When you started your business, did you know everything that it was going to entail? Most people don’t.
The fact is, you have to do everything… create and maintain the website; set up a marketing campaign; answer the phone; pay bills; sort out the accounts; pay your taxes; maintain equipment; create a filing system; develop a sales process… oh yes and actually do or make stuff that you can sell! It can be overwhelming and it is part of the reason why so many businesses fail in the first 2 years.
Running a small business can also be fairly lonely.
It is a big leap deciding to set up on your own, so you want to maintain a positive front. Sharing concerns with friends and family can be hard to do. And if you can, they often don’t really understand what you are going through. But there are people who can help.
There are people locally who do understand, people like you, who are going through the same challenges. We run a programme of business support for small, early stage companies providing access to 9 subject matter experts who can help you with your business challenges. You work in small groups of just 5 or 6 other small business owners, all at a similar stage – having started their business less than 18 months ago.
With the help and support of others you can push through the challenging first couple of years and emerge with greater clarity, greater ambition and a plan of how you are going to make the business thrive.
Ready to Grow is a free programme of business support for small, early stage companies based in East Sussex. Find out more here