Top tips for business start-ups

Know your customers

Know your customer, I can’t stress that enough. Spend time understanding your target market, what they want, and more importantly, what they’re prepared to pay for that product or service. Don’t make assumptions, go out and ask them.

Maryhan Baker, Brainboost Box

You need to really, really know what your point of difference is. Research your market, find out what your customers really want and how you can deliver it.

Janan Leo, Cocorose London

Starting a business is all about talking to people so it’s important to build your networks and if people are offering advice I’d take it all on board, but make your own decisions. Do as much market research as you can, hold focus groups and surround yourself with supportive people.

Hannah Whitehead, Good Deed Dating

Find out everything there is to know about your audience and prospective customers before you do anything else. Learn everything you can about your industry and strive to become the role model in it for both your customers and your peers.

Quentin Pain, Legendary Business Owners

Keep your customers at the heart of everything you do and listen to them. They’re the ones who’re going to make your business a success, they’re the ones who’ll buy your products, and they’re also the ones who’re going to give you the support and advice that you need.

Sabrina Bluck, CoCo Loves

Get help

Partner up! I was 21 when I started. It’s a really hard and often emotional road to walk and doing it alone can get you down. You need good people around you who can take the pressure off you and support you when things are tough.

Theo Wasserberg, Tahouts

Work hard, be nice to people, embrace social media and never be afraid to ask for help, you never know what’s gonna happen.

Claire Burrows, Air & Grace

Don’t give up

I think if you have an idea, just do it and learn on the way. Don’t give up though, because creating a successful business is something that takes a long time, so don’t expect that it’s going to be successful overnight.

Ana Rodriguez, Santamaria Shirt Makers

Enterprise Nation launched in 2005 and has since helped thousands of people start and grow their businesses. Led by founder Emma Jones MBE, it’s also a leading campaigning voice for small business with the Government. See more Enterprise Nation stories

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