Posts Tagged ‘new business ideas’
Bray Area Partnership Start your own Business Courses!
Bray Community Enterprise are registering names for a new course specifically designed for unemployed people living in the Bray area who want to set up a business. Courses range from the 7-week Considering Self-employment (next one starts on 2nd June) to the more intensive 22-week Pre-enterprise Training programme.
The services provides support to long-term unemployed people, short-term unemployed people, dependent partners of unemployed people, lone parents, early school leavers, people in receipt of a disability payment, non-Irish nationals and individuals working in the home.
The services and support we offer include:
Advice and support on business set up and planning;
Start Your Own Business Courses;
on-going support and advice once you have started trading;
computer training at basic and ECDL level;
information and advice for all entrepreneurs.
Our Start Your Own Business courses
We run the following Start Your Own Business courses for people who want to explore the option of self-employment, whatever stage you may be at:
Considering Self-Employment: Exploring Options
If you are thinking about self-employment, this programme will give you an introduction to the concept of self-employment and will help you to:
identify your own skills and interests and how you could use them in self-employment;
explore the elements needed to set up and run your own business;
build confidence;
learn to identify business opportunities.
Pre-Enterprise Training Programme
If you are long-term unemployed and have a business idea this course will help you to develop that idea and bring it to the stage where you can set up your business.
Course run over a 22-week period, as a CE scheme with support from FAS;
Structured training programme (group and individual mentor sessions) covering such topics as book-keeping, marketing, IT skills and management;
You may be eligible to progress to the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (DSFA).
For further information and to book your place on a course contact
Bernard Dromey, Enterprise Development Worker
Tel: 01 205 0111 Email: bernard@braycommunityenterprise.ie
Bábógbaby – Starting a business in Ireland
Company: Bábógbaby
Website: www.babogbaby.com
Founders: Adrian Devane
Age: 35
Based: Co Galway
Staff Number: 2
Date started: April 5th 2010
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Importance of living Your Brand
Yesterday I had an interesting experience in Heathrow airport that made me realize just how much everyone in your organisation needs to live your brand.
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Need 100k? No Problem! Just solve the national economic crisis…
www.yourcountryyourcall.com
Well points for effort I suppose, the idea is that there has to be one or two genius ideas out there that can save the nation from the mess that it is currently in. As the government is clearly devoid of any inspiration they have thrown the challenge back to us.
My 2 ideas are:
1) Sack the Government
2) Put Michael O’Leary in charge
I accept all major forms of cash as a government cheque would probably bounce….
The blurb goes as follows!
Your Country, Your Call is a competition to ignite imaginations and inspire thinking.
The goal is to pick two truly transformational proposals so big that, when implemented, could secure prosperity and jobs for Ireland. Proposals that could help change the way we do things, allow businesses to grow, employment to be created and prosperity to flourish
Your Country, Your Call gives you the chance to share your creativity to give life to new industry, revitalise or revolutionise an existing market, or even change the way we do business entirely. It’s not about creating new products. It’s about creating something that will make a long term positive impact on the future of Ireland, its people, and its economy.
Your Country, Your Call is all about Ireland. It’s about helping to create sustainable employment and prosperity, whilst at the same time generating hope, confidence, and positive thinking.
Your Country, Your Call is open for proposals.
Company: www.theclothesline.ie
Website: as above
Founders: Tammy Darcy
Age: 30
Based: Waterford
Staff Number: Just me so far!
Date started: February 10
Tell us what your business does?
The website offers parents the opportunity to submit their outgrown or unsuitable kids, babies and maternity clothes in exchange for credits which can be applied towards the purchase of more suitable items
Where did the idea for your business come from?
As a mother of three, the idea actually evolved over a number of years, and I decided to go for it when I lost my job.
Have you always wanted to run your own business?
No! There are obvious pros and cons to running your own business but I feel passionate about what I am doing so I don’t have a problem staying motivated
What planning did you do before you started up?
I researched the idea for six months and tested every aspect of the business before I launched.
What challenges have you faced how have you overcome them?
The biggest challenge is balancing work and home life. When you run your own business it’s very hard to switch off at the end of the working day.
How have you promoted your business?
Because the business is very much a public interest subject, I have received a lot of media interest. Apart from that I have done a lot of online promotion through social networking sites. It really works, and its free!
What has your growth been like?
I’m very happy, we’ve been live for less than a month and it’s hard to keep up with the growth. But its testament to the power of word of mouth amongst parents.
What’s the impact on your home life been like?
I’m lucky to be able to plan my time around my family demands. There are times when it’s a challenge but it’s great to be able to collect them from school, something I wasn’t able to do when I was in full time employment.
Blanchardstown Area Partnership – start your own business courses
Anyone living in or around Dublin West should take note of the great value courses available from the Blanchadstown area partnership. For as little as €10 per person you can learn some key skills and gain valuable information on business essentials such as the Bookeeping and Vat Seminars outlined below.
Places are available for upcoming Bookkeeping seminar (on 26 Feb) & VAT seminar (on 5 Mar)
To book your place, simply reply or email: enterprise@bap.ie with your contact details.
(if you are already registered to attend, please ignore this email)
Both €10 per participant
Bookkeeping (10am to 1pm)
26 February
Why it is vital to keep the books straight
Recording data in a systematic manner in the books
Tailoring the record keeping to meet your needs
Bank reconciliation
How to use the information recorded
VAT (10am to 1pm)
5 March
Who must register for VAT and why
How to assemble data for VAT and how to completed the returns
What VAT is allowed and disallowed and why
How imports and exports are treated for VAT purposes
Why VAT is the most lethal of all the various taxes
To book your place, simply email: enterprise@bap.ie with your contact details.
There are many other upcoming seminars and courses.
More info @ http://www.bap.ie/bus_wshop_sched_2010.html
Market Research – 19 Feb
Bookeeping – 26 Feb
start UP – 1 Day Business Seminar – 10 Mar
How To Marketing Your Business On-Line – 12 Mar
A ‘How To’ Guide To Designing Effective Promotional Material – 18 Mar
Getting Your Message Across – Effective Communication – 26 Mar
Principles of Employment Law – 31 Mar
start UP – 1 Day Business Seminar – 14 Apr
Guerrilla Marketing – 16 Apr
What You Need To Know For Importing & Exporting – 28 Apr
Pierre Omidyar’s Success Story – Famous Entrepreneurs
“I never had it in mind that I would start a company one day and it would really be successful. I have just been motivated by working on interesting technology.”
Growing Up
Omidyar was born in Paris in 1967. He moved to Baltimore when his father began his term of residence at Johns Hopkins. Omidyar became captivated by computers while at high school and skipped his gym classes in order to use it. Noticing the boy’s keen interest, the principle gave him the job of creating a program that would produce catalog cards for the library. He was paid $6 an hour.
At Tufts University, Omidyar worked on a program to assist Macintosh programmers with computer memory problems. His request that users of this shareware file pay on the honour system did not bring many replies; the cheques that should have been going to fund his years as a computer science undergraduate went solely to paying for the post office box.
In 1991, Omidyar went to work with three friends to create pen-computing programs. Though Pen computing was a dismal failure, the e-commerce site (eShop) on the Web site that Omidyar introduced and operated enticed Microsoft to buy the company.
Starting The Business
Omidyar went to work with General Magic, a software company, in 1994 and made extra money designing Web pages on the side. The girl he was dating at the time, Pamela Wesley, who would later become his wife, collected Pez dispensers and often complained how difficult it was to meet others passionate about her hobby on the internet. Thoughtfully, Omidyar appended a small online auction to his personal website so Pamela would make contacts with other collectors as well as buy and sell.
eBay (electronic Bay, as in the San Francisco Bay area), as it was when it first appeared in 1995, operated merely as a forum for people to sell and bid on various items. Omidyar did not back goods, mediate conflicts, or get involved if there were accusations of dishonesty or abuse of the system. Almost immediately, collectors of Barbie dolls, Beanie babies and the like flocked to eBay.
Three months after its launch, Omidyar had to ask his friend Jeff Skoll, also a programmer, for help. In order to cover the new costs involved with the growth of the business, Omidyar began charging small change to list an item on the site and took a small commission if the item was bought.
Building An Empire
Omidyar was surpised by his continued success and had to hire someone to open the large number of cheques that were being sent in. He was also surprised that people were not simply using the site to buy and sell, but also as a meeting place where relationships were made over common interests.
After qutting his day job, Omidyar worked along with Skoll to improve eBay. They felt that if a sturdy framework was in place, business would generate by itself. After just under two years of operation, eBay was one of the most popular internet sites, 1,50000 users bidding on 794,000 items daily. And the company was now doubling every three months.
At such a rate of growth, Omidyar and Skoll sought venture capital assistance and a management team that would further move the company forward. Benchmark Capital gave the partners a $4.5 million cheque for 22% of the company. Benchmark also found a CEO for eBay, Margaret Whitham, an executive from Hasbro, and with her leadership, the business became a slick corporate entity. With a new look, better publicity, and greater organization, eBay went public on September 24, 1998. Within four months of trading, the stock, which started at $18 per share, was worth $300. Omidyar became a billionaire.
Now selling far more than just Pez dispensers, eBay has completely changed e-commerce. Despite increasing competition, eBay continues to grow. Omidyar recognized and seized the opportunity that essentially fell into his lap and revolutionized internet use.
Company: A Sporting Chance Ltd.
Website: www.asportingchance.ie
Founders: Ursula Frawley
Age: 34
Based: Firhouse, Dublin
Staff Number: Just me officially employed! However, I have many freelance people working with me on design and printing.
Date started: 2008 and website launched in 2009
Tell us what your business does?We design and print personalised sports and novelty trading cards for children. We are the first and only company in Ireland to provide this unique product.
Where did the idea for your business come from?
The idea came from me! I came up with the design myself, although there are similar cards available in the US for baseball and other sports.
Have you always wanted to run your own business?
YES! I worked in the corporate sector in HR Management for over 10 years, but having my own business has always been a dream of mine. I’m delighted it is finally happening!
What planning did you do before you started up?
In the early stages, I planned in tandem with selling the product in small quantities. Because the business doesn’t require any real capital outlay, I could get started pretty much straight away. I would say that I am always planning, especially at the moment as I prepare for a huge launch of my product into the sports clubs in early 2010.
How did you raise the money?
Because of no capital outlay, there hasn’t been a lot of cash flow requirements.
What challenges have you faced how have you overcome them?
The biggest challenge I have is launching into a new market with a new product. People have no idea what this product is or what it can be used for. However, once they do figure it out, then they absolutely love it!! I think my passion for the product comes across when they talk to me as well!!
How have you promoted your business?
I have promoted through word of mouth, facebook, and contacts through market research connections.
What has your growth been like?
I launched the website in early 2009 and since then the response has been very positive. The real growth will be when we launch into the sports club market, where the benefits of the cards will really be apparent!
What’s the impact on your home life been like?
I work from home, and since starting the business, I have also had a third child. So far, I am able to balance the business and home life well, and I have great childcare to help! But I find I do a lot of work after hours to catch up. I enjoy it immensely, so that doesn’t bother me at all!!
Thanks Ursula, Best of luck with the venture….www.startups.ie
As the list of marketing options grows to include social networking, email marketing and whisper campaigns, small- and medium-size businesses must have a solid marketing strategy.
But the truth is that more than half of new businesses don’t bother. A recent survey found that 58.9 per cent of small-business owners don’t prepare an annual marketing strategy or attempt to identify the benefit and cost of marketing. This could be why the failure rate of small businesses is so high in the first year.
The director of Marketing News, Mary Brennan is not surprised by the research.
“A lot of businesses don’t put much thought into a marketing plan and as a result, it’s often done ad hoc,” she says.
“Businesses need to realise that marketing isn’t an expense but a legitimate business-building activity.”
But a lot of small businesses don’t know how to develop a marketing strategy.
“Often they will try a marketing technique based on their own ideas or what may seem like a bargain only to realise it only reached a small percentage of their target market, by which time their budget is blown,” she says.
The classic first step for Irish businesses is something like a leaflet drop or taking an ad out in the local paper. Often this course of action is taken in the absence of any other ideas!
A marketing plan should look at how a business will promote itself to its target audience, usually over a 12-month period.
Brennan says a marketing plan should include a detailed budget and examine the best ways to promote the business.
“You want [it] to take in analysis of your competitors and to have specific goals,” she says.
“It also needs to break down how much you’ve set aside for marketing, how you’re going to spend it, look at who your target audience is and how you tackle internal and external communications.”
A marketing plan for a small business might be only a few pages long but larger businesses often require a more-detailed plan.
The plan needs to be revisited monthly – or, at the very least, quarterly, Brennan says.
Business owners can write their own plan or if they have no experience in Marketing should contact an expert, even having a chat with one or two marketing companies will give you new ideas and an insight into how professionals appraoch marketing. You may not end up hiring anyone but I guarantee you will pick up some valuable tips along the way.
“We found that companies are either too busy to stop and write a marketing strategy or simply don’t place enough value on having a plan in place,” according to Brennan.
Like other key aspects of developping a successful business your marketing activity must be relevant and effective. If marketing is an area of weakness for you find a solution / person to manage it. You may have the best product or service in the world but unless the right people (your target market) know about it you are dead in the water. Do not ignore marketing your business and if your efforts to date have not been succesful it means one of two things …your idea sucks or you are no good at marketing…so which is it?
Company: Kids in the Kitchen and Whip It Up
Website: www.kidsinthekitchen.ie and www.whipitup.ie
Founders: Victoria Mackechnie
Age: 29
Based: Dublin
Staff Numbers: 1
Date started: November 2008
Tell us what your business does?
My business involves providing cookery classes to children and adults. The Kids in the Kitchen constitutes the main part of my business through which I work with a number of primary and secondary schools as well community centres in the Greater Dublin Area to educate children about healthy eating and equip them with practical skills to produce tasty dishes for themselves. All of these classes are practical cookery sessions where children are involved in all aspects of cooking from beginning to end. Children then bring home their dishes to share with family and friends.
The Whip It Up business which was just launched in October 2009 aims to teach adults a number of tasty easy recipes and give them new culinary ideas. Each class has a different theme from Mediterannean to Mexican and shellfish to sinful desserts. These cookery classes are demonstration and take part mostly in chq, IFSC, Dublin 1. I work with Mitchell & Son Wine Merchants who teach participants about wine pairing and how to choose different wines to complement food flavours.
Where did the idea for your business come from?
I took a year out and lived in Sydney for a while and had the chance to run children’s cookery classes there. I have always been passionate about food and cookery though and did my first course when I was 9! Starting young stood to me. By acquiring this important life skill at a young age, I feel strongly that children are equipped to make healthy eating choices for themselves.
Have you always wanted to run your own business?
Yes always. In fact I wanted to launch this business when I finished college but felt the market wasnt yet ready. Since then, the obesity epidemic among children has exploded and I think as a nation we have become alot more aware of nutrition and healthy eating, while cookery has gained enormously in popularity, particularly now that people cant afford to eat out as much!
What planning did you do before you started up?
I had already tested the market by speaking directly with schools and also had the benefit of hands on experience from Australia. I was fortunate in that I didnt have a big capital outlay in order to start the busines so was in a position to start trading immediately after setting it up.
How did you raise the money?
I used savings to start the business. However the financial challenges ahead lie in the fact that these programmes are needed most acutely among schools in disadvantaged areas so I am constantly lobbying public and private bodies to fund these cookery programmes in these areas.
What challenges have you faced how have you overcome them?
Financial challenges are always going to be a feature of running your own business. Not having a consistent steady income stream is a big change and one that takes time to get used to. Obviously having a business degree and coming from a financial background helps. You have to become a lot more self disciplined and adept at financial planning. Another challenge for me has been adapting to working by myself. I miss working as part of a team and all the interaction with work colleagues.
How have you promoted your business?
Mostly it has been word of mouth and I have been lucky enough to get some good press coverage.
What has your growth been like?
The business has grown to incorporate a wider number of schools and has expanded to run adult programmes. I soon hope to turn this one woman show into a two person show!
What’s the impact on your home life been like?
I suppose my home life and work life are now very much intertwined. There is no longer a clear delineation between the two. However, I definitely have more flexibility which is something I really value.
