Top Ten Tips

1. Get selling Business is not rocket science. If you’ve got plenty of people buying things from you for more than they cost you, you are most of the way there. There are many distractions along the way, but you should always be spending at least 50 per cent of your time selling.

2. Strive to be different There is a lot of noise out there, and a lot of big boring companies and products. Genuine original thinking does not cost a penny, and with a bit of it you can really leap ahead of the competition.

3. Don’t take rejection personally You are going to get a lot of knock-backs in business – the secret is not to let them get you down. As any nightclub Casanova will tell you – success is a numbers game.

4. Cash is king – hire a dragon You haven’t sold anything until the cash is in your bank. Lack of cash in your bank can bust even the brightest business. Hire a dragon to keep control of it.

5. Cost your own time properly Your business’s scarcest resource? It’s your time. Only spend it on the areas where you add the most value. Also, cost your own time properly – you might be willing to work for 50p an hour, but you will never be able to find anyone else who will.

6. Raise your price ... ... and keep increasing it until your customers begin to squeak. Remember, the right price is what your customers are willing to pay. Your costs only tell you if you’ve got a good deal from your suppliers.

7. Get out of the engine room and onto the bridge Don’t spending weeks lovingly crafting an intricate business plan then dump it in a drawer. Take time out regularly to think about the direction of your business, even if your plans are scribbled on the back on an envelope.

8. Get a mentor Starting in business can be like climbing a mountain in flip-flops with only a road map to guide you. Why not get the advice of someone who has been there before?

9. Bear in mind, sometimes customers don’t want the best – they want the least worst A prime factor in winning and keeping customers is reassurance. This feeling of trust comes from having a good brand. To build a good brand, you don’t need big bucks.

10. Be persistent and avoid isolation Our greatest glory is not in never falling; it is in rising every time we fall. Surround yourself with supporters so you keep your mojo even when things are bad.