Three Things Every Person Starting a Small Business Should Know

I love meeting people when they’re in the early stages of building their brand.

I met with someone over the weekend who are launching a family startup from their home. They wanted my feedback on their branding ideas, as well as their overall vision for the business. We spoke for a couple of hours and I made a note of the three crucial things that came up during the discussion. These are things that I’ve learned on my own start-up journey and I thought it might be a good idea to share them with anyone that might find it useful -

Why are you doing it?

Every brand has a story. That could be a persons passion for baking that turns into a cake business, or the need to find good local coffee which could turn into a cafe finder app. A story is compelling. It gives you purpose and most importantly, gives your customers something to invest in with more than just their money. They want to be a part of your narrative.

What makes you different?

Don’t let the fact that someone else has a similar idea put you off from executing yours. Ideas are malleable. Find a gap in the market and exploit it.

Who is selling?

I believe it’s incredibly crucial for there to be a face (or faces) behind a brand. People are easier to communicate with instead of faceless companies. It breathes life into your ideas and helps to further paint your story. People always want to buy from people.

I run a number of one to one workshops for people who are beginning their first businesses. You can find out more about them here. Please do get in touch if there’s anything I can do to help.