Top tips for starting your own business

I often get asked for my top tips for starting your own business, from people starting out. I thought it might help to share my latest tips and some background on my journey to get where I am now.My backgroundI worked in Childcare for 6 years until I injured my back working in London and was told I couldn’t lift kids every day if I wanted to improve my back. So, I started looking at things I could do to use my skills but not work hands-on with kids. I contacted the recruitment agency I was signed up with at the time and asked if they needed someone junior to train up. That’s where I began my recruitment career. I have now been in recruitment for 10 years and specialised in Education, Social Work & Nursing recruitment. I was very successful working for a variety of companies but wasn’t treated well by some of my previous managers. My last boss put me down so much that I was determined to prove her wrong and went out on my own and create a business I’m proud of and want to work at too. I’ve been running my business for 4 years now and what a roller coaster ride it has been. I’ve learnt so much during the last few years. Hiring staff has been an ongoing challenge for me and been surprised how much work I have had to do to get the business started and ongoing work required to keep it running.My Top TipsLearn what your strengths are in business and then hire or utilise others to help you in the areas you’re not strong in yourself e.g I do all the sales side of the business and am the face of my business. My husband does IT & accounts for me, together we work to our strengths and this strategy works well.Utilise online companies to help with marketing and branding – Fiverr is a good site for marketing and is cheap, vista print is good for smaller amounts of marketing.Social media- Get on Instagram and Facebook and promote your product, get creative with photos and use motivational quotes, images, share blogs etc to promote your business.Get a business mentor who specialises in your areas of the business to give you tips and advice.Be prepared to put in a lot of long hours in the first few years and set up your business well before having kids – trust me!Don’t expand your business to quickly, it will eat up your profits and can cause you to run at a loss or break even and it is not worth all the hard work and stress if you don’t make any money.Pay yourself a salary as soon as you can! Don’t just invest in others salaries and not value yourself. It will mess with your self-confidence and you will start to not value your own time & efforts.Whatever product or service you are offering make sure you are passionate about it. If you live and breathe it and love what you do, then success will follow.Be willing to get out of your comfort zone and you will be surprised what you can achieve.I dare you to DREAM! If you want something bad enough and willing to work hard and are passionate you will be amazed what you can achieve in business.