'Benefit from the real life experience of three businesses & the ongoing commentary of the expert advisers so you don't have to learn the 'hard way'!'
'Benefit from the real life experience of three businesses & the ongoing commentary of the expert advisers so you don't have to learn the 'hard way'!'
As you can probably tell from my blogs this month, I have not been quite so busy with shows and events for Percy’s.
My bottling plant will not be ready till next Jan / Feb, so stocks have been low and it’s appeared to hold me back. It’s actually been a bit of a blessing in disguise. I have had a chance to look at my business model and strategy and this is important. Plus, it’s been a very busy year for me I could have run the risk of being a ‘busy fool’ this month, which I didn't want to do – as I will need all the energy I have for next year!
I haven’t been totally unless though, my days still start at six and I never stop till the evening.....
Over the past month and over the next two months, whilst I am waiting for my bottling plant to become fully functioning, I am making the most of my time and by attending as many free courses that are available to SME’s.
Funded via the east midlands development agency, so far I have been on a mobile marketing course and a two day Google Analytics course. The courses are being run by the ebusiness club and are free to small businesses.
Whilst the bigger companies can afford to pay for courses or employ staffs who have a degree in a certain sector, I can’t and my degree was in ‘Media with Theatre media Drama’ not in business, finance or marketing.
This was a sacrifice I have made. I left London in 2006 and left my flat, I had to leave as there was no grants/help available in London for me starting out.
For the past few months I have started tweeting. I have over 900 followers for my @percysvodkatea twitter account. I spend maybe an hour each day tweeting, sometimes more sometimes less.
Today, I received one of Chris Cardell’s e-newsletters entitled ‘why I hate Twitter’, this of course caught my attention, as Chris is described as ‘Britain's leading expert on Entrepreneurial Success and Advanced Thinking’.
When I got home from work today I had a letter to say, I have been shortlisted in ‘The Best New Business’ category for my local Boston Business Awards. I am one of 3.
The Awards are on the 17th November, so only a couple of weeks away. I will do a video blog as it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t go somewhere and not look like a Looney filming myself!
I am hoping that a few of you read my blog on ‘The Secret’ and Laws of Attraction? I would love to hear your views if anyone did have a read?
So, my business plan is coming along nicely. The other good thing is Simon Browning one of our experts has already had a read and raised some questions i.e who is the plan aimed at, investors or is it to keep me focussed? And the number 1 spot goes toooooooo ‘keeping me in line!’ (For the next couple of weeks anyway). The good thing about revisiting the plan is, it is making me question myself and my direction and of course whilst doing so, I am getting up to date facts and figures on the competition and market.
I thought ‘The Secret’ was worth sharing this Friday morning with you, as I enjoyed watching it and I do believe strongly in the powers of positive thinking. However I do believe there are some circumstances... that no amount of positive thinking will change....i.e I really believed and wanted to get my bursary to the BBC Good Food Show, I felt positive about it... but it didn't happen?
Claire’s eureka moment for her Vodka Ice Teas came whilst working in PR in London. A successful tasting session in Soho convinced her to leave her job and move back home to Lincolnshire...Read more
