Five business tips from Sophie Cornish of NOTHS
Looking for business advice and inspiration to kickstart your year? Read five business lessons learned by Sophie Cornish from NOTHS.
One of our favourite inspiring business reads is How to build a business from your kitchen table – the practical how-to guide by Sophie Cornish and Holly Tucker from notonthehighstreet.com (NOTHS).
So we’re delighted to share five business tips with you from Sophie Cornish, courtesy of independent HR expert Ruth Cornish.
Five business tips from Sophie Cornish from NOTHS
Sophie Cornish, shares five lessons she’s learned from launching and growing NOTHS – inspiring nuggets of wisdom to help you start your new business year as you mean to go on!
1) Make a plan, set goals and stick to them
It’s key that you know where you want to go and how you plan on getting there. Listen to that voice in your head – the one that sees a need, and an opportunity to meet it, allow yourself the moments of inspiration and most importantly, act! Your time is now, listen to your ideas and make them count.
2) Double your budget
However much money you think you need, it will be at least twice as much. No one ever went bust with money in the bank, so to give your business the time, and the best chance, for success, never take your eye off that cashflow forecast. Get in money before you’re desperate, and you’ll negotiate the right deal.
3) Keep an eye on the current trends
It’s important to look at the wider picture and the emerging trends and influences that are shaping the commercial world and the world of your customer. It’s key to stay one step ahead and use new trends to your advantage. Your reaction to these can differentiate you from your competitors, will help you stay on the front foot and will ensure that your strategy continues to evolve accordingly.
4) Keep your staff motivated
Never let your staff get demotivated because you need them more than you might realise. Your team is what keeps the business alive so don’t forget this – make them feel like they are truly part of the business and keep them engaged. Honesty and openness are key as is communication, remember you are all on this journey and it’s important to take them with you.
5) You don’t have to be an expert in everything
If you don’t have an expert skill in a particular field then seek expert help because we aren’t all perfect! That’s what makes a team so wonderful, it’s a group of people with different strengths who combined can build something you could have never done on your own. When building notonthehighstreet.com, Holly Tucker and I were successful because we complimented each others’ strengths and collaborated in order to achieve.
Need more advice on how to make money selling your crafts on NOTHS? You can read one successful seller’s tips here.
Want to build a business you love on your terms? Find out how our one year course Kickstart will help.
