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Cheryl Rickman Interview

Cheryl Rickman runs her own group of a business owner's control. As I say in
businesses CherryJam - with her partner my book, 'Certainly, there is no
James in Hampshire. Her first company entrepreneurial elixir you can swiftly
WebCritique a web copywriting and drink to make you automatically
marketing consultancy, helps other successful (except your own home-made
businesses to improve their online passion-fuelled one). But you can prepare
presence and Cheryl provides workshops to yourself to seize opportunities and make
local businesses on these issues. it happen for you.'However, if I had to
WebCopywriter was borne from WebCritique list attributes that would make the
and provides web copy for small and large entrepreneurial life manageable, I would
businesses alike. Her clients include say, you need energy, passion and to be
AnitaRoddick.com, Business Link Wessex, dedicated and thick-skinned. You need to
Motorola and Microsoft. Cheryl's other be able to cope with times when your
main business is the UK's largest social life will suffer. You should be a
independent online music magazine - great communicator and someone who enjoys
Cheryl has been a freelance writer for networking, be it face to face or online.
the past nine years, writing on business But probably the most key attribute is
issues for Better Business and Internet the desire to learn. That includes
Works magazine, and interviewing business learning from mistakes.In my book I speak
leaders and music celebrities. As well as to a variety people from Anita Roddick
writing The Small Business Start-Up and Stelios to Simon Woodroffe, among
Workbook, which has a foreword by Dame others. All of them told me how important
Anita Roddick, Cheryl is author of listening and learning is as an
booklets, 111 winning ways to promote entrepreneur. And, as soon as you think
your website successfully and 127 insider you know it all, you're history as a
ideas on creating a winning website and business. As a boss, if small business
has been a Judge at Hampshire's Awards of owners can remember that just because
Web Excellence for the past two years.The they started the business doesn't mean
InterviewDS: What inspired you to follow they know more about marketing than the
an entreprenerial path and in particular marketing chap, businesses would flourish
what inspired you to write the Small easier. Learning should be a continuous
Business Handbook?CR: Well, I was never endeavour, so a capacity and interest in
the 'selling packets of sweets' kind of learning is a crucial attribute for any
playground budding entrepreneur at entrepreneur.DS: What do you believe are
school, and my main dream was to become a the necessary elements for a business
freelance writer, but somewhere at the venture to succeed?CR: Good people. You
back of my mind I liked the idea of need the right people working with you,
running my own business, something small be that in terms of partnerships or
and (dare-I-say-it) manageable. (I now staff. They are the lifeblood of your
know that smaller businesses are often business, so you need to value them and
harder to manage due to the lack of they will perform well. As Mike Southon
people to delegate tasks to).However, it says in The Beermat Entrepreneur 'People
was mainly circumstance that led me to buy from People.' So ensuring that people
start-up, and the support and working for you share your vision and at
encouragement of my partner, James. And I least can serve your customers in a way
think it is that circumstance - which that they themselves would wish to be
creates entrepreneurs. The majority of treated, is the first step.You need to
self-made types are ordinary people doing plan, as it's easier to be passionate
extraordinary things.Also, I guess some about getting somewhere if you know where
of my 'entrepreneurial spirit' came from you're heading and how you're going to
my mum. She passed away in 1991 when I get there. Plus cash-flow can kill
was just 17. And, to cope with the trauma businesses, so it's important to know
and loss, I began to fill my time with what is going to be coming in and out of
trying to further my writing career. the business all the time. Again, being
Years after her death, one of my mother's open to learning is a key element. Many
best friends told me that mum always businesses fail because those driving the
believed that I would someday run my own business are so caught up working 'in'
business. I had no idea that she thought the business, instead of 'on' the
that until a few years into my first business, that they can't implement
business, but that gave me the changes, find time to learn or stay
inspiration I needed to think about creative or on the ball. That's why
writing my book. Having succeeded in planning and hiring the right people with
business through a combination of complementary skills who you can delegate
determination and my own trial and error, to are essential success factors.These
I longed to write a book that would offer are just some of the elements included in
insight and encouragement to young my Start-Up Checklist which appears in
entrepreneurs like me who dreamt of the book after the chapter called:
running their own business, but didn't LESSONS FROM LEADERS IN BUSINESS: Success
have the faintest idea where to start. Stories, Mistakes and Top TipsDS: How
Ultimately, The Small Business Start-Up essential do you see a University
Workbook is the culmination of that education in achieving success as an
dream.DS: Did you have any help setting entrepreneur?CR: Not essential. I went to
up WebCritique your first company or were University to a) make my parents proud b)
you going it alone?CR: In terms of advice delay the prospect of working for a few
I received help and guidance from my more years and c) because with A-Levels
Local Enterprise Agency, but got most of reading the Media Guardian I realized all
the information I needed from the web. In the jobs I wanted to be able to do were
terms of finance my personal bank turned only open to graduates. For me, although
me down for a business loan, so I set up I ended up on lower or similar income to
a new account - great while it was free, many of my peers, I needed to be a
but not so useful now it isn't. Choosing graduate to get my editorial and writing
the right business bank is a crucial positions. However, I'd have learned a
decision and worth spending time on. I'm great deal more if I'd gone into a
with Lloyds but wouldn't recommend a bank publishers and worked my way up. I
who's business managers are difficult to believe work experience counts for a lot
get hold of and don't see the longer-term more (just as some people I sent my CV to
bigger picture. My book includes as a graduate believed). What's more, my
questions to ask banks, and you can partner James is more entrepreneurial
compare UK banks at or What was the than me (and he has the gift of the gab,
biggest challenge you faced in bringing is more confident, etc). He didn't go to
your idea to fruition? How was it university, so that proves my point that
overcome?CR: The first was to challenge university education is definitely not
my own assumptions about whether or not I essential in achieving business success.
could do it. Everybody has some element Indeed, my BA (Hons) Degree in Media with
of fear going into it for the first time, Cultural Studies may well have hindered
but I had such a great support mechanism me in some ways. I could have been
in my boyfriend James, that he fuelled my working all that time and saving up to
own belief in my ideas and capabilities. fund my own business. And, if you look at
The second challenge and probably the the most successful people in UK
biggest ongoing hurdle that is shared by business, the majority of them didn't go
most small businesses is funding and cash to college let alone university. Richard
flow. Finding start-up capital was far Branson, Simon Woodroffe...DS: What are
from easy, so I started up with a minimal the three most important lessons you have
amount. It's certainly easier to borrow learned about business and
bigger sums than small amounts. In the entrepreneurship?CR: 1. Everything always
early days I also found getting clients takes longer and costs more than you
to pay on time was a challenge. Now this think it will (even when you are fairly
is less of a problem, but it is still a stringent with your planning).2. Go with
general rule that the bigger the your gut feeling. Learn how to feel what
customer, the longer they will take to that is and go with it. The buck stops
pay you. Another ongoing challenge is with you, so you need to get as many
finding balance in terms of thinking decisions right as you can. Some of these
time. I think mostly about the businesses decisions will involve others trying to
and what's going on in them, and need to sell you something: support or a service
find a way to switch off more or a partnership. There is a time for
frequently.The bottom line is that, as an diplomacy and sometimes you will need to
entrepreneur, you have to challenge listen to your instincts and opt not to
yourself fairly regularly and be open to go ahead with a certain partnership or
that concept. You're often going to have project.3. Listen and learn constantly.
to enter unchartered territory and do You must never think you know it all as
something that is foreign to you and your nobody does. People like to give advice
skillset, but that's what happens when and tell you what they know about things,
you wear many hats. And certainly, on so you can be constantly learning. You
start-up as a sole proprietor, you are also need to delegate, and appreciate
the receptionist, marketing department, that there are people out there who can
MD, fulfillment house, sales team. You compliment your talents. Remember, it's
wear ALL the hats, so being challenged on all about people.DS: What advice would
a daily basis becomes part and parcel of you give to an aspiring entrepreneur?CR:
life as an entrepreneur.Finally - Do your research, find out what your
realizing that you may have to rely on potential customer needs are and test the
others who don't share your vision/dream market where possible. Surround yourself
and who may/will let you down is a with a good support network and work out
challenge to accept and overcome. Once your break-even point before you take the
you find reliable and impressive plunge. Buy or create a checklist that
suppliers you can trust, from a great web you can go through before you set up,
developer to a great business card making sure you've considered everything
supplier, you learn to stick with from your company name and marketing to
them.DS: What makes you most proud of your website, staff and expenditure
your entrepreneurial achievements ?CR: needs.DS: What's the number one book you
The book does because it's something would recommend to aspiring
tangible that I can pick up and say 'Yes! entrepreneurs?CR: Of course my own book -
I did this!'I must admit, I'm often so The Small Business Start-Up Workbook.
busy that I only rarely stop to 'smell However, another book I would heartily
the roses' and appreciate what I'm recommend is Anyone Can Do It by Sahar
achieving. This is a lesson in itself and Bobby Hashemi of Coffee Republic, and
that I have to learn to do more and is also Anita Roddick's Business As Unusual
certainly something that I suggest others - both are inspirational and help you get
do in my book. People (myself included) things into perspective. Both are
should list their achievements more available from Amazon.co.uk, or you can
frequently. Some books advise to do this order Anita's books via her own site at
on a daily basis, writing down What memorable mistakes, if any, have you
mini-achievements.I guess the main made in business? What did you learn from
milestones that make me feel proud of my them and how can they be avoided?CR:
achievements are: Earlier I mentioned the importance of
The friendships and contacts I've gained going with your gut feeling. Well, if I'd
since embarking on my entrepreneurial done that on at least two occasions, I
journey, including a few 'celebrities' could have saved a lot of time,
such as Anita Roddick and Wendy James, credibility and money. We chose a web
among others, plus a whole host of people development team based on referral who
who are part of the same online networks ended up being appalling. They made very
as me (such as and Digital Eve) who technical looking sites which had a
inspire me and make me feel proud. The reduced Google ranking, terrible
people I've managed to interview both in indexability and were poorly designed and
the business world and music world makes coded. Effectively they talked the talk
me feel proud. Learning is so important but didn't walk the walk. If I'd followed
in life, and being able to learn from my gut instinct earlier on when the
those who are 'living the dream' is partnership was being discussed, I'd have
important.Knowing that we're still doing walked alright... away from them. The
it and are stronger than ever makes me partnership cost us credibility, lost
feel proud, with I Like Music ( it's Google ranking, plus a whole year of our
taken us four years, but we are now at a time. Fortunately, we found a new
point where some of the larger well-known developer who has made our sites the best
brands and companies who've spent pots of they have ever been. But that's just part
cash but with minimal results are now of the roller-coaster ride of running
taking notice of us and can see our your own business.DS: What are the best
strengths. We now have four years worth and worst things about being an
of great content, contacts and traffic entrepreneur?CR: Best things are the
and are ready to take the site to the freedom and flexibility it gives you in
next level, but we've not forked out on terms of trying to reach your goals and
flash offices or streams of staff. And in being your own boss. Plus, it's nice
with Web Copywriter it's great that the to feel in control of your destiny. The
original business 'WebCritique' has grown worst things are that nobody can
organically into this niche area of understand what it's like to run their
writing for the web. The fact that all own business until they do it themselves
businesses are still going makes me feel and the fact that you lose a lot of 'me'
proud.DS: How did you actually fund your time and social life when you work long
business to get it off the ground?CR: hours on your business. Not getting paid
WebCritique was launched with just a holiday is another negative and
small amount of my own savings, plus a personally it's my occasional inability
£1500 bank loan. My personal loan bank to switch off from business mode.DS: Are
refused me for a business loan, so I set there any other thoughts, insights, or
up a business account elsewhere. I also advice for aspiring entrepreneurs that
sold my car. Since then I've financed the you'd like to add?CR: If you believe in
business on cash flow, plus overdrafts your idea, have some proof to back it up
and occasional loans, which is also the and have the energy to be your own boss,
case for I Like Music, which is entirely go for it. Remember, it's better to try
self-funded. WebCopywriter cost nothing and fail than to not even bother to try
as the design was done in house.I wish then get to the end of your life
there was more cash readily available in wondering, 'what if' and 'if only I'd
the form of grants to small businesses in done that.'Damien Senn helps
all areas: both affluent and entrepreneurs create compelling
under-privileged areas.DS: What businesses. He is one of the UK's top
attributes do you think make a successful Business Coaches as well as a fully
entrepreneur?CR: That's a tough question qualified Chartered Accountant.Damien is
because there are so many variables that the author of the 'Senn-Sational Success
go toward making a business actually Journal' and has developed his own
work; from personalities and people to coaching model called the 'Senn-Sational
the viability of an idea, state of the Success System'.
market and, often, circumstances outside




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