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