Lessons from 10 entrepreneurial businesses that have survived COVID
Byron Bay, December 2020 — Over 90% of businesses fail in the first two years and yet ten businesses in and around Byron are flourishing, despite the COVID conditions. A business advice book showcases the secrets to their success. Examples include an oceanic themed business that sells sea scooters and underwater cameras, a paleo ice cream and nut cheese food producer, an Amazonian tea provider and a ‘brain care’ business that remaps neural pathways to help conditions like Autism. The Build Grow Run service is one of 24 Entrepreneurship Facilitator entities established across Australia to support start-up businesses advice, support and accountability. The two Build Grow Run advisors have some 300 clients. The e-book can be found here and is a free support tool for anyone embarking on their entrepreneurial journey.
“All businesses start with an idea, but you will need a little more than an idea to make your business dream a reality. You need planning, resources, time – and a little luck! Running a successful business is about having the passion, but matched with the right customer insights to guide you and ensure you are providing something that meets a need, the businesses featured share how they tackled common challenges facing most businesses. Avoid failure seek advice early.” comments Phil Daly, Business Advisor, Build Grow Run, and experienced owner operator businessman.
Build Grow Run have produced their own ‘10 point checklist for starting a business’ in 2021:
- Define your unique selling point – how are you different to your competitors ?
- Really define your customer – who are they, what solution do you provide?
- Find an advisor – get honest feedback about your business
- Create a business plan – without it how will you know where you are going?
- Register web domains and trademarks
- Think about your business structure – accountants can help here
- Ensure your business can be profitable
- Set up your business bank account – keep personal incomes separate
- Arrange the business essentials – business insurance, taxes, identify what’s tax deductible
- Think about the promotion of your business – create social accounts and ask people to share information about your customers, create your own email database and keep asking customers for feedback on what they like and don’t like – 90% of sales is about referral
”If you haven’t thought about starting your business, now is the time. It’s a chance to change and create economic strength in communities and despite COVID, there are some indicative trends for what could still be a successful business, including dog/pet care, garden maintenance, home décor/ interiors and health and wellness. These are all areas of sectors and styles of businesses that are growing,” comments Ellie Corley, advisor at Build Grow Run and former Communications Director of Richard Branson’s not for profit family foundation, Virgin Unite.
About Build Grow Run
Build Grown Run’s Entrepreneurship Facilitator Service is funded by the Australian Federal Government and delivered by PINNACLE Business Solutions, to help you start your business, and also reduce the barriers to your success when you get going. As independent business advisers, we exist to encourage entrepreneurship and support you with ideas for how to build your skillset and your business. We work with ParentsNext program providers, ETC (as a NEIS provider), Sourdough Business Pathways and the various Chambers of Commerce throughout our area to either support or ‘catch’ clients as they move through the support on offer for them and their business. We offer support and advice, ‘handholding’, act as a sounding board to entrepreneurs, and to some clients offer a Business Coaching program
NEW! OUR E-BOOK JAM PACKED FULL OF BUSINESS ADVICE AND WISDOM FROM BUSINESSES WE HAVE HELPED!
DOWNLOAD THE EBOOK!Check out our client video here to see the types of people we work with