If you could start your business again, what would you do differently?

[StevenMelbourne]

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Speak to more people and identify the target market before developing a product

[steve201]

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Hi

I would have used more cloud based technology of I started again because it saves a lot of time and hassles with administration.

The problem when I began in business was desktop systems were prevalent and their use was a job in itself.

Xero , Google apps and practice ignition make life easier.

Steve

[michaelxah]

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Going back to my first business, I would’ve quit my job to focus on the business sooner — preferably right away. It just gets very tricky to manage a business around a 9-5 type job, especially when you’re business heavily involves meeting with clients.

[rveltman]

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I wouldn’t be afraid to ask for help in areas I wasn’t confident or experienced in, it saves time and money in the long term!

Rebecca

[webdigger]

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Have business partner! If you embark on being a solo entrepreneur you need to surround yourself with communities like this. It provides the sounding board, the feedback, that entrepreneurs who are going it alone need.

Also, if you have a business partner you have someone to blame when everything goes Pete Tong. o_O

[GuestMember]

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• Whatever time I think it would take – double it.
• Whatever I thought it would cost – double it.

[Happy2Invoice]

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I would have become a bird a lot sooner!

[Happy2Invoice]

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But being serious, I don’t think I would have done things too much differently simply because, life is about learning and to fail in any certain project, is the catalyst to restructure and recompose yourself in order to bring about betterment in your next venture. Fail, is a necessary stepping stone to success because that is how we learn. We must never lose the drive or ambition because of a simple fail. The entrepreneur does not accept defeat, it is better to walk away and cut your losses to live for another day and be the better purpose that one is always capable of.

[JimmyD]

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I would have got my website built on wordpress from the start instead of some companies self built CMS that I can’t not move away from.

[Happy2Invoice]

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JimmyD, post: 220588, member: 53447 wrote:

I would have got my website built on wordpress from the start instead of some companies self built CMS that I can’t not move away from.

Ask them to give you the A record and host it where you’re comfortable.

[JimmyD]

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Happy2Invoice, post: 220593, member: 70158 wrote:

Ask them to give you the A record and host it where you’re comfortable.

Thanks for the tip! I will keep that in mind. I made this mistake in 2012 so it is well behind me now but if anyone is going for a website that they feel they will need a lot of flexibility down the track I would stay away from companies with their own CMS it was a nightmare.

Companies that would benefit from those services I guess are the companies that are just hosting a static page with a location and general services listed.

[Happy2Invoice]

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Companies that have proprietary based software for CMS systems are usually very awkward to work with “for anyone” as you are limited to what you can do and if you need to the CMS/Software to do anything extra, those such companies will happily charge you a small fortune for creating that special function that you so desperately need to make your life even more efficient.

If you’re going to have a system built, then create a dynamically driven site that is also responsive and request that you have full access and rights over the software/website. A lot of companies do not like doing this as it takes them out of the equation but, if you need control then you should ask for this.

It can be a little expensive in comparison to static page sites but, if you’re in business to make a living, then you definitely need functionality and a captivating user interface; without these things, it is a very uphill journey to reach to the top.

From the moment a potential customer lands on your home page, there is merely a 4 second decision making process to stay or leave. Those 4 seconds have got to impact the user, there is a golden rule, which is; “the quality of emotional response distinguished from the intellectual processes”. If you have mastered that, then you stand a very good chance of the user remaining with you.

Hope this helps?

[JimmyD]

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Happy2Invoice, post: 220676, member: 70158 wrote:

as you are limited to what you can do and if you need to the CMS/Software to do anything extra, those such companies will happily charge you a small fortune for creating that special function that you so desperately need to make your life even more efficient.

This sums up my experience perfectly. There are some great tips in that reply as well all of which I learnt the hard way. Hopefully this prevents someone else going down the same road.

[Happy2Invoice]

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Unfortunately not, there are literally thousands of companies out there that want you on proprietary based systems for the very same reasons as they enticed you with.

Stay clear of such things or it can and will make your life very miserable and you have to think that this is your livelihood and can you remain unhappy in it? If it makes you unhappy, then it is not a livelihood, it is a penance.

Running your own business should be one of the most enjoyable things in life that you do.

Among other things, I also own a website design company (logo attached), it is just being totally revamped due to the number of sites we maintain, build and manage and you know what, we give the customer exactly what the demands and needs are for their business. If you ever need any kind of assistance in this area, then just give me a shout, I am more than happy2help! We are not the cheapest and i do not run business for being cheap and delivering cheap rubbish. I attach my name to quality and that is the top and tail of it.

Hope this helps.

[Millie Slater]

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FS Administrator, post: 176802, member: 1 wrote:

Hi all,

In late 2013 we ran Productivity Month on Flying Solo where we asked the community to answer the question:

“If you could start your business again, what would you do differently?”

While the challenge is over, feel free to add your tips or read through the thread.

As many members have said, there’s been a stack of valuable contributions. To help make it easier to share and read, we’ve compiled this eBook collating all the tips and ideas we received.

Thanks for getting involved!

Peter (and the FS crew)

[Author]

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