Hens, chicks & website hits
Since my last blog (seems an age away!), I met with a life coach to make sure that having my own business really would be the right thing for me.
It turned out to be a brilliant session which concluded that it was, after all, right for me – I didn’t want to go back into a big business, as I had been made redundant before and wanted to pursue my own course. We went through my personal needs and I was convinced I was doing the right thing.
Then I had an Acorn Programme interview, with two lovely interviewees, and I spoke about both my business ideas in the end. My website Hens and Chicks is already up and running and much further along than the other idea (still under wraps!), but the other idea is bigger and a better business for longevity and would be run in partnership with a friend of mine, as I couldn’t do it on my own. I think it would be wise to pursue both, as at the Acorn Programme they suggested that I could get Hens and Chicks running and fully functioning and then employ someone to run it, while I get on with the other one! It could then generate money for this big idea. I hadn’t thought of that as an option.
I then had to write about my business idea and why exactly I wanted to join the programme, and from that I got on the course (one of 11), so am really pleased. We had our first meeting last week and it has a really nice mix of people. We spoke about usps, marketing and doing the groundwork of making sure that you know your customer base. It has to be a sound business idea, not based on a passion or a hobby that you would be precious about. It’s about what the customer wants. Without them you have no business, and no profit, after all!
So now I have to really look into market research. Hens and Chicks is ‘done’ in that respect, but my other business is not, so I have to look into that to see if it actually is a good idea! Keynote and Mintel are good websites for this apparently, and Leeds library have a good business section too.
The web-based side is one thing I could do with advice on – with Hens and Chicks, if you want to get advertising, you have to be able to quote the number of hits etc. You can forecast how many people will come to your site but how can you really know until you have something for people to look at?
I’ve tried to update my blog and make it more recent, as I have just finished my part-time job, so can hope to focus completely on my new business(es!). Advertising on my website is something I really need advice on, though.
I am feeling spurred on by the course and extremely optimistic. There are people there who have been in their business for a year, and others like me who are with brand new businesses. We can all feed off each other and give advice on how is best to do things. I just know it’s going to be a real inspiration for me.
