Dragons' Den : Evan Davies Golden Rules For Business Success

A Great Name Tells You More Than Just What The Company Does ...

When naming something, it is human nature to want to describe what you are naming. This is, of course, the most direct route to relevance.

Many historic and well-known companies have names that describe what they do or make. For example: International Business Machines, Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing and Kentucky Fried Chicken. While these descriptive names may have brought comfort to those who did the naming, the names were short lived. All three of the mentioned examples have now turned to acronyms: IBM, 3M and KFC.

Instead of considering names that simply describe the brand, find ways to creatively think about how a brand behaves. A relevant name can convey a brand’s engaging personality, express something interesting about the product or service, or it can be geared toward the intended audience and relate to cultural contexts.

Take, for example, Puma. It’s a name that symbolizes the idea of strength and speed. This helps connect the audience with these symbolic ideas rather than with a brand name that only evokes shoes.

Brands that only communicate functional benefits using descriptive names miss an opportunity to develop a stronger bond with customers. A strong, insightful name tells a story that metaphorically relates to the product or company.

To get past the desire for a descriptive name and step into a creative zone, here are some suggestions to get through the pain of relevance:

1. Consider names that are suggestive of what the brand does or its philosophy, instead of attempting to describe exactly what the brand will do.

2. Look at modern brand names and consider them first as words, and then as brand names. How does “Apple” describe computer hardware, music or cell phones? 

3. Add an appropriate descriptor after the brand name to make it feel more natural and comfortable in the early stages of using the name. For example, “Apple Computers.” Then, when the brand grows up, the descriptor can be dropped.

4. Say the name to people to get their reaction. Are they curious, offended, confused, intrigued? If they are left with a desire to know more, the brand name is on the right track. If they are bored, confused or offended, the name may require more thought.

When stepping into the creative zone, keep in mind that a great name does more than communicate what the thing is or even convey its personality. It sets the foundation for the customer relationship, establishes leadership and separates the business from the competition. Naming is both the art and science of knowing the origin and esoteric meanings of words, the emotional reactions to certain sounds and the visual expression of a name.

If, in the end, it’s still a struggle to find a brand name with a suggestive or even arbitrary name, remember that a brand changes over time and as it takes on new attributes, whatever name is chosen, it will eventually fit with how the brand evolves over time.

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/239076

Starting Doing This ... Today !

Anytime you’re able to do what you want, what do you typically do ? 

If you’re like most people, you do the thing that you find the most enjoyable, the least scary or the easiest.

Therein lies a MAJOR stumbling block to success – procrastination.

Sure, you need to finish that project, but first you’re going to spend a few minutes on Facebook.

Yes, you need to get that blog post written and uploaded, but…are those dust bunnies under your desk? It won’t take long to run the dust mop around and then you will get right back to work.

And so it goes.

It is amazing the things that look more interesting to us than doing what we need to do. Sometimes it is “shiny object syndrome”, where something new seems that it would be more fun than working on the client project that is due next week. But it can even be something we normally would not want to do (Dusting ? Really ?) if we were not facing a more daunting task that we want to put off.

One of the reasons many of us went in to business for ourselves is that we wanted to set our own goals, control our own schedules and we didn’t want to answer to someone else. The one good thing about answering to someone else, however, is having that external accountability.

When you’re accountable to someone and you need to answer for your actions, you know what happens ? You get stuff done. And oftentimes just getting stuff done makes all the difference between succeeding and failing.

We tend to be our own worst enemies when it comes to being focused. But when you have someone to report to each day and account for what you accomplished, and whether you achieved your goals for the day,  procrastinating becomes downright difficult – and even a bit embarrassing. You know you’ll have to make an excuse if you didn’t get your work done, and you know your partner isn’t going to buy that excuse any more than you’re going to buy hers.

Find someone with whom you are compatible and become each other’s accountability partner.

Set goals for each day or week and share them with your accountability partner. Then you report on how you did on reaching your goals.

Here is how I do it : Every Monday I send out two emails to my accountability partners. One is my list of goals for the week and the other reports on how I did on my goals for the previous week. They do the same with me.

Just knowing that I will be reporting on what I accomplished (and what I failed to accomplish) motivates me to get more done.

This is a simple technique but I think you will be completely amazed at the difference it makes in your business.

http://www.idealady.com/start-doing-this-today/

How Jemal Peters aka Big J's Kitchen Used Instagram To Build His Business ...

A man known by many names, Jemal Peters knows the streets of London only too well. Motivated by the arrival of his daughter, the now savvy businessman picked himself off the streets to form Big J’s Kitchen, a business that blends elements of London culture to offer ‘Da Flavour of Da Street!’

Hi Jemal. Can you start by telling us a bit about your background? 

Where do I start? I’m south London born and raised. I’m a go-getter with a passion for food and drink,

I grew up with my mum and two brothers, and since I was a child I’ve always been known for having entrepreneurial ways and a go-getter attitude… I’m known for making things happen.

What aspects did you learn from your childhood that you have taken into the business? 

Most of it! The obvious things I’ve taken into business are my cooking skills, the ability to taste and mix flavours and then create something special.

From early on I learnt how to hustle and I knew that if something cost me £1… I’d sell it for at least £2, which to me is the fundamental point of a business. Certain situations happened in life which enabled me to realise from a young age that the world owes you nothing but at the same time is willing to give you anything and everything you want … all you’ve got to do is go get it! So I’ve had a saying that I created from a young age: “A dream’s worth nothing if you leave it on your pillow!”, so anything I want in life… I pray for it then work hard to get it.

You have amassed a high following through Instagram. Tell us how you’ve used the app to your advantage… 

I’m always on the lookout for what’s new and ways of doing things that haven’t been done before. My brother takes some top quality photography and about a year or two back he was telling me about this thing called Instagram. He was on it sharing pics and he had people from all over the world contacting him. Facebook's good and Twitter’s cool, I’ll go on them now and then, but I prefer things more visual, so ‘insta’ was perfect for me. I noticed a trend that people would always take pictures of their food and post it… so not only did I start slapping meals up using my products, I also got everyone involved by doing competitions where people put the #BigJsKitchen hashtag on their food pictures and automatically got added to the competition where they could win special Big J Goodie bags and the winning pictures would go up on my website. This took off and went out of control; I got a number of followers and business contacts which led to Big J’s Kitchen products being put in Puma Sports VIP goodie bags for the London 2012 Olympics and many other promotions. This was vital in showing the world that London’s not just tea and crumpets; we have a new food brand that represents the fun, real and diverse urban side on the up – Big J’s Kitchen, “Da Flavour Of Da Street”!

How do you think non-food related businesses could utilise the image-sharing concept to gain a following? 

In exactly the same way. Seeing is believing; it allows people to see what you’re about and get involved with you. A product’s a product, whether it’s food, trainers, clothing or technology. Find your community in there and let them see what you’ve got! Also no one likes stingy people, so give something back… prizes, giveaways, discounts whatever. Social networking is major and it’s only getting bigger… you can reach all corners of the world and it’s usually free! You’d be a fool not to take advantage of it.

To you, what makes a business successful? 

A business that’s something fresh and new, even if it’s in a well established field, as well as the people behind it, good ethics and values.

How would you describe your entrepreneurial approach? 

Trustworthy, creative and effective. I make sure I box clever, and I “Keep It 100”. Integrity is important to me and I like to build good relationships.

Finally, can you offer any advice to those wanting to change their circumstances for the better? 

A dream’s worth nothing If you leave it on your pillow! If you want something, get up and get it.

Learn from others’ mistakes and successes. Don’t do it all on your own, there’s no point! Take advantage of the support that’s out there. I made sure I got support and mentoring from people who had done it before and could really help me, I linked up with mentors like Chelsey Baker and Jim Foxhall through the Rockstar mentoring programme and in a few short sessions they taught me a number of things that would have taken me years to learn and things that I may have had to learn the hard way.

For more information on Big J’s Kitchen go to http://www.bigjskitchen.com or if you need funding and mentoring for your business or business idea contact The Rockstar Group www.Rockstartstartuploans.co.uk

Extracts taken from the full interview with Jemal Peters, which can be found at http://www.startyourbusinessmag.com/jemal-peters-aka-big-j/

Business Tips From A Once Homeless Billionaire ...

John Paul Dejoria, co-founder of John Paul Mitchell and Patron Tequila, is living the American Dream. In this short 2-minute video, he talks about the business ethos that fueled his meteoric rise to the top ...

Entrepreneurial Holiday Guilt For Creative Professionals ...

Guilt, guilt, guilt. Guilt is a terrible feeling and is often self-inflicted by creative entrepreneurs, especially during the holidays. 

Most people who work for themselves say they chose to do so because they wanted to “control their time.” People who value time over money, recognize that time is a precious commodity that cannot be created, bought, or borrowed. You have to use it wisely or else it is gone.

Having the luxury to control how, with whom, and where you spend your time is one of the bonuses of working for yourself. So, why is it that an overwhelming number of entrepreneurs also say they feel guilty when they are not working on their businesses or with a client between the hours of 9 to 5 ? 

To be truly happy and successful as an entrepreneur, you must break the corporate-created walls of time and learn how to set your day according to your needs and the needs of your clients. There is no law chaining you to your desk eight hours a day between 9am and 5pm. 

Here’s my advice: stop feeling guilty about when you are working and when you are not, and ditch the idea of playing by rules set up by other organizations. Make sure you benefit from the freedom of entrepreneurship and maximize your time by performing regular activities such as food shopping at off times like 10am on a Tuesday or having your teeth cleaned at 2pm on a Monday ! You will spend less time waiting in line, you will be less stressed, and actually have more time to devote to your clients and other activities, then if you did those things at the weekend or during a busier time.

And be sure to take a day or two off during the holidays to go gift shopping, ice-skating, or to decorate your home! Give yourself permission to enjoy your life and do something for yourself, even if it is on a week day between nine and five. You deserve it.

http://plrplr.com/5342/entrepreneurial-holiday-guilt-for-creative-professionals/

Alan Sugar's - Words of Wisdom

Dragons Den: Deborah Meaden's Golden Rules for Business Success

10 Cool Tips on Starting a Small Business on Your Own ...

There are few more challenging, exciting or potentially rewarding endeavors in life than starting your own business. Setting out on your own can feel everything from unnatural to downright foolhardy, but if you're among the select few that manage to get it right just be set for life.

Sadly, there's no blueprint for getting it right in every single business area across the board, but at the same time there are plenty of tips and tricks guaranteed to set you in good stead.

Here's a quick look at 10 of the coolest tips you'll come across for starting out a successful business of your own:

1 - Expect a Rocky Transition

If you expect to go through the process without a single doubt or moment of confusion, you're barking up the wrong tree. When starting out alone, you'll question your sanity, wonder if your goal makes sense and probably panic a little. This is natural, so don't be afraid of a little inner turbulence in the early days.

2 - Fake It Until You Make It

So you're not a high-flying business leader yet - that doesn't mean you can't pretend you're one. Even if you're not making a penny yet, dress as if you were running an important business, schedule your working days and stick to your itineraries like glue - all positive habits you can't form soon enough.

3 - Minimize Risks

Savvy advice in all areas of the business world, but as you're on your own you really can't risk big losses and setbacks. So while it might mean keeping your targets and ambitions low for a while, keep risks to absolute minimums.

4 - Remember Downtime

And while you're burning the candle at both ends, don't forget that without measured and structured time off, you'll never be at your best when it matters most.

5 - Don't Fear

You won't be confident until you know what you're doing is right and this will take some time. So in the meantime, accept that you'll run into a few confidence issues and don't be afraid to be afraid.

6 - Seek Inspiration

Think of who it is that inspires you most and what it is about them that gets you fired up. From business leaders to political icons and really anyone else you admire, take a leaf from the book of your idol and be inspired.

7 - Recognize Procrastination

When you're building a business all alone, you and only you can draw the line between time wasted and time well-spent. Don't let procrastination ruin your chances.

8 - Accept Failure

Not of the business, but rather of your ideas. If something clearly doesn't work, don't flog the hell out of it just to save face - walk away and learn from your mistake.

9 - Ask for Help

If you're wholly intent on going it alone from start to finish, there's no harm in using your family and social circles for a little fresh input from time to time. Asking for help doesn't constitute failure - struggling alone and eventually going bust however does!

10 - Network

And finally, sure you're in it alone, but that doesn't mean you can't connect with millions of other professionals out there with a ton of helpful advice to offer. Use all available web resources to tap into advice and build your business network.

http://EzineArticles.com/8537957

Good Habits and Morning Rituals for Daily Success

Author & motivational speaker Brian Tracy talks you through some beneficial morning rituals that can prepare your mind and body for everything you have planned for the day ...

Spotting A Gap In The Market ...

Melissa Morris, 27 years old, left her high-flying job in the city three years ago to develop an innovative website after spotting a gap in the market which could help the NHS to save money in the long run. Shocked at the huge expense that locum staffing was costing small GP practices and the NHS, Melissa joined forces with William Hoyer Millars and so came up with the idea of Network Locum

What led you to the point of creating the business?

During my time as a management consultant at McKinsey & Co, I worked on a number of projects across the NHS. From my work, I realised just how inefficient the NHS was, especially in the area of workforce management, and I believed that I could make a change. Being able to leverage a flexible workforce is the key to making primary care work. During one of my projects I spoke to GPs who were complaining that agencies were too expensive to do this. I knew then what I wanted to do.

To help think of a solution, I looked at other models in different industries and realised that locum staffing could all be done online, which would lead to considerable cost savings. This model would also make locum staffing more transparent. With traditionally agencies, GP practices are often given the nearest available candidate but I wanted to give them a choice in the matter. Network Locum provides them with a choice of candidates so they can make the right selection for them and their patients.

I also wanted to give GPs an option to give recommendations on locums. This is a completely unique feature – there is nothing else like this in the market but I felt it was an important step in giving practices confidence and control over the locums they use.

After two years of research, I decided to leave McKinsey and go and work in the NHS to get a first-hand experience of how everything worked, before setting up Network Locum.

For those thinking of ditching their job, what are you three top tips for an easy transition?

Firstly, if you don’t already work in the industry that you want to start your business in, you should go and try it out. This will help you to get some experience of the kinds of trends and issues that are happening in that sector, and provide some insight into how your business could help.

It’s also a good idea to connect with people that inspire you, namely entrepreneurs who have a success story. They can be really helpful and will take time to meet with you or speak on the phone. I spoke to a host of successful entrepreneurs, from Martha Lane Fox, founder of Lastminute.com, to Will Reeve who founded LOVEFiLM as well as the CEO of Innocent Smoothies. It was extremely valuable.

My final tip would be to validate the idea as much as possible before you quit your job. Maybe even take some time off work to really get your head around it. Interviewing people in the industry and even releasing a pilot project to see if it works can both be really beneficial. This worked for me – we had a free version of the service that we launched whilst I was still working for the NHS. I didn’t quit my job until people started to use it to be really sure it was the right thing to do.

What does it take to succeed in business?

The ability to be humble enough to take advice from people who might know better than you is key. Entrepreneurs often have a passion for what they think is right, but I feel that it’s important to learn from other people’s mistakes otherwise you’ll keep making similar errors.

I have tried to get advice from as many people as possible, even though sometimes it can get confusing. There are times when I haven’t taken well-meant advice on board and regretted it.

Any final advice?

I would say, don’t be afraid to delegate to other people. People confuse this with telling people what to do; actually it is about empowering people to make big decisions. It not only makes your colleagues feel valued, but it really fosters a level of creativity that leads the business to succeed.

Extracts taken from the full interview with Melissa Morris, which can be found at http://www.startyourbusinessmag.com/melissa-morris-network-locum/

Richard Branson's Three Top Tips For Entrepreneurial Success

Billionaire, mogul, financier Richard Branson has built an empire on great ideas and the ability to follow through on a dream. 

Take a few tips from Sir Richard and reach new heights in your own entrepreneurial pursuits.

Provide Untapped Value to the Customer

"The most critical thing with any new venture is we must deliver a tremendous value to the consumer so that it enhances all the ventures we've done before it," says Branson. Today, the Virgin brand encompasses everything from soft drinks to airlines. Branson's approach has been to provide something unique in each venture; something the competition lacks. Find the value, find the customers.

Exploit a Passion

"I start businesses when I have a passion for something. That's also why I went into the airline business, even though everybody I talked to told me that there was no money to be made there. I felt that I could make a difference. That's the best reason to go into business because you feel strongly that you can change things," says Branson. It's the entrepreneurial passion and attitude that makes the difference in achieving lasting success.

Trust Your Instincts

"A business has to be involving, it has to be fun, and it has to exercise your creative instincts." Case in point, the "rebel-billionaire" relied on gut instincts to take advantage of opportunities when they presented themselves. Branson wasn't born wealthy, and began his empire by selling yet-to-be touched (i.e. "Virgin") records out of the trunk of his car when it was unheard of to do so. Slowly but surely, he expanded his business until it became the multi-billion dollar empire we know today. Follow his lead and mix a great idea with real passion.

http://www.success.com/article/richard-bransons-3-keys#sthash.sKbGMTm9.dpuf