Matt Green, Director of event consultancy GMG Network, gives an insight into week two in the life of a start up.
Securing a mentor seems like a useful
idea but I have been too busy dealing with the logistics of setting up GMG
Network to give it serious thought. It’s
an un ticked job on the to-do list. I’m feeling positive. The business cards (square
with rounded corners) have arrived. My phone rings when people call. I have
vision, an exciting concept and a dream of how my company will run. I’m not
sure I want advice. What if I don’t like what I hear? I don’t want my bubble
burst. Subconsciously I choose people to talk business with carefully, hand
picking those who I know will congratulate me, buy me a coffee and steer clear
of those ’difficult’ questions. Although difficult questions lurk in the
shadows, keeping me awake at night:
- Why do so many people from Austin,
Texas, follow me on Twitter? - Why are so many more suppliers
connecting with me on Linked In as opposed to clients? - Is cold calling really a necessity?
I spot an opportunity. A business coach
is running a seminar, free of charge, thanks to my business bank account. Free
is appealing. I’m a little (only a little) concerned it will be a waste of a
day when I could be cold calling. So I attend. There will be free coffee.
It sounds pretentious, perhaps a little
‘across the pond’, but I see the light! I am bombarded with challenging
questions, get down to the nitty gritty of marketing, refocus my USP. We go
through the logistics of setting up so that I can sleep at night, knowing I’m
not inadvertently breaking the law, by running my own business without the
correct pieces of paper.
I leave feeling energised, enthused,
ready for world domination! Another bonus – the seminar was held in a managed
building and I’ve also found a potential office space. I may not have spoken
with clients, booked meetings or drawn up proposals today but this small step,
gleaning the pearls of wisdom from an experienced and objective mind, feels
like a giant leap towards my goal of running a successful business.
Any comments? Email: Paul Colston
