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Your EnterQuest Bulletin - Issue 218
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| Thought for the week: "Successful and unsuccessful people do not vary greatly in their abilities. They vary in their desires to reach their potential." John Maxwell |
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In this week's issue:
Good causes, good PR and good business
When Paige Allen couldn't carry fruit for her children without it becoming battered and bruised, she had no idea her solution would become a successful social enterprise linked to the Government's '5 a day' campaign to boost fruit and vegetable consumption.
FruityFaces is a not-for-profit company making inflatable packages to carry and cushion pieces of fruit. The brightly coloured packs have a face, are named after African fruits and carry the '5 a day' logo. Four part-time staff and a network of volunteers help mum-of-three Paige run the Surrey-based enterprise. Profits are split between charities in Africa, Romania and the UK.
Paige said: "It's a good philosophy to put a proportion of your money into good causes.
"You get a lot of good PR on the back of that. You also feel very good about yourself."
Paige ran her own insurance brokerage before having children. She then used her business skills in the voluntary sector, but says FruityFaces was a totally different concept.
She said: "I learnt a lot on the job - design, manufacturing, sales. I've pretty much learnt by doing this project."
The prototype FruityFace took 18 months to develop, with help from a design student.
Paige said: "I sort of visualised a product just about straight away but that changed as we looked at design."
She made three trips to China to find a manufacturer, and just as she was happy with the product, the factory said it couldn't source the food-grade PVC needed to make it. New material was developed to meet European Union regulations.
FruityFaces relies on PR for publicity rather than paying for adverts, so Paige appeared on TV programme Dragons' Den.
She said: "It was just a great opportunity for us to increase awareness of our product."
Two of the Dragons offered help, rather than money. "We walked away with a win-win situation," Paige added.
She admits she was lucky to have money to invest in FruityFaces as a director's loan.
"I didn't pursue grants because of the time issue. I wanted to pursue getting the product out there."
Paige's top tip for new enterprises?
"Before you even start, make a business plan, a very basic business plan asking is there a market for this product? Will it sell? Do your research.
"Listen to people's views. Do ask friends, family and focus groups about the product. Take the criticism objectively."
Paige echoes those who credit "stickability" for their success.
"Have faith in your idea. You've got to keep going at it, day in, day out."
She added: "I'm very impatient - apparently most entrepreneurs are. For me, the job is not done."
A timely reminder - the smoking ban in England
Just in case any business owners are still unprepared, take note that from 1 July 2007 the Smoke-free (Premises and Enforcement) Regulations 2006 and associated legislation come into force in England. The smoking ban took effect in Scotland in March 2006, in Wales on 2 April 2007 and in Northern Ireland on 30 April 2007.
The smoking ban means that all public places and workplaces that are enclosed or substantially enclosed (including temporary structures like marquees and certain work vehicles such as taxis) will have to be smoke-free.
Business owners and managers will have various legal obligations:
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To prevent people from smoking in premises or vehicles.
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To display no-smoking signs in premises or vehicles – these must meet certain government requirements as to size, content and graphics to be used.
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To make staff, customers and visitors aware that smoking is not allowed.
Detailed advice on what to do to ensure that your business complies with the legislation is available from Smokefree England. See www.smokefreeengland.co.uk/what-do-i-do/business.html for more information or to download guidance or signage.
For more general information see our useful factsheet on smoking bans in the UK, and for advice on how to give up smoking see www.gosmokefree.co.uk.
Each week we provide you with summaries of some popular or emerging business ideas in the UK and elsewhere around the world.
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Mobile food monitoring services - A US and Canada-based service offers consumers the opportunity to have their food assessed by nutritionists by sending in pictures of the food and snacks they want to eat. myFoodPhone, which bills itself as a camera phone food journal feedback service, also gives consumers the chance to keep records of the food they eat.
Regularly improving your vocabulary is not just about learning a new word and its meaning. It will improve your general knowledge and make you feel and act smarter in all sorts of personal and business situations.
Do you know the meaning of the word 'peripatetic'?
a) Offering goods on credit
b) Travelling from place to place
c) Exclusive or unique
d) Paying by plastic card
Answer at the end of the Bulletin.
The following topical business issues have been recently reported in the media. Did your radar pick them up?
1) Businesses selling goods online are often confused by which piece of legislation, according to a report by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT)?
a) Data Protection Act
b) European e-Commerce Regulations
c) Trademarks Act
d) Distance Selling Regulations
2) British inventor John Shepherd-Barron is celebrating the 40th anniversary of his invention, which is used by millions of people worldwide. What was his invention?
a) The digital radio
b) The cash machine
c) The mobile phone
d) The automatic car wash
3) Recent research has indicated that 44% of UK businesses have been affected by which particular difficulty?
a) Disputes with employees
b) Flooding or storm damage
c) Cyber crime
d) Inspections by HM Revenue and Customs
Answers at the end of the Bulletin.
Free e-book guide to creativity
A book aimed at creative businesses has been made freely available online. You can download 'T-Shirts and Suits, A Guide to the Business of Creativity', by business guru David Parrish, in an interactive PDF format from the author's website and the Merseyside ACME website. The book, which aims to help readers make the most of their creative abilities and combine them with good practice, can be copied, distributed, printed and posted on your own website - so long as you don't amend it, claim it is your own work or sell it.
Tips for networking
These handy networking tips have been compiled by career management specialist Martin Yate to help you make the most of any networking opportunities you come across. They include networking on the Internet, social and professional networking and other potential networking sources.
Help for employers recruiting disabled workers
Access to Work is a Government-funded initiative that aims to help employers overcome any barriers when recruiting a disabled person. The scheme can provide a grant towards extra costs that may arise when taking on someone with a disability, and it can also provide support workers and help with adapting work premises and equipment.
Find out more about programs on your computer
If you're confused when your computer crashes or puts up random messages on your screen, check out Process Library. This website is a handy list of computer programs that should - and shouldn't - be running on your computer. It describes the nature and purpose of each program and provides recommendations for dealing with potential problems. The site even includes a free process scanner that will scan your system.
This book covers the essentials of pitching skills in business and all sorts of life situations. Billed as a mixture of anthropology, market research and Machiavellianism, the book helps readers design and deliver pitches and learn about the psychology behind pitching successfully. Check out:
Just one word answer
The answer is b).
'peripatetic' means travelling from place to place.
The lorry driver decided to open a corner shop because he was tired of the peripatetic nature of the haulage business. |
How's your business radar? The answers
1) The answer d). The OFT report found that sellers were confused by their obligations under the Distance Selling Regulations, which protect the rights of consumers buying online.
2) The answer is b). John Shepherd-Barron invented the cash machine. There are now 1.6 million machines worldwide.
3) The answer is c). 44% of businesses claim to be affected by cyber crime, according to new research by the Get Safe Online organisation. |
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Good luck
The EnterQuest Team
This information is meant as a starting point only. Whilst all reasonable efforts have been made, the publisher makes no warranties that the information is accurate and up-to-date and will not be responsible for any errors or omissions in the information nor any consequences of any errors or omissions. Professional advice should be sought where appropriate. |
