Posts Tagged ‘new startup’
Introducing www.mytutor.ie a new service for finding classes, courses and tutuors in Ireland… continue reading
New Business Startup Idea. Where do I start ??
All Businesses start with an idea!, How do you find the right one??
continue reading
Vstream Launch Digital Marketing School
Digital Marketing School is a free online video resource for anyone who has an interest in the world of digital marketing, from a beginners level, right up to seasoned professionals.
The aim is to help people with some of the basics, put some meaning behind the buzzwords, and give a broad understanding to newcomers of what is possible in the world of digital marketing
The school also looks at more advanced areas, new evolutions in technology, and where the digital marketing industry is going in the coming years.
Each month, they have a guest speaker from the industry, discussing a digital marketing campaign that really captured their imagination.
There are loads of ways to subscribe, so click on one of the links to receive updates as each new show arrives.
Why people dont start their own business…..Some real reasons
(Extract from article BR Dowling)
1. Some people just don’t want to…great no issue, being an entrepreneur is not the be all and end all. The majority of people who work for themselves work extremely long hours just to get by. Many many others try and fail. Unless you are an extremely unbalanced individual most of us know that the ultimate goal is to lead a happy and fulfilled life during our short allotted time on planet earth. What is a happy and fulfilled life is for each and every one of us to define for ourselves. It is ones of life’s great gifts that we get to set our own standards and goals the fact that many people choose badly and end up miserable is outside the remit of this article. The fact remains that your family, peers, colleagues and every dog on the street may be telling you that fulfilment lies in money/ fast cars/ high profile promotions etc. You are free to decide that for you its flip flops a surf board and enough cash to get by. Screw them it is your life…if you can achieve true happiness for the majority of your life you my friend are the real winner in this silly little game.
2. The Fear Factor…. Given that you are reading an article like this you probably are not surfing at the moment, so you think that you want a crack of the entrepreneurial whip. Ok then. The Fear Factor holds more people back from starting their own business than probably anything else. The old ‘what if’ deamons have caused millions of would be entrepreneurs to turn back and walk away from the scary dark edge with its lurking dangers and uncertain hidden treasures. For its sheer ability to slay ideas and dreams the fear factor remains the number one reason that people do not give it a go.
3. People are lazy…..Sad but true may people would kind of like to be successful but will never make the effort to actually make it happen. It is so much easier to talk about doing stuff and to wait ‘till the time is right’ than to actually go for it. If you are in this category please take the following advice. Admit it to yourself!!. By giving up the game you will take the pressure off yourself, focus on something else that you enjoy and get on with your life. This may seem harsh but it is a case of being cruel to be kind. There is a window of opportunity in everyone’s life to start their own business, this is not age specific but for every Colonel Saunders who founded KFC in his sixties there are hundreds of people who put themselves financially and physically at risk at a time in their life when they should be looking to retirement. There are exceptions to every rule but being successful involves being smart and realistic.
Important note: beware the disgruntled would be entrepreneur, this is a dangerous breed that will be full of stories about how they nearly invested in this or that that would have made them a fortune. They nearly patented some form of widget that would have been a runner etc. Avoid at all costs, they will have nothing positive to say about your plans but will be able to tell you how they tried ‘something like that’ and it didn’t work out. They will hate to see you succeed, you don’t want to be around this kind of energy.
4. People lack personal confidence and therefore (they think) the ability to run a business. A lack of personal confidence will kill the entrepreneurial spirit in those afflicted by it. It undoubtedly has other negative implications on their life but again these falls outside the purpose of this book. Entering the battleground of business with little or no personal confidence or self belief is as stupid as it gets. Sort it out…life is too short.
Blanchardstown Area Partnership – Start your own Business Courses 2010
Business Workshops 2010 Series of Morning Workshops:
Blanchardstown Area Partnership offers in a variety of workshops and seminars to help people gain the knowledge necessary to develop and run a successful business.
All seminars are from 10am to 1pm unless stated
€10 per seminar.
To book your place contact the Enterprise Dept,
Ph: 01- 820 9550 / 824 7819
Email: enterprise@bap.ie
All classes take place at Dillon House (beside Power City), Unit 106, Coolmine Ind Est, Clonsilla, Dublin 15.
Click here for directions & map >>
26 February
Bookkeeping
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
5 March
VAT
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
12 March
How To Market Your Business On-line
The concept of on-line marketing
The new media and on-line platforms
Irish consumers and the internet
On-line advertising objectives
Outline internet marketing plan
Types of on-line marketing
Case studies of best practice on-line marketing
The pros and cons of being on-line.
18 March
A ‘How To Guide’ To Designing & Delivering Effective Promotional Material
Promotional Materials within your business
Importance of effective promotional materials
Types of promotional materials and uses
Logo & Corporate Stationery, Newsletters, Brochures, Website
Price Lists/Quotations
Good design practice –v- poor design practice
Real-life examples of strong, effective design
Real-life examples of poor, ineffective design
How to properly brief a designer
Printing options available to your business
How to ensure that your promotional materials get into the right hands!
Hard-copy Delivery (eg direct marketing / An Post)
Electronic Delivery (via newsletter or e-mail)
Top Tips for getting the most from your designer and/or printer
Measuring effectiveness of promotional materials.
26 March
Getting Your Message Across
Effective Communication, Confidence Building and Assertiveness
Understanding Communications
Challenge your understanding of communications
Introducing you to new communications thinking
Being aware of how you communicate
Being confident in your communications
Having confidence in your own communication
What is your message
Know what you want to say
Choose how you want to say it
Exercises for gaining confidence
Tools for communicating
Know the tools, understand the kitbag
Choosing the right tool for the right task
The media – how to make best use of a very diverse market
Practical preparation
Discuss & Rehearse with partner
Listen to feedback
Reverse roles
Presentation
Building confidence
Group communication
Assertiveness
Feedback
30 March
Idea Generation
What is creativity and idea generation;
Creativity exercises;
Brainstorming;
Idea generation techniques;
How to assess your ideas.
31 March
Principles of Employment Law
Summary of relevant Acts, Equality, Unfair Dismissals etc.
Practical application of Acts for the small business
Contracts of employment
Managing poor performance
Policies & procedures
13 April
Business planning
What is a business plan & why write one
Business plan template (workbook will be provided)
Self assessment, background & experience
Legal structures
Your Product/service
Target market, Market research and marketing strategy
Financial projections, cash flow, profit & loss account
16 April
Guerrilla Marketing
Definition of guerrilla marketing
Online examples
Suggesting and using guerrilla marketing for clients
Building guerrilla marketing into a marketing campaign
Case studies
How to do it yourself – brainstorming
20 April
Taxation For Self Employed
Tax registration – sole trader / partnerships / limited companies
VAT – registration / thresholds / cash v accruals accounting for VAT / filing requirements / Year end reporting / penalties
PAYE – registration / filing requirements / year end reporting / penalties
Income tax – calculation / payment dates / allowable expenses V’s disallowable expenses / capital allowances / penalties
Revenue Audits
ROS
How to save tax.
23 April
E-commerce
Payment packages
Shopping carts
Things to watch out for
What works and why.
28 April
What You Need To Know for Importing / Exporting
Speak the language
Know who you will talk to: customers, customers of your customers
Regulations & customs
Logistics.
7 May
How To Create & Use Social Media
What is Social Media?
Facebook, LinkedIn, twitter, bebo, my space, blogs
How to create and use Social Media to benefit your business
Raising your profile
11 May
Market Research
What is Market Research
Aims of Market Research
Primary and Secondary Sources of Market Research
Conducting Market Research on a Budget
14 May
Copywriting For Online and Offline Media
How to write attention grabbing headline
How to use the words that sell, (and avoid those that don’t)
Headlines, the rules you must obey
Proven and effective openings you can use NOW!
What are copy connectors and how to use them
POWER words
Live workbook exercise
What’s your most wanted response
18 May
Idea Generation
What is creativity and idea generation;
Creativity exercises;
Brainstorming;
Idea generation techniques;
How to assess your ideas.
21 May
Setting Up And Managing AdWords Campaigns Effectively
4 questions you must ask about YOUR OWN website
How to avoid the “Newbie” learning curve
What does Google think of you?
How to get results at no or low cost
Outperform your competition – find out what they’re doing
Banner ads – how to get other people selling for YOU
Split-testing your return-on-investment
How YOU can find the best keywords
3 June
Bookkeeping
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
11 June
VAT
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
15 June
eBay for Sellers
Introductions, How eBay works
How Feedback works
How to Search, Bid, Buy & Pay (PayPal)
Registering as a Seller
Photos & Descriptions
Listing an Item for Sale – Live Demo
Pop Quiz – revision of learning
Tactics & Pricing Strategy
Moving Beyond the Basics
Cross Border Trade
Top 10 PowerSeller Tips
18 June
A ‘How To Guide’ To Designing & Delivering Effective Promotional Material
Promotional Materials within your business
Importance of effective promotional materials
Types of promotional materials and uses
Logo & Corporate Stationery, Newsletters, Brochures, Website
Price Lists/Quotations
Good design practice –v- poor design practice
Real-life examples of strong, effective design
Real-life examples of poor, ineffective design
How to properly brief a designer
Printing options available to your business
How to ensure that your promotional materials get into the right hands!
Hard-copy Delivery (eg direct marketing / An Post)
Electronic Delivery (via newsletter or e-mail)
Top Tips for getting the most from your designer and/or printer
Measuring effectiveness of promotional materials.
22 June
Idea Generation
What is creativity and idea generation;
Creativity exercises;
Brainstorming;
Idea generation techniques;
How to assess your ideas.
25 June
Credit Management
Principles of Credit Control
Before You Make the Call
The 4 reasons people wont/cant pay
Strategies to achieve payment and maintain
For further details, and to register for any of the above workshops, please contact:
Niall Comber
Enterprise Development Officer
Phone 01 820 9550 / 824 7819
Mobile: 086 354 5210
E-mail ncomber@bap.ie.
All classes will be held at Partnership offices:
Dillon House
Unit 106
Coolmine Industrial Estate
Clonsilla
Dublin 15
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: AscenTrust Limited
Website: www.ascentrust.com
Founders: Conall Lavery & Perry Ram
Age: 55 and 43
Based: Ireland with back office in India
Staff Number: 22
Date started: November 2008
Tell us what your business does?
AscenTrust helps small companies reduce the cost of producing accounts without any degradation of accuracy or timeliness. AscenTrust’s management accounts help organisations make better business decisions. The low cost of AscenTrust’s back office in India is passed onto its clients, however the client only works with AscenTrust’s Irish based accountants. Services include; bookkeeping, payroll, budgeting and management accounts. The client can keep their existing accounting software, or they can change to an online accounting system. Excellent management accounts facilitate timely decision making.
Where did the idea for your business come from?
Perry and Conall attended a business program in Harvard Business School in 2000 and talked a lot about how small businesses were going to have to change to meet the challenges ahead. We both agreed that strategic outsourcing was going to be an important component. We kept in touch over the years, and both of us sold our companies in 2006. When Perry decided to relocate back to Ireland (his previous business was in the USA) he contacted Conall to see if he would like to start an outsourcing business with him in Ireland.
Have you always wanted to run your own business?
Both of the founders had founded and sold previous business – so I suppose the answer is, yes.
What planning did you do before you started up?
The initial contact was in December 2007 and we spent a good deal of time in 2008 researching and planning. We carried out some research into a number of different functions that we would serve with an outsourced business and settled on accounting services. We obtained global reports on outsourcing, we met outsourcing companies in the USA in our sector, we spoke to accountancy firms and potential end users. We then developed a business plan and registered the business on 7th November 2008. The business is funded by the founding partners.
Which Irish Entrepreneurs do you admire?
All of them but Eddie O’Connor of Mainstream Renewable Power and previously Airtricity stands out amongst them. It is hard not to admire Denis O’Brien.
What challenges have you faced how have you overcome them?
Our biggest challenge is the cost of sales to win new clients. The cost of our service is such that sales and marketing costs can eat up the first year to two years of contribution from each client, so we need to be smart about how we win customers. We are exploring partnerships with other organisations and looking to marketing to solve these problems. In the short term we need reference sites for each business segment we enter.
Have you promoted your business?
Yes, we have. We started in January 2009 with a “soft launch” as we needed reference clients. We started promoting the company in July 2009. We have two websites www.ascentrust.com and www.payrolls4u.com. We have done mailshots, placed advertisement in business and sector specific magazines and we have done a great deal of business networking.
What has your growth been like?
Initially we had some quick wins from the business development / research done in 2008, we then focused on developing the service and in the last quarter of 2009 we started to reap the rewards.
What’s the impact on your home life been like?
As I worked for myself in the past the home impact has been low. Indeed, as I mostly use the office in my house, I am probably around more than I was before.
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
Company: Storage Plus Ltd
Website: www.storageplus.ie
Founders: Barry Rabbitt
Age: 29
Based: Ashbourne, Co Meath
Staff Number: 3
Date started: March 2009
Tell us what your business does?
We offer a range of logistical services. Our most popular is the fulfillment service for online sellers. We store our clients products in our fully racked and shelved 7000sq foot warehouse. When orders are placed on their sites we pick and pack each individual order and dispatch it the same day for delivery anywhere in the world. In most cases we can do all this for less than the customer was previously paying for carraige only, so its a no brainer really! By us handling all the fulfillment it leaves our customers to concentrate on other aspects of their business. We also improve delivery time in most cases, which helps to attract repeat business for our clients.
Our other services include general packaging requirements, for example a recent client asked us to pack 5000 units of a laptop accessory along with installation CDs and plugs into new packaging ready for sale.
We also offer a cross docking service for businesses who may not hold a quantity of stock but simply order from their suppliers ‘just in time’. The goods are delivered to us in bulk, we then break this bulk order down and send out the individual orders.
Where did the idea for your business come from?
Due to my background in the logistics industry and access to warehousing space and good courier rates I started thinking that I should open an online store as I had the delivery aspect of the business sorted. Then one day I thought to myself that I should let someone else worry about the selling, and I would simply create a service that took all the logistical headaches away from these sellers, who in a lot of cases run their ecommerce sites as a sideline. After talking to a friend who described the packaging and shipping end of his ecommerce business as the most hassle, I knew I was onto a good idea.
Have you always wanted to run your own business?
Yes, other than packing shelves of the local supermarket while in school I have pretty much always worked for myself in a sense. Being involved in the family transport business www.deliverance.ie meant that I was to a greater or lesser extent my own boss.
What planning did you do before you started up?
I did some tests to evaluate how long it would take to pick, pick and prepare for shipping an average order. I divided that time into a fair hourly rate and that determined the labour charge I should apply along with courier and packaging charges per box. This figure came up as €8.50 which I felt was a great value price for the complete service I was providing. I ran the idea past some non biased people who mostly thought it was both a good idea and a fair price. So, apart from that basic research I didn’t go into too much detail, I feel that too many people think about things far too long – go with your gut feeling, there is nothing wrong with failing once you try and try again!
Which Irish Entrepreneurs do you admire?
I have a lot of time for Michael O Leary, though I wouldn’t like to come up against him in negotiations – which is probably a compliment in itself!
What challenges have you faced how have you overcome them?
Probably generating sufficient finance! I approached a number of banks for very modest business loans and they just aren’t available so I have used my own limited savings….and made sure they went as far as possible. My next biggest challenge was juggling setting up Storage Plus alongside running the family business.
How have you promoted your business?
I have done limited promotion so far, in fact most of my customers have come to me despite not having a very well indexed website. In the last few weeks I have set up a google adwords campaign which is generating some leads. Promotion is at the top of my list for the new year! We have everything running smoothly now so we’re in a good position to sell our service.
What has your growth been like?
Steady but controlled. We are currently shipping approx 40-50 orders per day, but already we have had to move to a new warehouse as we have filled our old unit to bursting point. Come the new year I would hope to grow the business at a consistent steady rate.
What’s the impact on your home life been like?
I suppose thats a question that would be better pointed towards my partner, Andrea! From my point of view it has had limited impact other than being there less. I think its important to try keep both aspects of your life seperate.
Talent is Overrated by Geoff Colvin..Reviewed by Fiscal Student
Did you ever see someone at work or in school achieve something really great, and think to yourself, you know what, I knew that guy/girl a while back and she didn’t seem that much better than me. Well the good news is your right, the bad news is that they succeeded where you failed through tremendous hard work. Geoff Colvin’s book is quite comprehensive in its study of excellent human performance across multiple fields from chess to golf to business and music. In all cases the greatest performers had been practicing extremely hard for at least 10 years before any exceptional performance was achieved.
You often hear commentators say of Tiger Woods, he makes it look so easy, the truth is that the shot he is playing probably is easier than he’s used to. A good example of this is a technique used frequently by Tiger to practice bunker shots. He drops a couple of balls in the sand trap, and then stands on them, burying them into the sand, before practicing this shot for hours. So if he is faced with what most people would consider a difficult bunker shot in a major tournament, it is much easier than what he has been preparing for. Extraordinary achievers practice consistently over long periods of time and continually make that practice more challenging as their skills improve.
This book comes to the conclusion that while a certain amount of performance is unaccounted for by hard work, the success which is attributed to innate gifts is overrated. If anything is the difference between great performers and the rest of us it is the motivation to do the required work.
This is a well researched and well written book. I also found it very inspiring because what your parents tell you when your younger is true, anything is possible if you work hard enough. Or as the old saying goes, “You know how to get to Carnegie Hall?” practice, practice, practice….
Thank You FiscalStudent….looking forward to reading this one!
www.fiscalstudent.com
