Starting a New Business as the New Year Takes Off

We have embarked upon a new year with all of the promise that that holds. The circumstances of life can weigh heavily upon us and we feel like they get in the way of what we really want to achieve. But it is a new year. Have you come to a point where you feel you will regret not trying something that you have always wanted to do? Have you decided to follow your dream by starting a new business, but are not sure how to proceed?

Literally thousands and thousands of individuals, couples, partners and groups of people set up their own businesses every year. The inspiration for setting up might be a great idea; or you might just want to work for yourself. Some people think that they will be able to make a lot of money by starting out by on their own. These reasons for starting a new business are all valid. You will, however, need motivation, commitment and drive if you are to make your new business a successful one. Enthusiasm is important, certainly; but without a sound business plan it is likely that you will find yourself struggling to get your new business up and running.

When starting a new business, you will need to take into account the following:

  1. What will the business run as? What form will it take? – Private limited company? Partnership? Limited liability partnership? Co-operative? Social enterprise?
  2. What are the physical requirements? Will you need premises? With special equipment? Are there licence and insurance implications?
  3. Will you need financial support? – Bank loan? Private investment? Or can you afford it yourself?
  4. Have you got what it takes to make it work? Do you need to invest in training?

 

There is no right type or wrong type of individual to run a new business. The key factor at play is this: if you are determined to make it succeed and you are prepared to put in the necessary hard work, then you have everything that you need.

When starting a new business, REMEMBER…..

You will need an idea that can realistically translate into a product or service. It’s quite possible that you have had an idea for many years. Now is the time to start planning and implementing a strategy for how it’s going to work. You might well need to register your idea with the relevant body – patent office, PRS, other intellectual property – such that no other person may replicate it without your permission.

You will have to do the relevant research for your new business: identifying who your target audience is; discussing your product or service with focus groups or collecting questionnaires; collecting feedback; interpreting the data. When starting a new business, you have to be prepared to go back to the drawing board without being resistant to making changes to the product or service you are offering.

The business plan for your new business

When you have ironed out the creases based on revisions to your idea, write your business plan. Within the plan for your new business you will need to show the results of research and the interpretation of collected data. This will link up with how you set goals for your new business and what those goals are. It is recommended that legal advice be sought at this point.

Finance and your new business

Money is the driving force behind a business. You will need sound advice. An accountant and a solicitor are vital professional allies to your new business. Administration is necessary in business. If you don’t like to get bogged down in detail, you will need someone who does.

Setbacks and your new business

Setbacks are inevitable with your new business. The manner in which you deal with them and overcome them will be essential in determining whether your new business succeeds or not.

Involving others in your new business

When starting a new business, put together a list of potential suppliers and request estimates or quotes. This sets up new relationships on a professional basis enabling easier negotiation. Speaking to a broad range of suppliers will allow you to judge which of them are reliable. You will need to find suppliers and may need to find a business partner. If you are going it alone you will still have to work with other people such as suppliers and distributors. If you are looking for a co-founder, choose the individual based on their skillset: someone with a different background is useful, with different expertise. This will provide you with someone with who you may consult where your knowledge and experience is lacking. Doing this will also allow you concentrate on areas where you have expertise.

Sourcing the expertise of your business partner and applying it to areas in which you have little or no knowledge is important. It is also of vital important to invest in next-generation skills that will enable you to compete in your market with up to date knowledge of current marketing methods, current legislation, the latest thinking on leadership, and project management skills. With this vitally important investment to consider, Alternative Partnership would recommend investing in our suite of online Business Skills courses.

We offer Courses in

  • Facebook for Business
  • LinkedIn for Business
  • Twitter for Business
  • Social Media for Business
  • SEO for Business
  • Data Protection in the Workplace
  • Conflict Resolution in the Workplace
  • Equality, Diversity and Discrimination
  • Stress Management
  • Time Management
  • Leadership Skills
  • Presentation Skills
  • Project Management
  • Customer Service
  • Negotiation
  • Disciplinary Procedures
  • Anti-Harassment and Bullying Policy

For further details and for a free trials on the courses, follow this link:

https://www.alternativepartnership.co.uk/business-skills-elearning/

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Through their excellent service and commitment, we were able to show a remarkable improvement in the quality of service we offer to all our customers. The initial training provided to all our 66 staff who was involved in the Customer Service qualification has been of great benefit to the company, in the way they interact with our customers and deal with their enquiries. Of the 66 people 8 of those progressed to a higher Customer Service qualification with Alternative Partnership.

Julie Asbury, La Redoute

I am a Store Manager for a busy Retail Outlet and I decided to undertake my ILM Higher Management qualification.  I found the qualification excellent for developing my knowledge and understanding of higher management in business, especially when, part way through the course, I was promoted to a larger store and the ILM qualification was invaluable to my learning and management experience. Tina worked with me focusing on the training and development that I needed to succeed, which helped me to achieve the qualification, as well as, make business improvements to the running of my store.

I have worked with Alternative Partnership for many years now and I have achieved a number of qualifications with Tina’s help along my whole journey. She is always there for help and advice and I would definitely recommend Alternative Partnership to anyone who is wanting to complete a qualification to better their professional skills with full support and great mentoring by Tina.

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I wanted to have the pleasure of working with Alternative Partnership and Tina again. Tina discussed my training needs and recommended an ILM Higher Leadership and Management qualification. I thought this might be impossible for me, but yet again, Tina’s great way of communicating to develop my understanding by putting things across, in a way that simplified the information was really helpful to me and supported what it was I needed to do to achieve success. The ILM Higher Leadership and Management Diploma Level 4 course were for 18 months and Alternative Partnership, especially Tina, ensures all students achieved great results. To that end, I successfully completed the course three months before the originally planned time. Anyone wanting to build their professional knowledge, gain confidence in the work they do and experience a great journey, I would highly recommend looking at working with Alternative Partnership and I personally look forward to making my next journey.

Richard Daniels, Morrison Utility Services

Dear Tina, Thank you for the Business Coaching and guidance I have received from Alternative Partnership, especially in helping me to structure myself and Key West Pest Control. This has helped to make my business run more professionally, more structured and implementing policies and procedures whilst helping me acquire my ILM Higher Strategic Leadership and Management qualification. I would have no hesitation in recommending you or your company. A big thank you.

Sean Mclean, Key West Pest Control Ltd

I would like to thank Tina for her exceptional support and guidance whilst completing the ILM Higher Diploma in Leadership and Management Level 4. The knowledge and skills I have gained both from Tina and the course content is invaluable and has and will continue to improve my professional and personal progression. Tina was a constant support, including times when I was uncertain on how to tackle a particularly difficult unit. I couldn’t thank Tina enough and would highly recommend her to anyone who wants to improve their own knowledge and skills in the leadership and management profession.

Lisa Vickers, Total Fitness

Working with Tina over the last few months has been extremely inspiring. Her passion and enthusiasm for business is infectious and you can tell immediately that she genuinely wants you to be a success. Tina pushed me into writing and publishing my first book. After a conversation with Tina,  I was able to build on some existing content and turn it into a useful resource for business owners. The book, A-Z of Blogging,  has had fantastic feedback and I am so proud of what I have achieved with it, none of which would have happened without Tina’s support and encouragement. I can’t recommend Tina and The Alternative Partnership highly enough to anyone wanting to move their business to the next stage.

Lisa Slater, Make Your Copy Count
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