Ways to start your own business

Looking for a good business idea?

Starting up a business and becoming self employed is a dream that many of us want to turn into a reality. So how difficult can it be?

Well first you need a good business idea, and then you need to have a clear understanding as to how to take the first step towards starting the business and following the process through to get the business established and successful. That is where many people begin to struggle. But it doesn’t have to be that hard. There are plenty of places to go where you can seek independent advice and get the financial backing you require to get your business off the ground.

You will find some useful articles on this website with links to recommended resources, but the main section of this website is designed to help people find a business idea that suits their interests. You can start by looking at our BUSINESS IDEAS section. It’s important to realise that starting and running your own business shouldn’t be all about making money, though that may be your primary goal. It should also be about what type of work would suit you, the type of goals and aspirations you may have, and ideally what you are passionate about. These things will make it easier for you to succeed and sustain long term growth of your business.

It’s also important to balance this with an understanding as to whether your business concept will fulfil a demand and meet your customer’s needs.

Testing the market, formulating a business plan, obtaining financial backing, making the right contacts are all part of setting up a business, and it’s by no means always simple and straightforward. But with a good business idea and suitable research, along with dogged determination to see it through, setting up your own business can be an uplifting as well as financially rewarding experience.

Local, National or International business?

Sometimes a business idea can start out on a small scale and expand into a much larger enterprise. Once a business starts making a healthy profit the business owner can also re-invest those profits and diversify into other areas with new ideas. It depends how much of an entrepreneur you are and what your end goals might be.

Consider Richard Branson one of the most successful business developers in the UK. Richard started out in 1970 selling records by mail order, and it wasn’t all plain sailing, but with grit and determination his business flourished and he opened his first record shop in 1971. He then went on to open his own recording studio in 1972 and the following year started his own record label. Since then of course he has gone on to bigger and better things. His company and well know Virgin brand provides millions of people essential services ranging from air travel, healthcare, publishing, telecommunications, internet service provider, train travel, holidays, cosmetics and many other forms of business, and it all stemmed form one business idea that he put into action through his passion and love for music.

In this frank interview Richard reveals some of his future plans and philosophies about being a successful businessman.

For business ideas, advice and news about new business opportunities keep checking our News page.