Comments on: Got Business Problems?

By: John Powell

John Powell — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 13:11:32 +0000

Thousands of people would like to be gainfully employed, preferably self-employed, but have no ambition to create a multi-million dollar business: their ambition is to generate just enough income to satisfy their needs. These people may (or may not) have years of work experience and multiple skills, but are in the process of winding-down from their former careers, possibly even unable or unwilling to generate the energy they once displayed. They could just be fed up with constantly fighting the utilities, quangos, councils and whoever else tries to bulldoze, bully and cheat them. There seems to be a gap in the market here, which could address the needs of such people.

By: Mark @ TheLocoMono

Mark @ TheLocoMono — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 01:24:55 +0000

I am looking forward to reading your articles on this topic. May I suggest a problem I have been having trouble with,

What exactly is a business?

Understand there are all kinds of business, but what makes a business a business?

By: John

John — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 11:03:31 +0000

Unfortunately I tend to agree with you Paul, it does look like we’re going to experience a slow down.

By: Paul Simister

Paul Simister — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 17:46:46 +0000

In the Business Coaching Blog I am starting to focus on turnaround and trading in a recession.

Perhaps I am gloomy but I don’t like the way things are looking and there are now millions of small businesses throughout the world that have never traded through a recession.

When I look back to my days as a Financial Director of a manufacturing business back in 1991 it was a shocking experience. I have never seen profitability fall away so quickly from a business.

We were hit by a triple whammy all at the same time:
1 - volumes dipped sharply, partly through the underlying market and partly from our customers reducing their stocks to generate some cash.

2 - a price war started and prices fell by 10% or more in a matter of months. Since price is the number 1 driver of profitability, the effect on the bottom line was devastating.

3 - costs shot up while productivity fell through the floor. As our production volumes dipped, our hourly paid employees started to slow down so that they didn’t run out of work.

While we managed to get back on track, it was one heck of a learning curve.

I definitely believe that things are going to get rocky and people will struggle to know how to cope.

By: Tom

Tom — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 03:48:43 +0000

Is it worth getting a business partner for your first business? How do you get your ideal business partner?

By: John

John — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 16:26:35 +0000

There’s a simple solution to that one Julian. Quit your job and commit to your business. Of course making that decision is not easy and involves taking a calculated risk, which is after all what being an entrepreneur is all about.

By: Julian Bradbrook

Julian Bradbrook — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 16:33:59 +0000

The main problem I have as a small business in start-up phase is that because I also have a full time job, it means I can not arrange loads of meetings to try pitch my product to the multiples to try and get it on their shelves. Are there any ways to get a foothold to getting products onto the shelves of B&Q, Homebase, ASDA, Tesco etc
if there are any buyers out there…;-)