duport blog

Meet the Customers: Alexander Restoration

October 25th, 2010

An example of Alexander Restoration's high quality finish

Ron Bowie of Alexander Restoration ensures that every project the company takes on is completed to the highest of standards.

From restoring and installing timber windows and doors, to draught proofing and new joinery, Alexander Restoration pride themselves on having the skills and experience to transform windows and doors, making them beautiful, cosy and secure whilst retaining their authentic style.

Visit them at www.alexanderrestoration.co.uk or call 0800 0025 769.

What does your company do?
Restoration of timber sash windows, casement windows, fixed timber windows and doors. We also install draught proofing to windows and doors and install new joinery.

What makes your business different?
Simply doing things better!

What inspired you to start this business?
Having worked in the industry for as long as I have, it was necessary to start out on my own to practice what I preached in the promotion of higher quality and customer satisfaction, and to expand the potential of the business.

How are you funding your business?
With difficulty and the help of a little private finance.

Where do you see your business in 3 years?
All things being equal, considerably expanded.

Are there any brands, companies or personalities that you most admire or aspire to?
There are numerous prominent business figures whose achievements I respect but would not wish to emulate, while not being averse to taking a leaf from their book.

Visit www.alexanderrestoration.co.uk for more information

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing your company?
I’m anticipating a substantial workload, so the biggest challenge will be maintaining progress and building up enough financial strength to expand the business without jeopardising it or our ethos.

Is being a business owner how you expected it to be, or have you had any surprises along the way?
Being a business ‘owner’ came more by default than expectation, although I was motivated by what I needed to do.

Since my business is barely up and running, the biggest surprise is that the help available is confusing and difficult to come by and self-motivation is probably the main necessity.

What is your main goal for your company?
The main goal is to satisfy my views on how this business can be run and come to the forefront of the industry.

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Meet the Customers: Silver Shell Cove Jewellery

by: Hannah

October 15th, 2010

Eaach one of Silver Shell Cove Jewellery's products is unique

Silver Shell Cove Jewellery is owned and run by Janette Shaw, who turned her own appreciation of the beauty of nature into a business.

The jewellery made and sold by Janette is created out of sterling silver and natural elements. As each piece is created individually from shells, pebbles and other natural products, every item they sell is completely unique.

To see Silver Shell Cove’s jewellery, or to find out more, visit www.silvershellcovejewellery.co.uk, or call them on 0845 116 3028.

What does your company do?
We sell sterling silver jewellery made from natural elements, like shells from all over the world.

What makes your business different?
Attention to detail, all of our jewellery is completely unique.

What inspired you to start this business?
The business started as a hobby, but friends and colleagues loved the pieces so much that I decided to develop it into a company.

Where do you see your business in 3 years?
Hopefully worldwide and going strong!

What characteristics do you have that will help you make your business a success?
Personal attention and drive.

What are you most keen to learn that will help you grow your business?
I’d like to learn more about all the aspects of running a business but at the same time keep it personal.

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing your company?
Identifying and winning over our target market.

Made from sterling silver and natural elements

Is being a business owner how you expected it to be, or have you had any surprises along the way?
Just surprised at the ‘non’ response of companies when I want to purchase from them. It’s strange that these companies can survive when they don’t pick up the phone to potential buyers!

What is your main goal for your company?
Bringing people back time after time, I’d like to build a community of customers.

Do you have any advice for people thinking of starting their own business?
Research – take any advice going – and follow your heart!!

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Rating: 3.1/5 (11 votes cast)

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Meet the Customers: Cheeky Tinkers Childcare

by: Hannah

October 8th, 2010

Cheeky Tinkers Childcare offer immediate childcare consultation and advice as well as long-term nanny support for parents.

Cheeky Tinkers Childcare really are super nannies! Louise Callear set up her company to make the most of her experiences in childcare to help parents in the South West area of London.

Not only do Cheeky Tinkers provide a nannying service, they are also experts in dealing with problem behaviour including sleep problems and challenging behaviour. Cheeky Tinkers Childcare even assist with potty training and weaning, to take the pressure and stress off the shoulders of tired parents.

With a perfectly personalised service for each family, Louise Callear at Cheeky Tinkers knows exactly how to help. Call her today on 0800 612 9228 or visit www.cheekytinkers.com to find out more.

What does your company do?
Nanny Agency and troubleshooting service

What makes your business different?
We offer a more personalised approach to nanny placements.

Recommendations from very happy families!

What inspired you to start this business?
My career in childcare and my knowledge to offer this unique placement technique in order for a more successful nanny placement and offering my expertise in problem areas such as tantrums or sleep problems.

Where do you see your business in 3 years?
Fully active and hopefully thriving with families and nannies in South West London.

What characteristics do you have that will help you make your business a success?
Offering a team of qualified and experienced nannies and trouble shooters! And aiming to find out families specific needs through a face to face consultation.

What are you most keen to learn that will help you grow your business?
The need for nanny placements in the South West London.

Are there any brands, companies or personalities that you most admire or aspire to?
Night Nannies are successful. I like the way that they offer super nanny and troubleshooting service.

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing your company?
Other agencies offering a similar service, although after extensive research, I have discovered that no other agency offers the face to face consult and my prices are much lower than other South West London based agencies.

Is being a business owner how you expected it to be, or have you had any surprises along the way?
I have not yet experienced it fully – I’ll let you know!

Visit www.cheekytinkers.com to find out more!

What is your main goal for your company?
To help and assist as many families as possible and to also gain an impressive reputation.

Do you have any advice for people thinking of starting their own business?
Take the risk!

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Rating: 3.5/5 (6 votes cast)

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Meet the Customers: Spatial Synergy

by: Hannah

September 17th, 2010

David understands transport inside-out

David Marshall owns Spatial Synergy, a company that provides spatial and transport planning consultancy.

Spatial Synergy see their ‘final report’ as just the beginning of their job, and work with their clients and delivery partners to ensure that their recommendations are implemented.

With an ecologically sensitive approach, David Marshall’s spatial and transport planning consultancy offers a service that balances the needs of clients and communities. Through experience, advice and a wide network of associates, Spatial Synergy knows how to ‘make things happen’.

For more information about Spatial Synergy, get in touch on 07710 859 669, or visit their website www.spatialsynergy.co.uk

What does your company do?
Spatial and transport planning consultancy work for a range of public, private and voluntary sector clients.

What makes your business different?
We bring 28 years of experience in ‘making things happen’. The final report isn’t seen as the end but more the beginning.

What inspired you to start this business?
It is something that I have wanted to do for a long time. Changes within my previous employment provided me with the time and money to go ahead and do it.

Do you have any staff or partners in your business?
I am establishing a network of associates – like minded people with complementary skills to mine who I can call on to provide added value to any particular commission.

Where do you see your business in 3 years?
Well established with a growing reputation and employing 10-12 people.

Visit www.spatialsynergy.co.uk to find out more

What characteristics do you have that will help you make your business a success?
A will to succeed.

What are you most keen to learn that will help you grow your business?
Effective marketing techniques.

Are there any brands, companies or personalities that you most admire or aspire to?
The urban regeneration developer Urban Splash for its fresh approach to developing unfashionable areas of cities, and open access train operator Grand Central for bringing main line rail services to communities that were previously excluded.

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing your company?
Developing a regular client base during a time of financial austerity. However this gives me opportunities and advantages over the ‘big boys’!

Is being a business owner how you expected it to be, or have you had any surprises along the way?
It is how I expected it – hard but enjoyable work. I’ve not had any nasty surprises yet!

What is your main goal for your company?
I aim initially to become sufficiently well established to provide me with enjoyable work. In the longer term to build up a critical mass of similarly minded creative individuals.

Do you have any advice for people thinking of starting their own business?
Life is for living not existing – just go for it.

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Meet the Customers: QS Charles

by: Hannah

September 10th, 2010

QS Charles Ltd provides professional Chartered Quantity Surveyor services to both public and private clients.

A decision was made in 2010 to form a company that could deliver quality, value and results to both corporate and private individual clients, in what has been a challenging realignment of the economic and commercial global environment that existed and operated for a respective chapter in recent economic history.

The way both private and public sector clients assess, procure, manage and deliver their respective goals, has changed in recent times in both the internal and external supply chains.

Welcome to www.qscharles.co.uk

At QS Charles, there has been recognition that there still needs to be a professional, experienced, and regulated service that can be appointed by future and current clients to ensure that their common goals and objectives are accomplished in terms of quality, value and results.Every client of QS Charles is given the same professional service, under the professional standards and ethics, of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, for more information, call us today on 01536 524030, or visit www.qscharles.co.uk.

What does your company do?
QS CHARLES provide the following professional services, under the professional standards and ethics, of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors:

Chartered Quantity Surveying
Cost Consulting
Employers Agents
Contract Administration
Purchasers Agents
Bank Monitoring Surveyors

These services are offered to corporate, private, public and non profit making organisations.

What makes your business different?
The business provides professional services to an entire market, through the global reach of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. QS Charles exists to ensure that the goals and aspirations of clients are met, and that they receive dedicated delivery of quality, value and results, irrespective of their budget. Every client of QS Charles is given the same professional standard of service.

What inspired you to start this business?
For many years my journey to gain professional experience and qualifications has been my goal, and an extremely difficult path to have walked. There have been obstacles and hurdles on this journey, both in my professional and personal life.

The inspiration has come from my beloved family, through what they have achieved and in the way they have conducted their professional and family life. Without the foundations placed by them, I would not have made the most of the opportunities that have been presented to me. I also respect and regard the previous companies that have employed me, as they helped build my knowledge and skills, and I have acquired a wealth of experience from them.

Charles Ridley has a wealth of experience and skills in Chartered Surveying

Do you have any staff or partners in your business?
Currently we have no directly employed staff – but the business is already looking to grow and it will need dedicated good quality and valued full time individuals, who will be treated and respected in order that we all grow and deliver together the common shared goal.

Where do you see your business in 3 years?
I have set QS Charles two important 3 year milestones: to have delivered quality, value and results to our clients beyond their expectations; and also in parallel we have provided a company for people to positively enjoy, contribute to, enjoy working for, and be proud to be part of.

What characteristics do you have that will help you make your business a success?
I have developed the professional discipline of using my eyes, ears, voice, mind, and experience when making professional decisions. At QS Charles we respect others, value peoples’ opinions, views, beliefs, cultures, circumstances and situations.

What are you most keen to learn that will help you grow your business?
The business will grow through maintaining a recognition that that a company only exists by way of its people, and I wish to learn more about placing the future members of this company in an environment whereby they are happy, respected, regarded, and can individually grow for the benefit of themselves, the company and our clients.

Call QS Charles or visit their website to find out more about their professional services

Are there any brands, companies or personalities that you most admire or aspire to?
Virgin Group has set a modern business model of a company group, to diversify and maintain a market presence. Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda have extended their respective, market presence and portfolio of goods in an ever changing market and global economy. World leaders of late have inspired also, the Presidents and Prime Ministers of the global super-economic countries now demonstrate a vision of presence, but with a compassion for global equality, peace and unity, in very challenging economic, and environmental times.

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing your company?
The challenge is to secure professional commissions in a global double recession and try to secure confidence in a UK market.

What is your main goal for your company?
To continue to provide quality, value and results to all our clients, even as the company grows and develops.

Do you have any advice for people thinking of starting their own business?
Believe in yourself, in your own ideas and aspirations. Go ahead and start your own business; rather than look back with regret in the future.

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Meet the Customers: Events Couture

by: Hannah

September 3rd, 2010

Events Couture help put together events of all sizes, styles and budgets

Events Couture is a company that’s actually more of a community. After becoming a mum, Clare Harrison found herself in great demand from her friends and family for her catering skills and amazing parties.

Events Couture was formed to organise parties and events of all sizes, styles and budgets using Clare’s own skills and talents as well as those of her close network of partners and contacts.

Clare considers the experience to be more like working with friends than companies, and it just goes to show that the personal touch she gives to every event is apparent in everything she does.

From small suppers to big weddings, Events Couture always aim to give you the perfect party, whatever your budget, give them a call on 01449 7253104, or 07540 185309 or visit the website at www.eventscouture.co.uk

What does your company do?
Our company caters for everything from relaxed suppers up to weddings, corporate events and everything in between. And now with the launch of our couture cookery school we’re also helping our customers to make their favourite restaurant meals at home any night of the week.

What makes your business different?
At Events Couture, we have the skills to make sure that whatever your budget there’s no need to compromise on the quality of your event.

What inspired you to start this business?
Our customers! Before having my children I had worked in the hospitality trade, and while they were young I carried on catering and planning parties and events for friends and family. Once the children started school, other people started asking if I would do their parties for them, I decided now was the time to set up on my own.

Do you have any staff or partners in your business?
The best thing about setting up the business has been getting to work every day with the friends I’ve made over the years, having people that you can trust and rely on has really made a difference.

Visit the website to start planning your perfect event

Where do you see your business in 3 years?
Hopefully still doing what we love to do!

What characteristics do you have that will help you make your business a success?
Passion for what we do and a determination to keep doing it.

What are you most keen to learn that will help you grow your business?
I think that constantly researching different cultures and cusines as well as focusing on new trends will help to keep our business fresh.

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing your company?
I think the same things most new businesses face really, just getting our name out there and letting people know what were about.

Is being a business owner how you expected it to be, or have you had any surprises along the way?
It’s been surprising how helpful the other companies that we work with have been, their going out of their way to give us their time and help has been really beneficial, especially in the very beginning. It’s great to be part of such a close community of businesses – and friends!

What is your main goal for your company?
To maintain the same personal quality and service as the business grows.

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Rating: 4.3/5 (7 votes cast)

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Meet the Customers – Studio 69

by: Hannah

August 20th, 2010

Khary Cave at Studio 69

After training as a geologist, and 7 years working as an environmental consultant, Khary Cave saw friends around him taking the plunge and starting their own companies, and felt the drive to go into business for himself.

However, it was after a long stint working in France that gave him the inspiration to dramatically change his career. After visiting his friend (and future business partner) David’s studio in Paris, Khary knew he’d found the business for him – a tattoo and piercing studio.

At Studio 69, Khary aims to bring a personal and distinctive touch to the industry. They provide high quality tattoos and piercings in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere so that each and every customer feels comfortable.

Even after some unexpected setbacks – like a car crashing through the studio window – Khary’s calm composure and meticulous planning mean that he is ready for anything – even for the uncertainties of being a small business owner.

Khary Cave runs Studio 69, a tattoo and piercing studio in Walthamstow in London, you can get in touch on 0208 531 4947 or through their website www.studio69tattoo-piercing.co.uk

What does your company do?
We are a tattoo and body piercing studio and we also sell a range of body jewellery.

What makes your business different?
We are a fairly small and recently opened studio. The atmosphere in the studio is very friendly and relaxed and we always make the effort to remember every customer’s name. We’ve managed to keep our prices very low without compromising on the quality of the service offered. Our tattoo artists have distinct but complementary styles, so you can always get the perfect tattoo at Studio 69.

What inspired you to start this business?
I’ve wanted to start my own business for quite a long time, probably because so many friends around me are successful entrepreneurs. After seeing the success and professionalism of my business partner’s studio in France, I knew this was the business for me.

Have you previously run any other businesses? Could you tell us a little bit about them?
No, this is my first business venture. I am actually a trained geologist and worked as an environmental consultant in the north west for 7 years before opening Studio 69.

Studio 69's tattoo artists are highly skilled

How are you funding your business?
We managed to secure a business loan for 50% of our start-up costs.

Do you have any staff or partners in your business?
My business partner David is a piercer with 15 years’ experience and two successful, established studios called 2GY in Paris. We also employ two tattoo artists, Tommy and Desmond, and a piercer called Ruth. We all get along brilliantly, I feel very lucky that we’ve managed to assemble such a great team.

Where do you see your business in 3 years?
I would love to expand the range of products and services we offer, and would definitely not rule out having a second studio opening within 3 years.

What characteristics do you have that will help you make your business a success?
My passion for business is my main attribute. I also have a very friendly and outgoing personality, which helps with making all our customers feel welcome. I am very driven, and dedicated to making sure that every single one of our clients has an enjoyable visit – and I’m confident that to this date I have been able to deliver that.

What are you most keen to learn that will help you grow your business?
I would love to learn to pierce in the future, and although I have an accountant I think it’s probably a good idea to do a basic bookkeeping course.

Are there any brands, companies or personalities that you most admire or aspire to?
I really admire the Innocent Smoothie brand and its founders Richard Reed, Adam Bacon and Jon Wright. Innocent came from nowhere in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and now dominate the UK market.

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing your company?
Although we have managed to break even in our first month after opening two and a half months ago, cash flow is a challenge that we try to mitigate by meticulous planning. Marketing and promotion – and just getting our name out there is also a challenge.

Is being a business owner how you expected it to be, or have you had any surprises along the way?
No matter how much planning and research you do prior to opening there will always be surprises. For example, after careful financial planning to ensure that I could pay my staff and bills, a car ran into the front of the studio, destroying the electric shutters and shattering the glass.

I am insured, but in order to secure the shop I had to pay for repairs myself whilst waiting on the insurer’s response. This happened only 2 months after opening, so it was a major shock – not to mention a drain on limited resources.

www.studio69tattoo-piercing.co.uk

What is your main goal for your company?
My main aim is to create a strong, instantly recognisable brand and to continue to provide tattoos and piercings of the highest quality.

Do you have any advice for people thinking of starting their own business?
My main piece of advice would be to do your research in the planning stages. A business plan is essential, not only to secure a loan or funding, but it also forces you to think about all the things you need to think about.

Finally, I know it’s a bit of a cliché, but location is very, very important. Get your business premises location wrong and it will be a lot harder to get your company off the ground in that crucial first 6 months.

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Is it more important to have a great business idea or great execution?

by: Thomas

August 17th, 2010

Here’s my take.

99% of success relies on execution.

A great idea for a business is just an anchor for one or more hardworking, enthusiastic people to get together and start solving a bunch of problems.

If, through a little bit of luck and a lot of hard work, you manage to solve enough of the right problems, you’ve got a business.

Even the person that invented the Cat’s Eye had to find a way to test, produce, market and scale the product.

I take comfort in this view point because it means you don’t have to be simply lucky or unrealistically smart to have a chance of becoming successful.

What you need is a hard work ethic, and the ability to pick (and not hide from) which problems you solve as your business progresses.

I do agree with the concept that the quality (or nature) of the idea will ultimately dictate the potential scale of the success, and this is an important consideration to any business owner. Success for me, within this context, is more about relative industry performance than a literal profit figure.

The article on which this blog post is based can be read in full here, and is well worth a read.

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Finding the right balance between promises and delivery

by: Thomas

August 10th, 2010

Sadly the closest picture I could find to represent Pinocchio!

Have you ever had a problem with your phone line or broadband and gone on to discover that the (major) service providers are about the worst you will ever deal with?

Annoying isn’t it.

If they spent just a small percentage of their marketing budgets on providing a more supportive infrastructure, they’d be a pleasure to deal with.

But they don’t. They choose promises (marketing) over delivery.

These firms compete in an industry where the standard is to unrealistically develop our expectations in order to acquire our business and they are all as bad as each other.

In reality we have no choice but to accept a poor level of service (coupled with glossy promises) from telecoms companies, but I bet your customers have a choice.

You have to very carefully offset your desire to win business, with your desire to exceed your customers expectations.

We could all lie our pants off to win business (and sadly some people do), but at some point you are going to have to deliver.

In reality though, most (small business) over-promising happens not because business owners are devious thieves, but because we want to impress potential customers. We imagine the perfect delivery scenario and start to build an expectation that can only be met one time in ten.

As soon as you over promise, it doesn’t matter how good a job you do, you have lost your opportunity to impress your customers when it matters.

The first exchange with a customer may get a signature, but the last exchange will determine your reputation.

A few signatures will help pay the bills, but your reputation will make you rich.

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Entrepreneurs are healthier the fatter they get!

by: Rebecca

August 9th, 2010

As a society we struggle to control our weight. The urge to over overeat is natural as we are programmed to believe that we might not get our next meal.

I was just thinking that if we could channel this evolutionary energy towards our businesses instead of our mouths we would instead have an epidemic of healthy but fat businesses.

If we worry equally about where our next client is coming from then maybe we will put more energy into finding and taking better care of our customers.

The problem is, like years ago, this type of business nutrition is not so easy to come by. However, if you continue to test and improve your strategies it won’t be as easy as unwrapping that Mars bar but a heck of a lot more satisfying.

Think of your new business in terms of your diet:

What goes in (sales/food) less what comes out (costs/exercise) = what is remaining (profit/weight).

Here’s a suggested diet plan:

What goes in:

Delegate as much as possible to allow you to work on the stuff that makes your business money.
Regularly consider all marketing, PR & branding efforts
Get out of your cave; network, build links with other businesses, speak at events, pick up the phone, pound the streets if you can.
Ensure all your communication is excellent from how you present yourself to the way emails and telephone calls are made and answered.
Consider and action how to delight your existing customers even more.

What comes out:

Sounds obvious but stop overspending and make sure your financial planning is accurate e.g. overestimating demand vs underestimating marketing.
Take money upfront if possible, set clear payment terms or consider factoring.
Regularly review your supplier’s costs and payment terms (perhaps have 60 day supplier payment terms and 30 day client payment terms).
Consider commission or bonus structures instead of employee salaries.
Are you customers costing you too much, fire the ones that don’t pay up!

Keeping to our ideal weight levels is extremely difficult but lets all try to enjoy some, guilt free, business gluttony! Anyone got any further business diet tips?

As a society we struggle to control our weight. The urge to over overeat is natural as we are programmed to believe that we might not get our next meal.

I was just thinking that if we could channel this evolutionary energy towards our businesses instead of our mouths we would instead have an epidemic of healthy but fat businesses.

If we worry equally about where our next client is coming from then maybe we will put more energy into finding and taking better care of our customers.

Think of your new business in terms of your diet:

What goes in (sales/food) less what comes out (costs/exercise) = what is remaining (profit/weight).

Here’s a suggested diet plan:

What goes in:
•   Delegate as much as possible to allow you to work on the stuff that makes your business money.
•   Regularly consider all marketing, PR & branding efforts
•   Get out of your cave; network, build links with other businesses, speak at events, pick up the phone, pound the streets if you can.
•   Ensure all your communication is excellent from how you present yourself to the way emails and telephone calls are made and answered.
•   Consider and action how to delight your existing customers even more.

What comes out:
•   Sounds obvious but stop overspending and make sure your financial planning is accurate e.g. overestimating demand vs underestimating marketing.
•   Take money upfront if possible, set clear payment terms or consider factoring.
•   Regularly review your supplier’s costs and payment terms (perhaps have 60 day supplier payment terms and 30 day client payment terms).
•   Consider commission or bonus structures instead of employee salaries.
•   Are you customers costing you too much, fire the ones that don’t pay up!

Keeping to our ideal weight levels is extremely difficult but lets all try to enjoy some, guilt free, business gluttony! Anyone got any further business diet tips?

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