Tag Archives: Start-up

Competition or attrition?

Posted on November 21, 2016 by Jon Stow

I am in a service business. I have all the modern advantages. I can help people all around the world because we have email and the internet. I do not have to meet my clients, although it is great if … Continue reading →

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Freebie folly

Posted on August 17, 2016 by Jon Stow

I had an email from an accountancy firm asking if I would give free tax advice in half-hour sessions over the telephone. I thought the guy must mean free to the client, but his firm would be paying my business. … Continue reading →

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Turning down work – really?

Posted on February 1, 2016 by Jon Stow

One of the mistakes many start-up businesses make is taking every project or job, no matter what. I made it myself.  It is very tempting to accept anything which comes along, but the new business owner needs to consider: Is … Continue reading →

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Don’t be afraid to ask

Posted on August 10, 2015 by Jon Stow

When I started out on my own in business, I thought I knew a lot and in fact I knew very little. Why did I think I knew a lot? Well, for a good few years I had worked with … Continue reading →

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Great sausages, but plan your business in advance

Posted on August 3, 2015 by Jon Stow

A long time ago when I was in my early twenties, my Mum thought she would like to run a pub, a free house which is one not tied to a brewery. This was following lunch at a very good … Continue reading →

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Having a sense of direction

Posted on March 16, 2015 by Jon Stow

It is no good starting in business if you don’t have a plan and ambition, or you are doing so for the wrong reasons. It is no good going for a job working for someone else if you don’t really … Continue reading →

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Getting the sack

Posted on July 7, 2014 by Jon Stow

Getting the sack is what launched my “career” as an independent person. Yet as an employee, if you are “terminated” it is a terrible shock, the stuff of nightmares. I had a bad dream about it last night; being called … Continue reading →

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The Success Shop?

Posted on July 3, 2014 by Jon Stow

Opening a new shop is a daunting experience, and if you are going to do so then you must plan very carefully. I have already mentioned that the level of overheads is an important consideration. Property taxes and especially rents … Continue reading →

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Was it small business or the internet that changed my life?

Posted on June 9, 2014 by Jon Stow

It is no secret that I started my own business after the world of employment left me, and I could not get another job. There was no grand plan. I just got “on my bike” to get some money coming … Continue reading →

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Forgiving the tyre-kickers

Posted on April 29, 2014 by Jon Stow

  Most of those who inquire after my services know what they want. They know that what I do will give them value. If they do not understand that, I hope I am able to persuade them of the value … Continue reading →

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