Just over four years ago James and I decided to start our own company. Now in 2024 we move into our fifth year of business.
The last four have gone so quickly at Insight FM, with our client base growing steadily – along with growth.
So where and how did it start?
- We had lots of meetings over beer and coffee.
- We made a plan! lots of them; marketing plans, business plans, cost plans, timelines. These helped us to maintain our focus, understand what was needed, where the challenges were and to get things done.
- We set out a clear identity; in our branding, clarity on the services we deliver and the platforms we would use to deliver that message.
- We spoke to everyone. Our families, friends and professional network. All of them contributed in some way to us being on that first day in our Insight FM office!
It wasn’t the best time to start a business however, within three months the whole of the UK was put into lockdown. Overnight it became a worrying time for businesses across all sectors.
It was a challenge adapting to meet our clients’ requirements through the pandemic. But with our passion for delivering first-rate building services we came through that period and managed to grow the business on route. Starting from zero, we now provide maintenance management support to a portfolio of over fifty buildings nationwide. A figure we are extremely proud of.
For all those start-ups and entrepreneurs taking the plunge into running a business we wanted to share our experience and our advice for being successful in your early years of business.
We are still learning and will continue to learn as we grow; so will probably need to make another list in a few years’ time. But for now we hope the information below is helpful and can assist you on your business journey.
8 ways to help you succeed in business:
- Have the confidence and trust in your abilities to make a success of your business in the industry you are setting out in. But don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it.
- Always follow up. Send an email or a thank you note. Make a phone call. If you say you’re going to do something, do it. People don’t like being let down and word of mouth is, as we know, the best form of advertising.
- Make sure you’re solving a problem, find your niche and create a strong business plan.
- Understand your market and your customer, you need to know their habits and what they’re like and how they perceive that problem and if they are open to a solution.
- Networking is everything. Attend networking events, do everything to get noticed and build lasting relationships. Build rapport, exchange cards.
- Take care of yourself, physically and mentally. Running a business is stressful.
- Don’t make the meeting just about yourself. Figure out how your relationship can be mutually beneficial. I always ask myself how I can help the other person. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is making the meeting about yourself.
- Know your limitations. You can’t do it alone so by knowing what you don’t know, you can assemble a great team!