Network Monitoring

Always on the lookout for tools to make life easier for our customers we are currently evaluating PRTG. Ultimately, we'll have a review here but for now you may want to take a look at their website.

Starting a Business

With unemployment soaring and at its highest level in over a decade many people are considering starting their own business. It could be to supplement existing income or to act as a safety net should the worst happen.

Now, it may seem that a recession is quite the wrong time to start a new business but, in fact, many of today's successful businesses were started in the last recession. Often started by people made redundant in the downturn they prospered and were ideally placed to reap the benefits when the economy improved.

Why? Simply because starting a business in a slow economy requires the owners to be much more careful managers. Those businesses that have never been through a recession will be slow to respond and carrying too much baggage. They may very well not survive. When the economy improves the survivors grow with it.

What sort of business should I start?

There are many schools of thought here. Some say you should never start a business doing something you know nothing about. I'm not so convinced. For example, the Internet provides opportunities to research different business models readily. If you learn fast and do your research thoroughly then I can see no reason why you couldn't switch to a new field easily.

However, what you can't avoid is whether there is a demand. You can't sell sand in the Sahara, you can't even give it away. Nevertheless, there are numerous opportunities even in recession. Take a look here for some ideas. You can look around your local area too, is there something that is not readily available but would be valued by people i.e. dog-walking?

Think about things that aren't so badly affected by downturns such as retraining as a plumber then advertise an emergency repair service, burst pipes are not restricted to thriving economies!

I have no capital!

Good! It will discourage you from spending! It used to be said that the first rule when starting a business was 'Other people's money'. Nowadays it's not so easy to get your hands on other people's money. That said, one of the biggest mistakes made is spending a load of cash getting all the right things in place then waiting for the customers to arrive. It doesn't work like that - sorry.

Spend as little as possible at start-up and question everything you spend at least three times. You may have to live on very little for months until the business grows sufficiently to support you.

It's surprising how little you actually do need. Depending on the business type you may only require a computer, desk, printer and telephone to manage it but what about stock? Keep as little as possible, especially if its value falls rapidly like consumer electronics. Try to keep no stock and order 'just-in-time'. Avoid giving credit. If you open credit accounts for the business ensure you manage your cash well - numerous businesses have gone bust not because they were running at a loss but because they couldn't pay suppliers. Their cash management was poor. If possible, pay as you go for a while.

Avoid the SCAMs

If you take a look at Google (or any other search engine) it won't take long to find a scam. The economic gloom has taken its toll with many more people being made redundant and more to come. As a result there are more people out there susceptible to 'get rich quick' schemes. I won't say there are none but I've been looking for a scheme to make me rich, while doing absolutely nothing, for years!

The facts are you need to work hard in business to make any money. Making money online is notoriously difficult too. However, there are plenty of web-sites telling us how easy it is to make a bundle for doing very little. Well, try some out but don't expect to see much for your money.

My advice would be:

• If you have to part with credit card details - run away!
• Don't pay anything up-front until you have checked them out
• Do they want personal details like name & address before telling you how it works? Yes? SCAM!
• Keep a free e-mail address to give them then they can SPAM away un-noticed
• Don't give out real telephone numbers or post-codes
• If it looks too good to be true then it almost certainly is

How can Aaland help?

Aaland can help you set up the business infrastructure. We can set up your computer systems, get you on the Internet, set up your website and e-mail and get software installed to help you manage your business effectively. For example, accounting software to produce invoices and manage your cash - FREE. Installation and training from £99+VAT!

We can provide you with a professional website from £199+VAT. You can manage the content yourself with no more than basic computer skills and you get e-mail included.

We can do a whole lot more too so give Aaland a call on 0845-463-4532.