Getting your business off the ground is only the first step for startups – the real challenge is growing your new company into a successful enterprise. Here is our advice for those seeking a startup success:

Starting a business is nerve wracking, stressful and incredibly exciting. No longer an employee, you may find yourself in turns, as the leader, the worker, the head of sales and the manager for complaints. You might feel isolated when the product or service doesn’t sell, but on top of the world when it does. We’ve worked with many great startups and have some tips that are tried-and-tested for surviving the tricky first years:

  1. There is always less money in the business than opportunities to spend it on. Spend wisely on things that are critical to achieving sales.
  2. Network and forge business friends. Most business owners are more than happy to share their experiences (good and bad) and hopefully will remember you when your business is relevant.
  3. Be creative – don’t plagiarise. Copying content from other websites may feel like an easy/cheap solution, but most companies actively monitor for infringement.
  4. Know the funding options and avoid risking your house. Do you know which bank is actively supporting start-ups? What start-up loans are out there? What about crowd funding platforms?
  5. Don’t be shy! Shout about your business at every opportunity and on every social media platform. You need your customers to know about you.
  6. Don’t panic! It will often be hard, but take time to think carefully before acting. Remember, your future business autobiography would be so much duller if the start wasn’t so demanding and fraught with difficulties!
  7. Keep perspective. Many businesses do not survive despite the best efforts of the founder; there is no shame in that; the shame may be that you never tried at all.