Discuss Your Business

Name: Sarah Lin  Business: EllieFunDay Founded: 2013   Sarah Lin was a designer, marketer and creative director in the corporate world for more than a decade before stepping out on her own. She’d long wanted to start a socially-conscious enterprise but never imagined finding inspiration for a business from her beloved baby blanket. In 2013, Sarah founded an organic baby blanket and accessories company that provides a fair-wage and dignified employment to marginalised women around the globe.     What’s the story behind your business?  I'd always dreamed of creating a product that married my love for good design with my desire to support a social need. I knew I had to come up with a product I dearly loved—I couldn’t quit my full-time job for something random.   I kept coming back to my own baby blanket. Whenever my mother washed it and hung it out to dry, I would stand outside by the clothesline holding a corner of my blanket, waiting to reclaim it.  

   Was there life before smartphones? Mine certainly wasn’t as flexible. Smartphones have brought many of us the freedom we wanted to be able to attend to life and our business -- whenever and wherever.   In fact, the entire way we do business has changed so much in the last decade. And it’s only speeding up. Car phones, faxing, phone book ads and catalogue shopping have all been left in innovation’s dust, while entire industries such as hospitality, retail, entertainment and publishing have been disrupted by better, faster and stronger technologies. What did I do before Instacart?   This May, in QB Community, we’ll be exploring these “Business Shifts” and what they mean for you, the small business owner. Expect great discussions on shifting from analogue to digital, paper to cloud, brick-and-mortar to e-commerce, cash to smart pay, “real’ people to bots, even dining out to delivery.   Here are three big changes that can impact you as the future of commerce co

  You’ve heard the saying, ‘If you build it, they will come’. And it’s true—the time and effort you spend getting your business ready for its launch is critical to building a following of happy, loyal customers. So here are five tips to remember when building your business to make sure it’s ready to be a success.    Get your pricing right When it comes to charging what you (and your products and services) are worth, a little research goes a long way. These days, conducting a thorough competitive analysis is pretty simple. A quick search on Amazon and Google can show you how your prices compare with your competitors. Then, you have to think about the type of customers you want to market to and what they’d be willing to pay. Which leads us to the next tip.   Know your customers Who is your ideal customer? It pays to think beyond the obvious here. For example, if you sell handmade scented candles, you’re helping a multi-tasking mum instantly mask the odour of pe

Name: Faye Macis Business: Little Happy Candles Location: London Launched: 2016   Faye Macis was studying for her master’s degree in mental health where she came up with the idea for Happy Little Candles. In the middle of a lecture, it struck her that even the smallest act of self-care can have a big effect on a person’s mental well-being. She knew she’d found her calling: helping to promote the little things in life—like pleasurable scents - that can positively impact people’s lives.    How did you create a business around “making people happy”? In the past, I’d made what I called “happy boxes” as gifts for friends and family. Under the business name “Little Happy Goodies”, I made a product called “The Little Happy Hamper”. It was a small box filled with items such as soaps, lip balms, inspirational quote postcards, nail files—anything I thought would encourage a person to take time out and look after themselves, even if it was just for 30 seconds to moisturise their

  We work for ourselves.   That can feel like we're the only ones thinking about the health and success of our business.   So, what's on your mind right now? Comment below!

  Self-employment can be challenging and it can feel like everything is on your shoulders. You are your own boss, you are your own motivator and you are your own advisor. However, self-employment is also flexible, empowering and creative!   What made you become self-employed? Did you want a career change? Or did a milestone in your life encourage you to make the transition?    Comment and share your experiences in the comments below!  

    Maybe you’ve already read our checklist for getting ready for customers. But now you’re looking for ideas on how to really get your customer base growing. Here are 4 tried-and-tested ways the QB Community has grown their businesses.    Give something away free If you sell products, giveaways let you reward existing customers and motivate potential buyers. Just remember that whatever you’re giving away free should always be a part of your margins—you don’t want it eating into your operational costs. You might want to offer a gift with a minimum purchase or provide free delivery. And our QB Community members tell us that stamp cards are a great marketing tool— they reward your customers for their loyalty, while also keeping them coming back for more.   If you’re selling services, you’ll want to establish yourself as an industry expert. Here’s what a few of our QB Community members had to say:   “Identify relevant topics and blog about them. Blogs are

Name: Michael Gratz Business: Prairie Fire BBQ    Location: London, UK Launched: 2013     Originally from Kansas City, USA, Michael Gratz found himself disenfranchised with his job as a banker. When his wife accepted a job in London in 2012, he happily used the relocation as an opportunity to shift his career in a more passionate direction. Michael loved cooking, and he found American BBQ options in London limited—so a delicious idea was born.   What made you go from banking to BBQ? I have always had an interest in food, to the extent that I attended culinary school years ago to improve my cooking at home. When we arrived in London, I was amazed by the diversity of the cuisines. However, there was one cuisine that wasn't represented—Kansas City-style BBQ. As a native of the Midwest USA, having great barbecue is a weekly ritual, similar to the Sunday roast. I’d always daydreamed of owning a food business, so it made sense for me to fill the BBQ void in London.

I have been using QB for years but my wife and I are just about to start up a small, local bookkeeping service using QB online.   Does anyone know of a good standard Privacy Statement which will cover both our website and future business dealings with clients?  Thanks.

  Maggi Simpkins grew up making jewellery as a hobby, but she never imagined doing it to earn a living. A decade ago, however, while Maggi was doing quality control for an online boutique, she vented her creative frustrations by one day whipping up a collection of feather earrings. Her boss loved them. Within a week, Maggi was designing full-time for the private label. Over the next few years, other jewellery-related jobs followed. Maggi was determined to learn everything she could about merchandising, designing, production, materials, diamonds and more.   Eventually, she decided to venture out on her own. During her first year of “figuring it out,” Maggi created an engagement ring for a friend. The process was “beautiful and really powerful” -- and the friend was moved to tears. That’s when it clicked: Maggi Simpkins Fine Jewelry would help people tell their love story with decadent, intricate, custom-designed engagement rings.   Maggi, what inspired you to take the pl

  Spring is traditionally a time of renewal and reinvention. What's your one-word theme for driving your business this month?

    Name: Jimmy Gallagher Business: ASAP Construction Founded: 1969   Jimmy Gallagher was just a kid growing up in New York when his dad handed him a spade and said, “Dig.” Dig he did, helping to create a water main as part of a project for his dad’s ASAP Construction company. Digging turned into driving lorries, operating heavy equipment and, eventually, learning every aspect of running a successful business. Except for a six-year stint as a military engineer, working for and then running a building company is the only job Jimmy’s ever known.   Today, nearly forty years after buying the business from his dad, Jimmy is still immensely proud of his long-standing family business, his countless building projects and his ongoing commitment to his small business community.   Jimmy, you’ve worked and lived in the same community for decades. What’s that like?   In the military, I was an engineer on Poseidon submarines. I could have gone anywhere after that, but

What is the best referral you've ever *given* to a fellow small business owner or self-employed professional?   Please share your answer below -- we're looking forward to hearing more.

Names: Lucy Watts & Nadia Matthews Business: Luna Stationery Launched: 2015   Lucy and Nadia, long-time friends and colleagues, combined their love for design and stationery to create Luna Stationery in London. These advertising producers still have their full-time jobs, so they work double-duty to get their brand of highly curated stationery out into the world. The dream is to one day open a brick-and-mortar shop.   How did you get started? We really wanted to source items that you don't often see in other stationery shops. We did a lot of research online via ohsobeautifulpaper.com, a design blog, and on Etsy. We also went to trade and craft shows. Much of our inspiration came from items that we already owned, so we got in touch with the designers or suppliers directly and started ordering. Being creative people, we had a lot of fun designing our logo and creating the brand. After we were up and running online, we began taking our products to markets around London to rai

  What do popsicles, lipstick, sustainably raised meat and a run-down flower truck have in common? 2 things. First, they’re all products featured in crowdfunding campaigns launched by enterprising entrepreneurs. Second—and most notably—these are just some of the campaigns that have received a critical funding boost thanks to the Backed by QuickBooks initiative.   Team QuickBooks selects standout ideas from small business owners and helps them reach their crowdfunding goals with a surprise infusion of cash. The campaigns selected so far all demonstrate the 6 hallmarks of a successful crowdfunding effort.   Tip 1: Tell a compelling “problem” story. Every great business story starts with a problem—and your company has the solution. Hannah England of Wash. It. Later. pitches her liquid-tight hypoallergenic bags as the answer to the problem every parent dreads: the poo emergency on the go. Yeah, there’s a fix for that.   Tip 2: Be your best brand ambassador. Camille Bel

  Crowdfunding involves taking your idea or product to the masses and asking them to help fund its creation in exchange for a reward. That could be as simple as a free box of cupcakes from a fledgeling bakery or as enticing as an equity stake in your growing company.   Sounds simple enough. But if you’re unsure whether launching a crowdfunding campaign is right for your business, here are 5 reasons you may be glad you did.     Tap into and grow your customer base. The majority of crowdfunding donations will likely come from your existing network and connections (and your connections’ connections). Getting people excited about your new venture even before it’s fully up and running helps proactively build a strong network of support.    Get market feedback fast. Are your eco-friendly, recycled socks priced too high? Do people really want a Bluetooth-enabled dog leash? Is there really a market for a raincoat that doubles as a bathing suit (okay, no

Name: Anna Grint Business: Albetta Location: Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, UK Founded: 2013   After ten years in advertising and marketing in London, Anna changed her career course when she had children and began working for a friend. That friend started an ethically-accredited clothing and accessories business in Vietnam which became Albetta. Anna brought Albetta over to the UK, where their line of children’s clothing, toys and accessories are sold online and in shops throughout the UK.     We caught up with Anna ahead of QB Connect London, where she is a featured vendor, to discuss the ups and downs of working for herself and what she is looking forward to at QB Connect London February 27-28.   How did you get involved in Albetta? After working with Annabel Landra, the founder of Albetta, for several years on the wholesale side, I knew I wanted to be involved in taking her gorgeous collections direct to the buying public. We went into partnership on a UK retai