Super Stories To Inspire You
Stories from people who started just like you
and made a success of themselves and their business(es)
******
London-born sibling duo, Ifeyinwa and Emeka Frederick,
co-founders of Chuku’s the world’s first Nigerian tapas lounge
Chuku's is the creation of London born brother-sister duo Emeka (é-meh-ka) and Ifeyinwa (i-fay-in-wa). Having spent countless hours working together as kids to recite the whole script of their favourite film, Cool Runnings, they have teamed up again to focus on another of their mutual loves: Nigerian food.
Noticing the lack of Nigerian cuisine on the London “foodie” map, the pair decided to take what they know and love about Nigerian food and share it with the rest of the UK. But they wanted to do so with a difference.
Whilst living in Spain, where he spent many Sundays chilling with friends in a tapas bar,Emeka fell in love with the relaxed, social tapas dining culture. Just a couple of years later, Ifeyinwa moved to Martinique in the Caribbean and developed an appreciation for a slower pace of life than she had been used to in London.
Returning to London where everything, including meals, happened at an accelerated speed, the duo decided to slow things down. They wanted to create a spot where people could not only enjoy Nigerian food and culture but could also chill out, relax and enjoy each other’s company. And so, they set up Chuku’s to be the home of good food, good conversation and good vibes. Chop, chat, chill!
Location: Palm 2, 152-156 Lower Clapton Road, E5 0QJ
Price: Tapas dishes start from £4.75
Bookings: To book a table e-mail: info@chukuslondon.co.uk. Walk-ins also available.
Event Page: bit.ly/chukusturnsone
Website: http://www.chukuslondon.co.uk/
**********************************************************
Julianne Ponan
image from Telegraph
With a degree in Business Management and Finance, straight out of university Julianne started her journey working abroad in Beijing for an investment banking firm.
A year later in 2012 at 22 years old, Julianne was back in the UK and became owner and CEO of Creative Nature a superfood brand. Within an 18 month period she had put the company back into profit, raising the brands profile and launching new product lines all with only 2 members of staff.
In the last year Julianne has taken Creative Nature from strength to strength launching the brand into High end retailers, Ocado and supermarket giant Tesco. She has also won Regional Young Entrepreneur of the year in the 2014 FSB awards and shortlisted in the Women 1st Awards 2014.
In spare time, Julianne has recently become a mentor for Virgin Startup and enjoys helping young entrepreneurs achieve their goals.
From the Greatbrishbusinessshow
Website:
http://www.creativenaturesuperfoods.co.uk/
LinkedIn:
https://uk.linkedin.com/pub/julianne-ponan/26/4a2/746
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/julianneponan
**********************************************************
Julen Callede
image from Pinterest
A few years in the sourcing business were enough for Julien Callede, 30, to understand the huge opportunities for innovative new business leaders in the design furniture industry.
With a wealth of experience in operations and management, as well as a solid background from experience in venture capital an start-up management, Julien co-founded MADE.com together with his business partners Chloé Macintosh and school friend Ning Li.
Based in London since the creation of the company in 2010, Julien is originally from Nantes and holds a Master degree from Ecole HEC PARIS, one of the most prestigious universities in France. Julien oversees Made.com operations and leads the fast growing company`s international development.
From the Greatbrishbusinessshow
Website: made.com
LinkedIn: https://fr.linkedin.com/pub/julien-callede/2/520/992
Twitter: https://twitter.com/juliencallede
**********************************************************
Charlie Bigham
Image from thesundaytimes
Inspired in India, a plan devised from his own kitchen table, and now an award-winning, rapidly growing food retail business means the future for Charlie and his eponymously named company is looking particularly delicious.
Back in 1996, Charlie Bigham wanted to create a unique food retail brand. Along with delicious and quality ingredients, he wanted dishes lovingly made that allowed people to spend more time together. Mission accomplished.
Nowadays, over 500,000 people enjoy Charlie`s range of 37 meals, whether it`s a Thai Green Chicken Curry or Moussaka, or maybe even the Steak and Ale Pie, winner of a Great Taste Award, all crafted from the company`s two production kitchens.
You`ll only find Charlie`s products in a handful of high end stores - Waitrose, Sainsbury`s, and Ocado being amongst a few. The selectivity of appearance hasn`t held the business back, nor has having to come through the two recent recessions -as of last year the company announced a 46% year-on-year sales growth.
Although Charlie Bigham`s is continuing to rise, the only thing changing is its sales figures; the great taste and unique care and attention from its creators remains the same.
From Greatebritishbusinessshow
Website: http://www.bighams.com/
Tel: 020 8453 9898
**********************************************************
Kresse Wesling & James 'Elvis' Henrit
image from the-sse.org
Kresse enjoys the simple things in life like making ice cream and themed parties. It was at a superhero themed party that Kresse met James who was dressed as Superman and Elvis.
Kresse and James are passionate about up-cycling waste into diverse fashion accessories (bags and belts) produced from London Fire Brigade’s decommissioned fire hoses.
According to Kresse, when there’s a hole in firehose that cannot be fixed, you can’t just cut it in half and reuse it as firehoses has to be long to reach the fire. Also, some of the hoses were coming to the end of its 30-year lifespan. These tonnes and tonnes of material were put landfill.
In the beginning, they had no cash and couldn’t find a sewing machine that was strong enough, Elvis had to teach himself to sew as the craft leather workshops in the UK they got in touch with all turned them down,
When they eventually found a sewing machine that could cope, they made made four prototypes and then went round London, showing them to people, and asking them to buy off-plan. About 200 people trusted them and went for it, and then kresse and James were off.
The first two years according to Kresse, were very hard. Word started getting around after a couple of years and now they sell all over the world. Cameron Diaz was featured in Vogue wearing one of their belts.
At present, Kresse and James are recognised as a brand that has a positive impact on the planet.
Website
http://elvisandkresse.com/
Email & Tel
james@elvisandkresse.com
Tel: +44 7809 883 079
kresse@elvisandkresse.com
Tel: +44 7843 567 935
Tel
Tel: 01795 484235
Twitter: https://twitter.com/elvisandkresse
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ElvisandKresse
**********************************************************
Saleh Nass and Chaker Ben Yahmed
Image from Salehnass.com and imdb.com and menaprestige.com
In 2008 Saleh (a Bahraini filmmaker) and Chaker (a Tunisian filmmaker) launched their own studio ‘Elements Cine Productions’ in Kingdom of Bahrain.
When asked why they chose Bahrain to setup, they said that Firstly, they were both working at Bahrain at the time, secondly, Bahrain wasn't considered a hub for film making and so there was an opportunity to fill a gap in the market and finally, as Bahrain is in the middle of the Gulf - it is close to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries hence made sense in 2008 to set up there.
When asked to decribe their film, Chaker confirmed that he liked telling stories, that tend to come from experiences that he'd had in the past, from a personal perspective that can be translated and shared with audiences. Nas on the other hand likes to tell cosy stories might not seem too big at first glance but have big internal consequences for the characters. They split each project according to their specialism, Chaker is the Director of photograph while Saleh is the editor.
Saleh's award-winning shorts ‘Game’, ‘Central Market’ and ‘PickUp’ were Official Selections at over 30 festivals worldwide, including Slamdance, the Montreal World Film Festival, Tampere Short Film Festival and Dresden International Short Film Festival.
He writes, edits, directs, produces and co-runs a bustling production house in the Kingdom of Bahrain. As of 2015, Saleh has been chosen as a Goethe Institute scholar at the Beirut Film Station.
Chaker has an extensive filming experience throughout the MENA region and enjoys the opportunities and challenges that come with running a production house. His debut narrative short, ‘One more day’ was awarded the Black Pearl Award (2nd Prize) at the Abu Dhabi Film Festival.
Website: http://elementsbh.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/elementsbh
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elementsbh
Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/elementsbh
Chaker Facebook
**********************************************************
Atelier Millinery
Image from Pintere
Atelier has always wanted to own her own business and loved design and fashion. Once she planned to poen a boutique, she carried on working on her corporate career to build the funds she needed whilst continuling to make hats and learn about millinery as a side line.
As an experiment to test the market for her design at a certain price point, she launched her first label, La Modiste Modeste. in 2003. She started by selling a wholesale range to Fenwicks department store and various independent boutiques around London. Then she became the recommended milliner for a dressmaker which gave her the chance to gather feedback and work out what her niche could be within the market.
Ateiler then opened her boutiques in May 2010 just off London's Carnaby Street in West End. She runs one-off session beginner and master workshops with the aim of completing something that can be taken away and worn by the student. 2013 was successful for the Artelier Millinery when she won the award at the FSB Streamline UK Business Awards 2013.
Address
9 Smiths Court, off Brewer Street, London, W1D 7DP
Phone
020 7734 3848
Email
General enquiries: hello@ateliermillinery.com
Course enquiries: kate@ateliermillinery.com
Website: http://www.ateliermillinery.com/
**********************************************************
Chantell Simone Graham
Ebony Inspired UK - A Black Entrepreneurs Network is founded by female entrepreneur and all round "Bosslady" Chantell Simone Graham and was launched on Wednesday 21st March 2012.
Chantell is a freelance Makeup Artist and Beauty Therapist and has been running her business CSG Makeup & Beauty since 2005 (www.csgmakeupandbeauty.co.uk). Since 2007 Chantell has been the Project Manager for Black 100+, an award winning photographic exhibition of Black achievers in modern Britain (www.black100plus.co.uk). Since 2012 Chantell has been the new group leader for Chelsea Ladies Who Latte. A free monthly networking event for women held in the heart of Sloane Square (www.chelsealadieswholatte.weebly.com).
After networking on a weekly basis for a period of at least 6-12 months, Chantell found that there were very few regular networking events run by Black entrepreneurs or that were aimed at Black entrerpreneurs. And it feeling concerned by this came the drive to create Ebony Inspired UK.
Chantell is passionate about the development of the Black community in the UK, particularly in the areas of business, enterprise and entrepreneurialism.
Chantell is a guest speaker at various events where she talks about her various different job roles and how she set up Ebony Inspired UK with no capital!
Website: www.ebonyinspireduk.com
Email: ebonyinspireduk@gmail.com
Tel: 07951459297
BB pin: 28B72B47
Twitter: @csg_bosslady
Whats App: 07951459297
Facebook: Chantell Simone Graham
"I Dream, I Believe, I Achieve!"
**********************************************************
John Theodore
“IT’S ABOUT THE WAY WE TREAT OURSELVES AND, HOW WE NEXT TREAT OTHERS THAT CREATES VALUE... THIS WAY OF LIFE, SETS THE FOUNDATION FOR DEVELOPMENT OF A TRUE VALUE PROPOSITION”.....John Theodore
"My name is John Theodore and I am currently employed as an Employment Advisor, working for Ingeus-Deloitte as part of the Government’s flagship programme: Welfare to Work.”
Who is John Theodore?
... John’s background is diverse, beginning his career as an Engineer covering areas such Telecommunications, Electronics, and Computer engineering. He then transitioned from Engineering to Sales and Marketing, and has developed these areas within his career toward becoming a Published author covering areas such as coaching, mentoring, self help, and personal development. More recently he has become an inventor working with two long established colleagues to develop the ‘Internet Super Highway.’
'His journey is one that is less travelled!’
The journey encompasses experience gathered from a global perspective, ranging from the boardrooms of Multinational companies, Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs), and supporting Start-up ventures.
How long did it take to write your book?
The basis of the book began some twenty years ago, with the venture of exploring the impact of salesmanship, and the benefits that could be achieved within one’s life. We face a curious situation in the world attitude toward this topic today. On the one hand there is increasing curiosity as to the place of Salespeople in future social development; in their relation to work, art and democracy; and judgement as to the future must depend upon the past. Yet this past lies shrouded not simply by widespread lack of knowledge but by a certain irritating silence. Few today are interested in the profession of sales because they feel the matter already settled: “Sales has no history.”
Click to see book reviews or to buy book: Lessons From The Life of a Salesman
Why did you continue to pursue this route?
The above dictum I believed to be neither reasonable nor probable. I remember my own rather sudden awakening from the paralysis of the judgement taught to me during my time at school and during the first ten years of my career. There was always a need not to be ashamed of your profession. At times I was too astonished to speak. All of this I never experienced in my profession as an engineer, and I came then and afterwards to realise how the silence and neglect of salesmanship can let truth utterly disappear or even be unconsciously distorted.
For instance, I am no historian. That goes without saying. The larger difficulties of this book are manifest: the breath of the field which one mind can scarcely cover; the obstacles to securing data. Simply put, an understanding of the world around us in terms of great economic and social significance today. I do not for a moment doubt that my Negro descent and narrow group culture have in many cases, predisposed me to interpret my facts so I am at least paying truth the respect of earnest effort.
"In 2012 John was recognised by LinkedIn for being in their Top 10% most viewed profiles, with an audience at the time of 200 Million.”
Additionally, John has given a number of Book readings in London, and carried out workshops in India at Gandhigram Rural University, International School for Business & Media, and Schneider Electric – India.
LinkedIn: http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/john-theodore/0/a5a/669 Twitter: @JohnTheodore1
Facebook: www.facebook.com/john.theodore.01 Email: j.theodore@riversidenetworks.com
Website: http://lessonsfromthelifeofasalesman.com/ Website 2: www.riversidenetworks.com/search/
**********************************************************
House of LOULEE
CHILDREN'S WEAR
An Inspirational Designer and a savvy business woman - Read her story
by Lucy Lee
Pictures by OGN Okafor
(Click here for forthcoming event details)"
House of has been a long time in the making after I was offered a place at the London School of Fashion but at the time was unable to to attend this resulted in it always being at the fore front of my mind to start my own clothing label. Based in East London the cultural diversity I was born into and brought up around has given me great inspiration, enhancing my love for fashion and design.
With new garments added to the website regularly shopping with House of Loulee will keep you and your family in fantastic style every season. The vibrant colorful African prints will keep you looking and feeling sharp in the summer and warm in the winter. Please take a look at the online store which currently features my children's collection which seems to be increasing every few weeks. If you ever have any questions, special requests or just need some help with ordering please just give me a call and I 'll help you get it sorted. Also if you ever have any questions, special requests or just need some help with ordering please just give me a call and I 'll help you get it sorted.
Founder and Creative Fashion Designer: Lucy Lee
Facebook: Houseofloulee Twitter: Houseofloulee Youtube: Houseofloulee Tel: +44 7853491610
Email: houseofloulee@gmail.com Website:www.houseofloulee.co.uk
Posted Saturday 10th August 2013
**********************************************************
By Caprice: Caprice Bourret
Image from Huffingtonpost
by Abigail Van-West
You’d be forgiven for assuming that building a lingerie line is simple when you have the backing of a successful modelling career and a name that is synonymous with luxury underwear. However, moving into business at the age of 30 was no easy step for model-turned international entrepreneur Caprice, who battled against damning stereotypes to get By Caprice to where it is today.
Learning from the bottom up, Caprice has had to overcome challenges with growth management and overseas expansion, at one point she saw products delivered a month late and £500,000 worth of stock returned to the UK.
With products including swimwear, bedding and nightwear now stocked in over 70 stores across 13 countries, Caprice agreed to pass on some of her business knowledge to our followers in a Twitter Takeover.
But first, we caught up with the shrewd entrepreneur, who started By Caprice in 2006 after accepting that her name was not going to be ‘hot’ forever.
You gave your name to a Debenhams range of lingerie in 2000. What part did that play in inspiring you to start-up your own business?
I knew I needed to think of something because I was in my thirties and modelling wasn’t going to last forever, but first I wanted somebody else to take the risk, so I suggested a licensing deal to Debenhams and they went for it. They took a calculated risk and made a fortune.
Other people started to jump on board with licensing deals and I didn’t know how much longer they were going to keep investing in me, because my name wouldn’t be as hot and they could get anyone else they wanted.
I also saw how rich they were becoming off the back of my name and thought, “I want to do that for myself”, so I bought back my license and Debenhams started buying from me and that’s when I started By Caprice Lingerie.
What were the biggest challenges you faced during the start-up phase?
I was ignorant really. I learned from the streets, I had no formal education and I didn’t access the consultants that were available to me. So I had to learn as I went along and it was an expensive lesson – there was one season where the fits weren’t right and the styles were rejected, because I didn’t pay enough attention to the fits.
I put in a lot of hard work and I educated myself. I now know every single intricate part of my business.
You received an exporting grant to support your business early on. Is this something you would advise to other start-ups?
We all pay taxes for God’s sake, why not access it? You’re crazy if you don’t. It’s just lazy not to; go online and research the one that’s applicable to you. I researched for a few months and then it took me another few months to get it.
How did you go about designing a range?
Initially I just designed what I liked, which was very naïve and it didn’t go down very well. So then I started to access the trends and I went to Paris to see what gorgeous laces and embroidery and bows were used. I also listened to my customers to see what they liked. I would look at weekly sales figures and see what blocks were working.
You outsource your factories to China, why did you decide to do this? Any bad experiences?
You get so much out of China: great service, great price, great product.
In China at the moment the workers have just been getting up and leaving, so I had to find a new factory. A different factory asked to sample for me, so I went with them but they let me down badly – production was late.
Luckily my old factory has opened up a new one and started paying its workers more, so I went back to them.
How do you exercise quality control?
I travel out to China four times a year. We have a quality control manager in China and I regularly chat to them on the phone.
What is your strategy for securing deals with retailers and other department stores?
You have to stalk them, get a meeting and then get them to love your product. At the beginning it was a disaster, because everyone stereotyped me – they were like, “Oh Caprice the model, now she’s selling underwear, this’ll last a year – OK next.”
My numbers eventually convinced them. I was selling a lot for Debenhams, so other department stores went with it and they sold really well.
You’re now stocked in 13 different countries. Was overseas expansion a challenge?
It was very challenging, different countries have different protocols and they can get away with more. It was especially challenging in South Africa – it’s like the Wild West over there. £500,000 worth of stock went over there and then they decided to retract the order. You have to pay taxes in England and you have to pay taxes over there and then I had to pay them coming back.
I’m looking to do a license deal over there now; I just need to find somebody that knows how to deal with them. There is tons of money to be made out there. It doesn’t matter that I wouldn’t be getting the maximum money – I’m not a greedy person, I just want my brand out there.
What advice would you give to other small businesses about trading overseas?
Have a rep. I have reps in many of the countries I trade in. They understand the country because they’re from there. They take about 10-15% of the deal, but they get the products in, they secure distribution and they make sure everything is going alright.
How does trading online compare to having your product stocked on the high street?
It’s all about online. Even the high streets’ biggest stores are online – this is now and it’s the future.
Stocking in shops is expensive and the reaction is not as fast, so you can’t reprint it fast. It’s just so much cheaper and more efficient to do it online.
You’ve expanded into swimwear, nightwear and bedding. Did you always want to be a multi-product brand?
I had no bigger plans other than to be the biggest lingerie company in the world and make a fortune, but you have to keep on exploring and expanding.
Would you consider expanding into a sector outside of female fashion industry?
Right now, no way. It takes so much work and time and money to educate yourself. However, I’ll definitely keep expanding in this sector – I want to move into hosiery and maternity.
How do you manage the growth of the company to make sure you don’t push the company beyond its limits?
When I first started I messed up and I expanded way too fast. I took on a huge store (Nordstrom in America) and I couldn’t facilitate it. I delivered the product a month late because I didn’t know what I was doing.
So now I’m just doing it slowly, taking the baby steps and doing it right, because that’s longevity at the end of the day.
How do you manage your finances?
I have 100% equity and I pay for everything myself. I have a great in-house full time bookkeeper and accountant. We carefully monitor everything and it works – we’re making money.
What are the key metrics you like to keep at your fingertips at all times?
I keep an eye on weekly sales to see what’s working and what’s not. I like to know what’s coming in and what’s going out in the next eight months before I implement a big marketing campaign.
Our biggest marketing campaign is around Valentine’s Day and if I have to cut down spending on something else so that I can support that, I will.
You’ve had the advantage of your modelling career to give your company a marketing boost. How do you continue to market yourself?
Initially my former career was a great boost, as it helped me with marketing to launch the brand but now it doesn’t help me as much, because there’s no new story.
I continue to do shows such as Style Wars, where I was a judge, but I don’t really care about the fame side, I just care about marketing my company.
For me I find social media to be much more useful for marketing and everyone can access that – it’s free marketing for everyone. If you want people to take notice you have to be creative.
How involved are you with your business on a day to day basis?
I am in that office every day, micromanaging and making sure everything is running smoothly and when I bring somebody new on board I train them personally.
What do you look for in your staff?
I need somebody educated and excited about the brand.
Experience is everything to me. I used to take on people right out of uni, or people entering the lingerie industry for the first time, but it doesn’t work.
Go for experience – you’ll pay more for them, but you’ll make more.
Have you found it hard to assert yourself as a woman in business?
We’re still living in a man’s world and initially it was difficult – now it’s not so difficult because I have the numbers, so if somebody wants to stereotype me I just think, “How stupid are you? Do your research.”
How have you adapted to suit the change in buyer attitudes since the recession?
I give my customer what they pay for and then some.
You can’t take that extra 15% margin – you have to chuck it back into your brand. You’ve got to have real brand integrity now, because that’s longevity. My margins are only 38-58%, so I have loyal customers.
What are your plans for the future?
I’m not actively looking for an investor, but I think in the near future, I will give a bit of equity away.
I would also expand even further overseas. It would be good to get an investor from overseas. I don’t need their money so much – it’s more their expertise.
We just have to keep on moving, expanding and growing. You cannot afford to stay stagnant, otherwise you die.
Here are some of our favourite tweets from Caprice’s Twitter Takeover
@GaryWayment: I have started to sell my photographs to family and friends and want to know how I can take it further.
Caprice: It's all about having the confidence to just go for it and don't forget about a business plan – refer back to it constantly.
And don't forget your objectives. Look at Wedding Photography too! Go to all the local fairs and sell yourself!!
@BuyMyWardrobe: What is the value of celebrity endorsement for a brand and what's the best way to approach getting celeb endorsement?
Caprice: It has to be the right celebrity for it to be successful. 1) the media are interested in them, and 2) brand fit. But with the right mix it can have a huge impact on sales!! Once you have someone in mind approach the agents / management.
@farnazkhan: @fitbritches is an innovative underwear brand. Our mission is to be on the hips & lips of all women. Any tips?
Caprice: Wow looks interesting! You’ve got to get your name out there and get into key UK stores.
PR and Marketing is a huge ingredient + building long lasting relationships with your clients is key!
@chloelouise286: What gave you the confidence to believe you could build a lingerie business yourself?
Caprice: Babes, I came out of my mom’s tummy thinking I could rule the world.
I believed in myself and you can achieve anything you put your mind to if you are positive and are willing to work for it.
Caprice is the founder, designer and CEO of By Caprice products (including By Caprice Lingerie, By Caprice Swim, By Caprice Bedding and By Caprice Sleep).
**********************************************************
Stumbled upon this on Startups
Mumsnet: Justine Roberts and Carrie Longton
Images from Mirror and Dailymail
The co-founders share their ‘lightbulb’ moment for the social parenting site that attracts 50 million page views a month
by Kim Benjamin
For many mums, Justine Roberts and Carrie Longton are the saviours of their sanity. When the pair launched Mumsnet in 2000, they saved many a mum from the isolation of motherhood, by creating a site that combined unique parenting information with a supportive social network and online community.
From the outset, Mumsnet was unlike any other parenting site: it featured real-life parent to parent advice, instead of blanket advice written by ‘experts’. Mumsnet launched just before the dotcom bubble burst, which caused thousands of fledgling sites to go under.
Justine and Carrie, however, had bypassed the in vogue, ridiculous venture capital investments, and opted to grow organically. It was a wise move, and the site has gone from strength to strength, registering more than one million users a month, 50 million page views a month and hosting thousands of forum postings every day.
Inspired by a ‘holiday from hell’
Justine Roberts had worked in the City for 10 years as an economist and market strategist before switching to a career in sports journalism. During her first pregnancy in 1999, she met television producer Carrie Longton at ante-natal classes, and the two became friends.
Throughout their pregnancies and with their newborns, they both agreed that the best source of parenting information was other mothers. The inspiration for Mumsnet came to Justine during a ‘holiday from hell’ in Florida with her one-year old twins. They were supposedly staying at a ‘family friendly’ resort but she found the level of childcare at the resort appalling. Other mothers she talked to at the resort agreed that it would be a great if there was a website enabling parents to swap information on everything and anything – from recommendations on trusted family-friendly resorts to the best pushchairs to use.
They wanted a resource where parents could pool all their information together in one place that all parents could have access to. Home from holiday, the idea came together. Justine did some research to find out what else was out there. She found plenty of sites with parenting advice, but none that gave parents the opportunity to provide their own views, share ideas and give feedback. She wanted to create a site that offered both, and was sure this would be unique. “Having done our research carefully, there wasn’t really anything like our idea in the market at the time”, says Justine.
“There was a site called Babyworld but it was more of an e-commerce offering rather than a resource for pooling information.”
An early social network
The idea for the business was an early version of the social networking sites that abound today, a place where user-generated content could be created and shared. Justine would recruit parents and mums- and dads-to-be to generate the content and would finance the site through advertising.
The concept was that the members of the site would fill in a brief questionnaire, and receive a range of benefits and incentives in return, such as regular emails highlighting the developmental milestones their children were approaching. They would also be encouraged to give advice and interact with each other. Once the site was up and running, the aim was also to negotiate special offers with relevant retailers for the site’s members.
Spurred on by the novelty of the idea, Justine finalised her plans for the site in November 1999 and persuaded Carrie to get involved soon afterwards. Justine recalls another motivating factor for her: she really didn’t want to go back to her job as a sports writer after maternity leave, as it involved too many weekends away from family life.
Booming possibilities
Justine and Carrie spent a month writing a business plan with the aim of having a test site ready by early 2000. At this time, the business climate couldn’t have been better. In 1999, dozens upon dozens of internet businesses had emerged, buoyed by large sums of venture capital finance and a predicted growth in broadband technologies.
Many entrepreneurs boasted about securing money on the back of plans scrawled on business cards, so convinced were they that their idea was destined to be the next big thing. And it was clear that dot-coms were the next big thing, as even high street retailers made sure they also had an online presence and got in on the act. Buoyed by the economic climate,
Justine and Carrie hoped to attract £500,000 worth of funding from private investors.
Late in 1999, work began on the site with the help of a friend of Justine’s from university – a technical whizz who was willing to work on the site in his spare time. He managed all the technical aspects of building the site such as coding it and choosing a web host, while Justine and Carrie built the content pages, tested the site’s navigation and came up with the design.
Both Justine and Carrie were working round the clock, juggling work and family life with evenings and weekends spent on the new business.
Justine was reluctantly working most weekends as a sports journalist, and both had limited childcare available. Fortunately, they had the support of their husbands, whose jobs paid the mortgage and kept each family afloat. Writing all the original content themselves, Justine and Carrie spent many a day roving around London in search of reviews for the perfect pushchair. To get parents on board, they visited as many playgroups as possible.
Justine and Carrie spent a considerable amount of time discussing potential names for the business. The word ‘Parentsnet’, for example, did not seem snappy enough to them and while happy with the choice of Mumsnet, they were worried about alienating fathers and dads-to-be from the site. In the end, they decided to go with their gut instinct – the name was simple, clear and catchy and the strapline, ‘by parents for parents’ would include fathers.
By January 2000 the pair had already spent around £4,000 on content and technical expenses. They raised £25,000 from a friend, in return for a small percentage of the company, and began negotiations with other private investors to raise more.
The initial launch
After months of work, the test site for Mumsnet was launched in March 2000. By this time, Justine and Carrie had recruited more than 500 parent reviewers through their contacts and research, and were actively seeking more…
This exclusive extract is taken from the Mumsnet chapter, in How They Started Digital: How 25 Good Ideas Became Spectacular Digital Businesses, published by Crimson Publishing. To read the full chapter and find out more about their start-up story, as well as the inspirational inside stories of 24 other top digital businesses (including Groupon, Etsy, Match.com, Twitter, TripAdvisor and Wonga), pick up your copy of How They Started Digital, available on Amazon now.
**********************************************************
**********************************************************
Stumbled upon this on Startups
Freelearning: Craig Hogan
Name: Craig Hogan
Age: 37
Company: Freelearning
Staff numbers:1
Company description: Education website offering free learning resources and inspirational career videos
Tell us what your business does:
We are trying to inspire the youth of the UK into starting a career by giving them access to inspirational clips from successful people and all the free learning they can eat.
Where did the idea for your business come from?
I am the developer behind mylearningworx.com, the UK's first crowdsourced eLearning marketplace. Whilst building the mylearningworx site I found that there is a ton of free learning resources online that are hard to find (for one reason or another) and with so many 1-18 years old in the UK out of work and education I wanted to give them an opportunity to turn their lives around for free.
How did you know there was a market for it?
No one else is targeting these people in the way that I want to, getting cool and smart people to tell their story in a short three-five minute video, highlighting what they have done to get where they are, it’s a unique prospect.
I have access to thousands of free online learning resources that people can use to kick start (or just help) their career.
What were you doing before starting up?
Anything and everything web based, I have been a self-employed web developer since 2006, since then have averaged one start-up a year.
Alongside this I run a volunteer based charity developer/designer community called www.dev4good.net.
Have you always wanted to run your own business?
Yes, my father and my grandfather were both self-employed and ran a number of successful businesses.
It works if you don’t mind a bit of hard work.
How did you raise the money?
No money needed at the moment, I am running the business as leanly as possible, however sponsorship is needed in the long term to cover the hosting/production expenses.
What challenges have you faced and how have you overcome them?
The tech side I have covered, the 'getting people to make a video' is something I am struggling with. I have a number of people lined up (who have some cool jobs), but what I really need is help gaining some media exposure or PR/marketing advice on how to get my business out to the youth of today.
Describe your business model and how you make money:
I don't need a lot of money to keep it all going, so am aiming to run banner advertising and highlighted video sponsorship.
What was your first big breakthrough?
Getting the first video 'OK' from a TV reporter who is making his video while shooting in Israel... talk about a dramatic start.
What advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs?
My advice is to not give up, however if it turns out your business is doomed and destined for failure, try to keep positive, rethink what went wrong and try again in a different way. There are also some great business advice books like The Lean Startup and Nail It then Scale It that can offer advice.
Where do you want to be in five years' time?
Starting something new and exciting that could change the way people learn and share knowledge.
Website: www.freelearning.co
**********************************************************
**********************************************************
This article is from Startups
How I went from construction to running an international beauty franchise
Barry Oakhill is the UK master franchisor for Biothecare Estétika, an international brand with 12 UK stores offering customer’s non-invasive beauty and aesthetic treatments.
He bought the UK licence for Spanish beauty brand Biothecare Estetika. Here, he shares his advice for potential franchisors and franchisees
Having previously worked in the construction and distribution sector in various corporate roles, becoming my own boss was something I felt very strongly about. At a trade show in 2010 I met with Biothecare Estetika, a Spanish beauty brand that was looking for a UK master franchisor.
Specialising in non-invasive beauty and aesthetic treatments, it was not an area I had any experience in but I was taken with the company straight away.
I felt there was a sizeable a market opportunity for quality beauty treatments that deliver real results for customers. However, I wasn’t alone; at least five other companies were interested in the master franchise, so I knew I would have to fight for it.
Winning the master franchise
Determination and showing the brand how much passion and vision you have for it is critical, whether you’re pitching for a master franchise or to become a franchisee, particularly when the competition is rife.
You have to do your homework. Be sure to visit the company in person and do your due diligence before pursuing the opportunity. You need to ask yourself if you can really replicate the brand in other markets.
There is an old saying – whether you think you will, or whether you think you won’t (be successful) you are probably right. A positive mental attitude and ability to ‘make things happen’ is essential in business.
Then it comes down to funding. To buy the Biothecare brand license in the UK for the master franchise, I had to liquidate all my assets from the past 15 years of my life (meaning I had to turn my assets into cash), which was no easy feat. Biothecare was very impressed with my commitment, strategy and where I was going to align the brand, so they decided I was the best fit for the job.
Anyone wanting to take on a franchise needs to think realistically and make sure they are in a good financial position. I took more of a risk with a master franchise but thoroughly believed I had what it took to succeed – which is is crucial.
Choosing the right location
You can never underestimate the importance of location. When opening your first franchise or when rolling out a number of franchises you have to consider the general demographics of each specific area and how it will fit with the brand. Different cultures can bring about different levels of opportunity. It’s all about identifying your key target markets and opting for locations that will bring the highest demand. A franchisee will also be expected to know their local area well, as the franchisor or master franchisor will likely be led by your local knowledge to some degree.
Getting it off the ground
It took eight months from my initial conversation with Biothecare to launch the first store in Bristol, but it wasn’t plain sailing. One of the first challenges you are likely to encounter is securing the four walls of the business.
Commercial landlords and letting agents are a tough nut to crack and extremely difficult to persuade for businesses that are unknown to the market. Make sure you leave no stone unturned when identifying potential properties and agencies to maximise your chances. You have to be tenacious - don’t take no for an answer and challenge them!
The next hurdle is persuading the local council to get advertising and marketing consent. Again, these conversations are testing and you have to keep persevering. In the end, I brought in a legal expert to help fight my case. If you lack experience in this area, hiring a professional or using existing contacts if money is tight is really worthwhile to seal the deal.
Spreading the word
Having invested heavily in the Biothecare license, I had a limited amount of money in the pot for marketing. However, no matter what your budget, you have to get the brand name out into the local market to get customers through the doors. Through online research, I had seen that Groupon was helping businesses do just that.
After careful planning with the Groupon account manager, the first deal went down a storm and sold over 150 vouchers – it’s a great way for new businesses to benefit from models that have a large and established customer base.
However, the key to success is to provide each and every customer with personalised experiences that encourage them to come back again and again. You have to focus on cross-selling and upselling as much as possible. By providing the highest level of customer service, our stores have retained on average 50-60% of our Groupon customers, which has made the partnership a key part of our launch strategy for each new franchise and has supported the opening of 10 further stores across the UK.
Is franchising for you?
There are many benefits to running a franchise, but you do need to be 100% sure on the business model and weigh up the pros and cons before making your decision. First and foremost, you have to really have passion for the brand and the drive and vision to take it forward.
Here are my three top tips for success:
Know your market and business practices –
Sector knowledge and business management expertise is a must. For example, you need to have the skills and a proven record of managing people and small teams, understanding what makes good customer service and what drives sales. The difference a stable, well-managed and focused team makes compared to the reverse is massive. If a franchisee cannot get this right, it will always be an uphill struggle
Put the hours in –
The job often entails long working days, particularly in the early stages. You have to remain focused on the end goal at all times
Build a network –
Despite franchise support, starting and running your own business can be lonely. Create your own community of friends and family, along with peers to help you through it. They can also introduce you to valuable new contacts
Posted Saturday 22nd June 2013
No comments:
Post a Comment