Be your own boss
If you fancy being your own boss it can take many forms. You could be doing what you do now, but as a contractor, associate, consultant, interim or freelancer. Maybe you'd like a completely new life and do something entirely different such as running a retail outlet, becoming a web entrepreneur, a plumber, or running a franchise? Perhaps you've always dreamed of starting your own business by having your own pub, micro-brewery, wine merchants, restaurant, hotel, boutique or catering business. Whatever your motivation to become an entrepreneur, you're never too old to start. 'Oldpreneur'
Ray Kroc didn't start MacDonalds until he was 52 years old! So, if you're
looking for more, inspirational role models check out some of the case histories on start-ups. Are you an entrepreneur or 'alterpreneur'?
There has been a growing trend of what are being dubbed as 'alterpreneurs'. These are people quitting corporate life (either voluntarily or involuntarily) to start their own businesses as a lifestyle, rather than a career choice. Research shows that 60% of those surveyed said they wanted to get more control over their lives, and 54% said they made their entrepreneurial move in order to be 'happier'. They make up nearly 70% of the UK's small business market, running approximately 2 million micro-businesses and generating over £2 billion in annual revenue. Women are also starting up more and more new businesses. These so called 'Kitchen Table Tycoons' or 'Mumpreneurs' are finding that it is the only viable way to create the work-life balance that they want.
Whatever you want to do, we'll try to point you in the right direction to make your business start-up faster, easier and more sure of success. All the tips and advice on what to do and where to go come from experienced practitioners so that you and your business start-up ideas can benefit from tried and tested techniques. You'll find more detailed ideas and advice in our book listed below "Rebuilding your life after redundancy". Passion - the vital ingredient!
The most important ingredient in setting up and running your own business, however, is your passion for that business. That passion is what will make customers buy from you, employees want to work for you, your friends, family, sponsors and suppliers support you. It's what will make getting up in the morning a joy because it's not just your job but your life, not just your livelihood but your lifeblood. It will sustain you through any setbacks or hard times and make the successes so much sweeter.
Good luck and happy hunting!
Click on the links below to view each information page
- Planning to set up your new business
- Marketing and PR tips for your new business
- Great books for budding entrepreneurs
- Great books on business
- Raising business capital
- Buying & running a franchise
- Working freelance
- Working from home
- How to set up a home office
- Business start-up resource directory
- Building your own website
- Have you got what it takes? Business skills training
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"Energy and persistence conquer all things." Benjamin Franklin (1706 - 1790) |