How Harley-Davidson got started, what led to their success, and what you can learn from them to help you grow!
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1 What is your business?
Babylicious is the first brand of frozen babyfood to launch in the UK and is now the latest producer in Europe. The idea behind Babylicious was simple, as a mother of 2 small children I wanted to give me babies the best possible food, no salt, additive or fillers, just good quality food. I discovered the only way to do this was to make it myself as jars and cans were very heavily processed and tasted terrible. I had no time to make my own baby food and then discovered I was not alone, there was huge market opportunity to provide quality frozen food for babies, so did it myself!
I then launched Kiddylicious in summer 2005 after receiving loads of requests from mums saying, what do I do now, I have fed my baby Babylicious, they are now over 1 year old what do I give them? Kiddylicious follows exactly the same principles as Babylicious, no salt, additives or fillers, just good food snap frozen to lock in all the flavour and nutrients.
2. What prompted you to start up in business?
I started the business because it was a product I wanted to buy for my young children.
3. What was the market situation when you started up?
There was 1 small company producing frozen cubs of fruit and vegetable, but only sold in health food shops and was very amateur, I have created a brand new food sector, few can claim this!
4. Do you have a vision for your business and if so, what is it?
My vision is very clear, I want to revolutionize the way we feed our babies and young children. Jars and cans are out of date and old fashioned; it is not necessary to sterilize food to make it safe. Frozen babyfood is the next generation, it tastes and looks like real food, and surly our kids deserve edible, nutritious food?!
I want mums to automatically go to the freezer section to buy food do their babies.
5. What was the biggest obstacle you had to overcome and how did you do it?
We have had numerous obstacles along the way.
A ‘stolen’ brand name resulting in changing name just prior to launch.
A hoax caller claiming to work for the ASA and trying to discredit me, my company and my products. This cost a lot in time and money to prove we were legitimate.
The frustration of getting retailers to take the concept seriously, and then arguing that it could never take as much money as ice-cream, but it was what mums want.
6. How did you find the finance to get started?
Initial I remortgaged my home for £50k, and then borrowed from my parent an additional £25k.
After 2 years I raised £1m investment money from private investors and then a year later raised another £1m for further growth.
7. What are your personal qualities that have that have helped you to succeed in business?
Being able to behave like a weeble, you need to keep bouncing back time and time again. Passion that there is a real need for your product and the market genuinely exists despite all the set backs.
8. How do you keep going when things get tough?
Drink plenty of wine with your mates! Seriously it is really important to loose touch with reality, you do need to make an effort to go out and stay in touch with family and friends. They are a great support mechanism. Also, my partner, Tony, is my rock. He has supported me unwaveringly
9. How do you measure success?
When I do not need to keep answering the telephone to mums saying,’ where can I buy Babylicious / Kiddylicious?’ When mums write or phone with unsolicited compliment about how it has changed their lives, they can now spend more time with their babies /kids without the hassle of trying to cook and they know the kids love the food and it is nutritious – this is fantastic.
10. If you had one piece of advice for a woman starting out in business, what would it be?
It is tough, so keep going, even in dark moments – there will be some! Make sure you have family and friends who will support you all the way. I also think you need to be 100% confident there is a market for your product /service, there is nothing more soul destroying than believing in something without checking, just do some very basis market research (e.g., ask some trusted friends), this will tell you the answer – listen to the answer and take note if it tells you something you do not want to hear!
The "simple pictures" rule tells us that if you have a business or practice and are looking to market it, the simplest marketing picture is probably the best.
COMMON FRANCHISING MISTAKES AND HOW TO AVOID THEM
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Kim Castle
With nearly two decades in the advertising and design business, with clients like Domino's Pizza, General Motors, Direct TV, Pedigree, Wolfgang Puck, Higher Octave Music, Hollywood Celebrity Products, Disney, and Paramount, as well as thousands of entrepreneurs around the world define, structure, communicate, and position their business for greater profits, BrandU(R) co-creators Kim Castle and W. Vito Montone discovered that entrepreneurs could experience the same power that big brands command for a fraction of the cost with the world's only process-based results-drive Integral approach to business creation.
BrandU(R) is helping entrepreneurs grow with the power of extreme clarity from idea...to brand...to market(TM) and helping one million entrepreneurs become successful and whole so that they can make a difference in the world. Are you one of them?
If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank(TM), get started now at http://www.brandu.com. - Visit Kim Castle's Website
Vwodek Wojczynski
Business Coach and Consultant Vwodek Wojczynski (pronounced Voy-chin-ski) brings fun, awareness, accountability and fresh perspectives based on his diverse experiences in life and business.
Born in Poland and educated in Greece and Canada, he is trilingual with 8 years experience in business development with clients in Canada, USA, Switzerland and Poland.
His approach is systematic and process-driven. He fuses the know-how of proven business methods with his commitment that entrepreneurs experience satisfaction and joy based on their values, motivations and strengths. He believes that businesses succeed based on their ability to generate value by providing what’s needed and wanted.
Ultimately, he trains executives and true business owners - people who work less, produce more, own businesses that run automatically after a while and make a difference globally.
His current research focus is the development of intelligent business systems and the application of emerging artificial intelligence technologies in business.
He is also an avid traveler, spoken word performer and visual artist. He resides in Toronto, Canada. - Visit Vwodek Wojczynski's Website
George Ludwig
George Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance.
Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson.
His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more.
George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website
David Barr
David Barr is the President of Venture Opportunities, Inc. David has been a professional business broker/intermediary since 1980 focusing on General Business Brokerage and Mergers and Acquisitions representing client transaction value from $400,000 to $20,000,000. Mr. Barr has handled the sale of over four hundred and fifty companies. David earned a university degree from the State University of New York majoring in economics and business.
David holds the Mergers and Acquisition Master Intermediary and the Certified Business Intermediary designations from the International Business Brokers Association. He is also a Senior Business Analyst and a Texas licensed Real Estate Agent. For more information about David and Venture Opportunities, visit www.bizdealmaker.com. - Visit David Barr's Website
Accessible Business Consultants
Dave Turkin, President, of Accessible Business Consultants is a full service business consultant that has over 32 years of experience working with small-medium size businesses. Dave has designed and implemented numerous business and marketing plans, designed internal programs for accounting and operational procedures. He has analyzed businesses and prepared strategic plans setting budgets for growth, expansion and business restructuring.
He currently sits on the Board of Directors of various corporations as an advisor. For many years he has been the Business Coach to many executives offering advice and guidance from old and established companies as well as new companies just getting started.
Dave has the ability to analyze a business quickly and get a strong indication as to the necessary steps to improve operations, productivity and profitability. - Visit Accessible Business Consultants's Website
Jeff Foster
WebBizIdeas.com is a Minneapolis website design company founded to help people start an internet business by providing them with website, business, and internet resources that help foster the growth of successful online businesses and develop innovative Internet business ideas. - Visit Jeff Foster's Website
Anne Barr
Anne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations,
networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business
ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website
Leanne Hoagland-Smith
Are your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales success or one of the many who have failed to change? So what are you doing to change those results? Let’s be honest, with companies moving globally and at lightening speeds, the traditional business solutions are outdated and dead. My approach moves your business out of its comfort zone and secures your competitive advantage now. If you are seeking to increase sales, build customer loyalty, create a culture of great attitudes or just achieve some sleep filled nights, then we should talk because my clients have experienced exactly those types of results. Learn more about customer loyalty at http://www.processspecialist.com/customer-loyalty.htm Give me a call at 219.759.5601 for a free strategy session. P.S. If you are seeking a motivational speaker, sales trainer or small business expert that will leave your audience smiling and remembering, please feel free to contact me at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website
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Sue Stockdale
(Visit Sue's Website)
Sue Stockdale founded Mission Possible, www.miss
ionpossible.co.uk to help women to
achieve their goals in business, using the
same principles that led to her success in
becoming the first British woman to ski to
the Magnetic North Pole. Since 1997, the
company has worked with 1000s of women
worldwide. Services include an
award-winning businesswomen’s network, and
peer support groups for growing
businesses.
A fitness fanatic, Sue has represented
Scotland in athletics, and in 2004
finished runner-up in TV’s Superhuman. Her
academic achievements include an MBA in
Entrepreneurship and an MSc in Quality
Management. She lectures at several
Universities on leadership and
entrepreneurship and her advice on
motivation regularly appears in the media.
She is author of Kickstart Your Motivation
and Secrets of Successful Women
Entrepreneurs. For further information www.suestockd
ale.com
Sue Stockdale Video - Polar adventurer and motivational speaker Sue Stockdale speaking at Millionaire Mind Event in London about building trust in your team on an expedition and setting up systems to make expeditions and business easier.
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