Don’t get left behind! Learn the Juicy Secrets of ChatGPT!
Don’t get left behind! Learn the Juicy Secrets of ChatGPT!
Everyone can start a business. Let me say that again .. EVERYONE can start a business.
You may think there’s something about you which means it won’t work for you. Well, every business owner has qualities which could hold them back.
The ones who are successful just decide to do it anyway.
It’s a well defined process, but behind some of the questions are decades of experience.
It’s easy to say “just get going”, but I understand there are genuine questions and thoughts which are flooding your mind.
That’s where I can help you; I can help you with the right path.
We can work on all of these together. I can ask questions, interpret your answers, and help you with options, ideas and solutions to challenges.
And if you’re full of self-doubt, we can work to improve your level of confidence too.
Many business owners don’t feel they’re ready for this challenge. One of my recent customers felt exactly like this – full of fear. It’s perfectly normal, and we can work on this together.
Businesses start most effectively when there is a priority in place, where the most impactful tasks are worked on first.
Let’s develop a list which is right for you, your circumstances, and your business.
This reduces overwhelm and perfectionism, because most founders have a list as long as their arm to get to their goal in 3 years.
Once we have a priority, you can let go of worrying about everything that’s not for now and next. Leave them to later.
We typically work in what’s called a Minimum Viable Product manner, which is the creating the least you can sell to the market.
By using an MVP approach, we’ll keep you on track, with clear ideas of what to work on next. I’ll lead you though this.
Everything that can be delayed until later, including tweaks and improvements, are delayed.
In an MVP, you only work on what’s strictly necessary to launch your business. Everything else can be dealt with later.
Every business starts this way, from Apple to Google to Tesla!
With too much on your plate, you’re likely to switch around from tasks to task.
Many entrepreneurs will have several ideas or projects on their plate, and it can become confusing what to work on.
Together, we’ll work on what’s really important today, to get going.
We’ll work out what’s most useful for you to be working on in order to meet your needs and achieve your goal.
It’s very human to worry about whether you can do this, and if you’re the right person with the right knowledge.
My own business launch was into a market I knew nothing about (recruitment), using a system I was unfamiliar with at the time (the internet). It took time, but I got there.
You might have so many choices to make, that you become exhausted with it.
I know starting a business seems to be full of selections, and gathering evidence to support your decisions, but we will make this much easier together as we focus on one at a time.
You likely have a lot riding on success with your startup, so it stands to reason you’re worried about it.
If you focus on the basics of business, and move forward slowly and clearly, launching a business successfully is simpler than it seems.
There may be times on your entrepreneurial journey where you’re exhausted.
Take a break and delay some work or decisions! You’re human.
Throughout your business life, you’ll recognise that you have less certainty than you would like.
As time goes on and you settle into the business, you’ll find your feet and create consistency of income and growth.
A common question entrepreneurs have in their minds is .. is <this> the right business to create?
It’s a surprisingly important question. I made a mistake starting a marketing agency at one point. I look back now with my business coaching eyes and I understand why that went wrong, but back them I didn’t know. I “wasted” a year.
It’s always useful to understand how feasible and desirable this is for you.
Is this the business you want to run is a useful question to ask? What are you passionate about? What do you love? How do you love to work? Will you stick with it? Can you fund it? These questions can help you determine if it’s a useful idea for you.
You can do some market research.
This might include setting up some “fake” social media ads to judge interest, or getting on the street and asking people. It might also include competitor analysis, networking in groups to ask for people to fill in surveys, or seeking an industry expert.
Or you can just try it out.
Sometimes, it’s easier and quicker to create a prototype or MVP (Minimum Viable Product) and see whether the market likes it. This might include trying it out on sites like AppSumo (if it’s software) or Kickstarter (if it’s a product), or creating ads to see how many sales you receive.
Together, we can work out which is the right path for you.
Top of the list of questions people have when starting a business is how to make it work financially.
Starting a business rarely costs literally zero, so there has to be some investment that comes from somewhere.
This is wholly dependent on the product or service, your circumstances, and your approach to risk.
The options available for different types of business startups vary, and some of them will be unpalatable, depending on your level of worry and anxiousness around the future, and your personal circumstances.
Options include developing your business on the side, external investment, saving, loans, taking on a wealthy business partner, startup sites like AppSumo, and sometimes finding a stepping stone.
It’s impossible to say which is the right approach for you, but there will be one which will work for you and allow you to embark on your enterprise.
Business startups all face questions and decisions.
It’s perfectly normal to have dozens of potential paths ahead of you, but it might not feel comfortable.
The awareness that business coaching brings leads to the right path for you.
Our time together will allow you to build clarity around what’s important for you.
Product and service development.
Your new business needs something to sell, and over time you’ll improve that product or service to make it more appealing. It might take 3, 6 or 12 months – or even longer – before you have an effective option for the market.
Just keep going.
Branding, marketing and networking.
Your brand is your promise to your customers, and your marketing or networking allows more of your potential customers to see and experience that promise. Every business must general footfall, whether real or virtual.
Sales and pricing strategy.
Your customers must have a way to buy your product, and take the mental leap from “I might buy” to “I will buy”. Your pricing strategy is a key element of this, as well as the messages you deliver to customers.
Team building and automation.
Once your business is more established, you can become more productive by employing others to work through the successful business processes you’ve discovered, or to automate them using IT systems. We can work on this together.
Operating the business.
Your business needs processes that improve each time you have a new customer issue. It’s possible to work some of these out before starting your business, but many times it just takes time to become clear enough on these SOPs (Standard Operating Processes).
Finances and legal requirements.
At some point it’s important to consider the more uninteresting elements of running a business, such as profit levels and any legal hoops you must jump through. Some of these are required as soon as you start the company. They vary from country to country.
Scaling and growth.
Once you have something that the market wants, it’s time to look at growing the business so you don’t become overwhelmed and exhausted, and can increase the turnover of your new business.
It may seem like there’s a significant amount to learn when starting your business, but you can.
We can work together on the key elements which will be important for you at easy stage of your entrepreneurial journey.
The fear people often have is that they’re not progressing fast enough; let that go.
The speed your business progresses will be unique to you. Allow yourself to go at the speed you’re able to.
A few decades ago I decided to start a business in the online recruitment sector.
It was a huge leap of faith, but I welcomed the opportunity that the internet offered.
Over time, it grew to over 20 dedicated individuals, and it’s still running successfully today.
The first 18 months were tough, I won’t lie. But we found what the market really wanted and eventually sold it effectively enough to build a successful business.
It’s the greatest achievement of my life, but also came with some of the biggest challenges.
There have been days I wanted to give up, for sure. But that’s common with business ownership. Like everything worth doing, it’s not easy, but it is possible.
I’m here to help you do the same. I’m kind and thoughtful, packed full of knowledge and experience, and I really understand people.
Whatever it is you’re looking for, I’ll be able to help you take the first steps in launching your business.
Available online throughout the UK and internationally
➡️ Please note: ⬅️
This is only for people interested in coaching. No sales meetings.
Available online throughout the UK and internationally
Phil Drinkwater is a successful online business owner. Now a business coach, he supports amazing clients with practical guidance and personal coaching, focusing on small businesses, entrepreneurs & startups.
He has successfully completed coach training with The Coach House, a course accredited by the Association for Coaching in the UK.
PHIL@PHILDRINKWATER.COACH
83 DUCIE STREET, MANCHESTER, M1 2JQ
