Start-Up Live Events

"During times of economic uncertainty, it is hugely important and beneficial to create a medium where business people can come together to share industry knowledge and ideas. Small and medium sized businesses across the island of Ireland are vital to this country's recovery." Fionan Murray, Co-founder of Small Business Can

Every business start-up needs access to opportunities. That's why the Ulster Bank and Small Business Can partnership want to help. During October and November 2010, we ran 12 free 'Start-up Live' events country wide - with over 1,000 SME businesses and 40 panel members (from all sectors) in attendance and sharing insights, ideas and contacts.

The panellists all recounted the passion and energy they put into starting their own businesses - with many highlighting that their own successful enterprises were started in challenging economic times. The overriding message centred on pragmaticism and perseverance with the need to stay positive and connected with like minded business people who can help with business challenges and opportunities.

Listed below are some other key learnings taken from these events and should help anyone starting or in the early stage of running a business.

To keep up-to-date on the issues affecting SMEs and further business events to be scheduled in 2011, check out www.smallbusinesscan.com.

Don't be afraid to ask for help

Panellists agreed that there is tons of help out there but that you have to look for it. The recent start-up live events have shown that people are more than willing to help and share insights and experiences. Nobody is going to face a problem that someone else hasn't overcome. Sites like smallbusinesscan.com and other networks, state agencies, banks are all resources that should be used.

Be persistent

The help is out there but it can be fragmented and sometimes wrapped in bureaucracy and disinterest by some officials. But you need to be determined and wade through. It's the businesses that are sticking to the task - and not making excuses - that are getting help.

Break the job into small manageable tasks

We all know this but it's worth repeating because there were discussions about some people getting overwhelmed with the apparent size of the task of getting a business off the ground.

Have a bit of integrity in what you're doing

Having pride in what you are doing was the most inspirational theme that ran through the events. The lack of integrity in many leadership organisations today seems to have put the need for businesses to provide a bit of direction and inspiration back onto the agenda in a big way. A number of panellists also talked about stakeholders that a business needed to look after e.g. staff, customers, partners, financiers - including the community in which the business exists.

Have a go ....

All the panellists had this "have a go" trait. They talked about being motivated by getting things done, by starting projects and completing them. The comparison with the USA was made where business people seem to see failure as a badge of honour once the businessman gets back up and dusts himself down to start again.

Understanding sales processes

Although customer service, quality products and good pricing are paramount, "it's all about sales" was an underlying theme. This applies to not only knowing how customers ticked, how they wanted to interact with the seller, what they were willing to pay and gaining their loyalty - it also means being aware of how other stakeholders operated. How getting to know the bank manager or enterprise board official was vital and understanding the criteria for getting proposals approved.

The need to be positive

This came down to having self-belief and surrounding yourself with positive, like-minded people.