Archive of ‘Starting A Business’ category

How To Handle Criticism Of Your New Online Business

handle criticism

Be honest. You hate getting criticized. Of course you do. It’s human nature. None of us like to be critiqued, and we definitely don’t like to admit we are wrong (just ask my husband 🙂 ). But as an entrepreneur, learning how to handle criticism is one of the best things you can do for your business.

Because the truth is, you won’t get your business right the first time you launch it. You’ll think you got it right. You’ll launch it and you’ll feel a burst of pride in your new baby. All your time, stress and hard work will have grown something that you are truly proud of, so its inconceivable that other people just might not like it as much as you.
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How To Start A Part Time Online Business Whilst On Maternity Leave

part time online business

I’d always had the urge to start my own business.

When I was on maternity leave, that urge became so strong, I made the leap. I left my well paid, full time job, and jumped into the unknown.

Whilst it’s been one of the best decisions I have ever made, it hasn’t been plain sailing. So I wanted to use this blog post to give you some honest thoughts about what it’s like to run a business when you’re on maternity leave (or simply when you have a young family), and how to go about starting your own part time business.

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How To Come Up With The Perfect Startup Business Idea

startup business idea

Since starting my business, THE most important thing I’ve learned so far is this:

An OK idea with a fantastic execution is far better than a GREAT idea with an OK execution. 

Traditional startup philosophy starts with the assumption that a successful business is down to having an original idea. And if we look at some of the successful startups in past decades, that seems to ring true, doesn’t it? I mean, who wouldn’t have wanted to be the one to have thought of the idea for Facebook, for example?

But is this really true? Let’s challenge this assumption for a minute.

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Female Entrepreneurs: If You Think You’re At A Disadvantage In Starting A Business, Read This

female entrepreneurs

Here’s a sad fact, taken from Forbes. Women own 40% of businesses in the US but only make up 10% of venture-backed businesses.

Do you feel like being female might put you at a disadvantage in the world of entrepreneurship? Of course, it shouldn’t. But it’s easy to fill yourself with doubts, isn’t it?

So here’s the good news. The truth is, us women actually have a number of strengths that put us at an advantage, and I’ll reveal four fascinating examples.

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A Simple And Smart Way To Test Out Your Business Startup Idea

business startup idea

So, you’ve got a great business startup idea. What’s next? Well, common advice about launching a startup is to spread the word as much as you possibly can prior to the big day. But what I’m going to explain in this blog post is why that approach could be a mistake, and I’m going to suggest a pretty strange alternative strategy but one that can be very effective. It involves a bit of help from your closest friends.

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7 Reasons Not To Start A Business

start a business

The fact you are on this blog means that, on some conscious or subconscious level, you do have a desire to start a business (or already have). Perhaps you are unhappy in your job. Maybe you want something more rewarding in your life. Perhaps you want success. You might simply want a better balance between work and family life. Perhaps you are due to go on maternity leave and you are worried that your employment isn’t going to cover the cost of childcare when you return. Or perhaps you are just bored and frustrated at the 9-5 commute and you want freedom.

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Three Fantastic Entrepreneurial Skills (That You Probably Don’t Realize You Possess)

entrepreneurial skills

Everyone knows the obvious entrepreneurial skills, don’t they: drive, ambition, hard work. I could go on. But sometimes, life throws challenges your way that mean that those normal set of skills just aren’t enough on their own.

For example, ff you are a mom, do you ever feel like you are at a disadvantage in starting up a business because you are trying to balance your work with family life? Many times I’ve had that same feeling. Sometimes I’ve wondered if it might have been easier to start a business when I was in my 20s and had all that time to myself. But now I’ve been running my business for a while, I’ve realised that I actually launched at the perfect time. More importantly, I’ve realised that my dual role as business owner and a mother gives me a unique competitive advantage that many startups just don’t have. Here’s why:

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Practical Tips For Running An Online Business When You’re A Full Time Mom

practical tips for how to run an online business when you're also a full time mom

Spoiler alert: running an online business and being a full time mom isn’t easy, and there is no easy answer in this blog post.

However, I know I have a lot of readers on this blog who are women thinking of starting a business but who are also raising a young family. If you’ve read my About section you’ll know that I have a young daughter (later edit: now I have three children!), and that I launched the business when she was just a baby.

What I will try and do is keep this short and sweet (I get it: you’re busy!). I want to give you a few practical tips that have helped me over the years.

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A Simple Guide To A Stress-Free Website Launch For Your New Business

a simple guide to a stress free website launch for your new business

Before planning your website launch, know this. One of the best strategies for succeeding in the world of online startups is by starting small (or lean, which is the fashionable team at the moment. But I use the word small. It’s straightforward and it doesn’t remind me of dieting).

When it comes to launching your website, small is the way to go. In this post, I’ll outline my top tips for helping you do that, and help you to avoid the stress that comes from trying to launch any new website.
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