Keeping up to date with our latest news
There's always plenty going on at Essential Business and we're constantly working on ways of supporting small businesses. Take a look at the various items on the left — such as our Business as Usual radio show or Julie's blog — and you might also wish to:
- Download the latest resources — ebooks, pdfs and resources to help you build and grow your own small business, or perhaps listen to our managing director, Julie Stanford's series of business start-up tips. See Free resources and ebooks »
- Subscribe to our Essential Business Steps weekly email of the steps you need to take to run a better business. To subscribe, click on the red box on the right-hand side of any page and fill in the form. Don't worry, we won't bombard you and you can unsubscribe at any time.
- Read the latest news from our company at What's new at Essential Business?»
Free resources and ebooks
Audio business start-up tips from Julie Stanford
If you're starting your own business, you might like to try Julie's 20 Essential Busines Start-up Tips. Each tip takes just 5 minutes to listen to as Julie talks about the things you need to know and consider when starting your own business. (Here are the first 10 tips, Julie is currently recording the next 10, so if you like them, bookmark this page and check back.)
Note: If you can't see the player below, click here.
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.)
What's new at Essential Business?
The Essential Enterprise series
For most of the latter part of 2010, and the early part of this year, our team has been working in partnership with enterprise experts, SFEDI Group on a new series of business start-up materials: the Essential Enterprise series.
Together, we have combined our knowledge and expertise to produce a brand new range of workbooks and business support programmes, perfectly tailored for business support organisations, their trainers, business advisers and their clients, as well as for colleges planning to introduce enterprise as part of the government's Qualify with a Business (QWaB) initiative.
Essential Enterprise offers an opportunity for business organisations and colleges to enhance their services in a uniquely flexible way.
To find out more about using these workbooks in your own organisation, visit the Essential Enterprise website or call Jenny Pears on 0845 467 4278.
Brighton & Hove City Council Public Service Awards, 2010
To her delight, Julie was awarded 'Best Contribution to the Local Economy' at the 2010 Brighton & Hove Public Service Awards, held at The Grand Hotel, Brighton in November 2010.
The award was given for her (volunteer) work as president of the Brighton & Hove Chamber of Commerce. During her 6 years as vice president and president, Julie was instrumental in helping to build a strong and sustainable city Chamber.
After being presented the award, by Sally Gunnell MBE, Julie said, 'Our team achievements at the Chamber were a direct result of the hard work and volunteer commitment of a wonderful group of local business owners. I am so proud to have been the president for the past three years, and really thrilled to have won this award.'
(Pictured from left: Sally Gunnell, MBE, Julie Stanford and Mary Mears, Leader of Brighton & Hove City Council.)
British Academy of Management conference
In September 2009, Julie was invited to be part of a panel at the British Academy of Management (BAM) conference, led by Brighton Business School, University of Brighton. The panel discussed the value of academic research in business in light of changing government policy. The panelists included Adrian Alsop (ESRC), John Baird (EPSRC), Roger Adams (ACCA), Ossie Jones (ISBE and Liverpool). The panels was led by Professor Robin Wensley (AIM and Warwick).
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.''
Pictured, from left:
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!''
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 »
