the delivery process as possible.

You can apply this transparency principle on a wider scale. If you have a blog, or are posting on LinkedIn about your business, don’t think you only have to present a manicured, overly positive version of events. It’s acceptable to share insights into your struggles as well as your triumphs. In fact, after the events of 2020, readers are likely to enjoy and appreciate your honesty.

After all, who got everything right first try? Many businesses have to modify their offerings and products based on feedback. There’s no shame in that, either. Being able to adapt to create what customers want will go a long way.

5. Don’t put up with tech problems

In an era where everything is done remotely, the digital face of your company needs to be fit for purpose. That applies to your website and social feeds alike. Not only should they be free of technical issues, they should also be designed for ease of access – potential customers want to know as much about your business as possible and they should be able to access key information within seconds.

If you’re a regular user of business software, such as Microsoft Teams or the Google suite, make sure it’s being used consistently throughout the business, and important files are stored in an accessible location on a shared server (rather than one someone’s desktop, where they may never be found again).

You certainly can’t afford any issues when it comes to taking payments – it’s worth paying to outsource your payments to a reputable external platform such as Paypal, Worldpay Zinc or Opayo, so you benefit from reliability and round-the-clock service.

6. Network – even if you can’t meet face to face

You need to get out there and show your face to the public. That’s easier said than done – you can hardly travel to a conference or turn up at the pub on Friday night. But creative business leaders always find a way. Like everything else, you just have to go digital! Make sure your Facebook, LinkedIn and Xing profiles are up-to-date and relevant as a first port of call.

If you have identified a particular contact you want to break the ice with, a surprisingly effective idea is to ask them for something. Message them on LinkedIn asking for a small piece of advice on a situation relevant to their area of expertise. You are more likely to stick in their mind than the legions of people who offer services unsolicited.

Of course, you don’t have to make new contacts at all. Try reviving old ones instead. You don’t even have to offer them a particular opportunity – just message them asking how they are doing. It may not directly generate a business opportunity there-and-then, but in a time where personal contact is rare, you will be remembered as a person who made the effort to reach out.

7. One-person band? Get advice from the right people

First off, get your immediate family on board. With the amount of time you’ll be putting into this business, you need them to support you through the challenges – emotionally as much as financially.

Beyond this, it can be tempting to shut out all the well-meaning but probably inaccurate advice that gets directed at you. But you do need to take on board advice from two clear groups of people: people with existing market expertise, and people who use your services. An invaluable marketing tool is simply asking your customer base what they think you could do better, or how they think you could get more business.

Finally, it’s unlikely you’re going to be highly skilled at every single task your business involves – so be wise in deciding which tasks to outsource, and trust those who you assign the task to. Or maybe it’s time to hire…

8. Need to expand? Here’s how to hire right

Firstly, there is no need to fear the prospect of hiring, and employing, someone remotely. The past year has proved that home workers can do an effective job, and the hiring principles are largely the same: spend time creating a job description that really matches the job and attract the right candidates; look for a cultural fit not just an on-paper one; don’t try to talk yourself into a candidate you aren’t sure about; hire different personality types, not just people who are similar to you.

Hiring can be time-consuming, so treat your own time, and that of applicants, with respect. Make sure you know what stages are involved in the screening process, and state this up-front in any job adverts. Treat video calls as if they were an in-person interview, doing your prep work and setting exercises for the candidate.

Consider adding an extra screening stage, such as a quiz asking open questions about what kinds of work candidates enjoy. This could actually turn into a self-screening exercise, saving you precious time if you get masses of applicants.

9. Got employees? Coach through the remote working gap

There’s no doubting it: the days where managers acted like Alec Baldwin’s character in Glengarry Glen Ross are long gone. Bosses today are more like coaches, managing employees’ emotional welfare as well as productivity to find the optimal balance that benefits everyone.

In a set-up where most employees work from home most of the time, this balance becomes even more crucial. Without the benefit of seeing employees as you walk around the workplace, you won’t get instant feedback on how engaged or happy they are. At the same time, with their previous routine disrupted, they may be craving a more structured approach.

You need to encourage a culture of open communication, and that starts with you. Schedule regular one-to-one calls with employees – even if there is nothing urgent that needs talking about – and ask them to tell you about their priorities. Ensure you give updates on the business as whole, even parts of it that don’t directly concern the employee. And when it comes to delegating tasks, do so as fearlessly as you did before – but ensure every task is achievable, clearly understandable, and comes with a deadline.

10. Cut your risk with franchising options

Want to minimise the risk of starting a business while retaining the potential reward? That’s where franchising comes in: taking an established brand and operating model, and running it as your own business in a given branch or area. You can get set up quickly, and will receive support from the franchisor. It’s a proven and successful model for a reason – but you still need to do your research before taking the plunge.

The British Franchise Association should be your first port of call, and lists the numerous franchising opportunities that are available. You’ll quickly learn that franchising is for more than fast food. Three business areas that were identified as franchising growth areas in 2020 were cleaning, education and senior care.

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