Keeping up to date with our latest news
We're constantly working on new ebooks, free pdfs and ways of supporting small businesses. Here are the best ways of keeping up to date:
- See the latest news and special offers below at What's new? »
- Subscribe to our newsletter for tips, ideas and special offers. To subscribe, enter your email address in the red box opposite. Don't worry, we won't bombard you and you can unsubscribe at any time. Take a look at the latest newsletter »
- Find out what people think of us at Look Who's Talking »
- Small business matters! Tips for your business from the woman behind the original Essential Business Guide and MD of our company. Read Julie's Blog »
- Help yourself to free ebooks, pdfs and resources to help you build and grow your own small business at Free Downloads »
Don't forget. If you'd like to be kept up to date with the latest product news, ideas and tips for your business, and useful articles from Julie and Jane — sign up now by entering your email address into the red box opposite.
What's new at Essential Business?
Managing the money
You're more likely to sleep soundly at night if you have a clear idea of exactly how much money you need to earn personally to keep going, plus how much money you have coming in and out of your business. In other words, are you making enough to survive?
Download our free personal survival budget and cashflow forecast sheet to help you keep track of the lifeblood of your business.
Our FREE ebook might be perfect for you
If you're thinking of starting a business, why not be one of the first to use our Before You Begin e-book?
Before You Begin is designed to help you with the exciting process of deciding whether to start a business, finding out how to set it up, and identifying a business that fits with the type of person you are. It's full of useful tips, electronic whizzy bits, a healthy dose of humour — all the things Essential Business is known for!
You are also very welcome to forward it to friends and colleagues alike. Download it now » and get planning! (NB The pdf file size is 1.8Mb so it may take a little while to download to your computer.)
We've won the Plain English Award!
The Essential Business Guide has become the first ever business book to win the coveted Plain English Award. According to Ben Beer from the Plain English Campaign, ''Business is traditionally a sector which is filled with impenetrable jargon and complicated language which alienates customers and staff alike. The Essential Business Guide proves that it is possible to produce a comprehensive and useful guide to starting and running a business, without resorting to gobbledegook''.
And what do we think? Well, once she'd got over the excitement, Julie said: ''This award reflects everything we stand for: making complicated business information really clear and readable. The winners of this award are decided by the general public — exactly the people we are writing for.''
Mary Nightingale, broadcast journalist (left),
presents the award to Julie Stanford and Jane Priddis (right)
at the award ceremony in the City of London, Dec 2006
We're 'entrepreneur friendly' — and that's official!
We're over the moon to have been awarded a special commendation award for the Essential Business Guide by the Small Firms Enterprise Development Initiative (SFEDI).
SFEDI is the national standards-setting body for the business support sector and is responsible for researching and disseminating what works best for small businesses.
At the awards lunch on the historic HMS Belfast in London, SFEDI's Chairman, Tony Robinson OBE, said, ''The Essential Business Guide is an excellent example of how business information can be ... and with design to die for!''
Julie was there to collect the award, and afterwards said, ''SFEDI sets the standards we all aim to achieve. I feel so proud that we have been given this honorary endorsement and wish to say a heartfelt thank you to the members of the SFEDI Lead Body. In fact, I can't quite believe it... I'm still pinching myself!''
New year... new business?
Since we launched our new Start Your Business Step by Step workbook, it has been flying off the shelves.
We've had lots of emails and phone calls from people starting their new businesses, and it's been great to talk to those of you who are just taking the very first steps. There's nothing like those exciting early days of realising your dream — it's even made us feel a little bit wistful for those early days of heady excitement! We wish you all the very best of luck in your new businesses. Please keep in touch and tell us how you get on...
Are you starting a business? Click on the red text here for examples of the workbook and record sheets. It might just be the perfect thing for your fledgling enterprise.
Milking your marketing
Both Julie and Jane were invited to speak at the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) event on 28th November 2006 in Crawley, Sussex.
Steph Savill, Co-Chair of CIM Sussex, said afterwards: ''Your slides were some of the best I've ever seen — clear, unambiguous, relevant and a true reflection of your brand and values. We've had some rave reviews from all corners of the membership. ...
Please award yourselves a generous pat on the back from someone who recognises the traits of perfectionists who always want to go that extra mile.''
If you wish to see the slides Steph is talking about, click here to be taken to the CIM's website.
Julie speaks at the Big Event and gets to visit Sunderland's 'Stadium of Light'
On Friday 6th July 2006, Julie was delighted to be one of the speakers at The Big Event — a great day which was the culmination of a whole week of brilliant Business Week events for enterprising and entrepreneurial people in the North East.
Held at Sunderland Football Club's 'Stadium of Light', it was a packed and busy day with inspirational sessions and excellent networking for those attending. ''I had such a great time,'' says Julie. ''I was particularly pleased to have the chance to spend some time talking with local business owners. Together we explored ways of improving the way we run our businesses.''
If you would like Julie to speak at an event, please contact Sylvia Tidy-Harris on 01530 263221 or visit the website at WomenSpeakers.co.uk
'Best Business Book of 2005' award
We're delighted to have won 'Start Your Business' magazine's 'Best Business Book of 2005' award. This is our first award and we are thrilled! Thank you to the 'Start Your Business' editor and team for this award.
Visit the 'Start Your Business' website »
We'd like to know what you think
We confess that we're in a quandary. Our readers tell us that they like the special spiral binding on our book because it makes to easier to use. The bookshops don't like it, and some won't stock it. It's frustrating. Please could you take a moment to tell us what you think? It will help us find ways to be even better. Readers rule at Essential Business! by taking the 2-minute survey »
