Mike Marsden’s tips for anyone thinking of starting their own business.
* IF YOU are thinking of setting up a business after redundancy and in the current credit crunch, you should plan, plan and then plan some more. You need to create a personal, business and future plan.
* BEING made redundant can leave you feeling empty, so the first thing I would advise is to set yourself some challenging but achievable goals both to build your confidence and to confirm that you are moving in the right direction. This could be – "I must complete 50 questionnaires, find at least five suppliers or make a start on the business plan."
* WHATEVER the target is, set it, achieve it, recognise you have done so and set some more!
* WHILE there are few businesses that are recession- proof, there are some that are experiencing some growth presently, eg, pawn brokers and debt collection agencies. There are some businesses that will remain steady, eg, lifestyle- related business. From birth to death, the slow-down will not affect the number of children born and demand for baby products or, at the other end, the demand for coffins. And, somewhere in the middle, people try not to cut back on spending money on their kids and, as more people are living longer and requiring care, home help type businesses should continue to grow.
* IF YOU have just been made redundant and haven’t got an idea or cannot see an opportunity in your area – have a look at web- based businesses. You can work from home, have low start-up costs and overheads, no employees and it’s fairly easy to do. We all should have access to an internet connection and you can offer services all over the world, eg, proof reading, writing, translation. You can sell most things on sites such as Ebay, I have many clients importing items from abroad and selling them online. Train 2000 offers a free basic website, so the initial investment could just be the stock or your time.
Useful contacts
TRAIN 2000 offers free business advice, support and training for women. Tel 051 236 6601 for more information or visit www.train2000.org.uk
If you are aged between 18 and 30, contact The Prince’s Trust on 0151 794 3197 or visit www.princes-trust.org.uk
BusinessLink operates across Greater Merseyside. For more information, call 0845 00 66 888 or visit www.businesslink.gov.uk
