We all do it as entrepreneurs - we avidly watch how the very successful business builders are getting it right, how they are marketing their products to the world, and how they build sustainable brands that resonate with customers. Often, the temptation is there to try and emulate their success by replicating the way they do things in our own businesses. But it’s important to remember that those entrepreneurs got it right by forging their own paths, doing things their own way - being leaders not followers. Success comes when we recognize that it is precisely what makes us unique that resonates with others, and that goes for our businesses, products and brands too. There is a great quote by the legendary writer Jack Kerouac who says: “When writing the story of your life, don’t let anyone else hold the pen.” It’s all about following your own unique entrepreneurial path.

You only have to watch popular tv shows such as Shark Tank and others to see that ‘the pitch’ has become an all important asset in the entrepreneur’s toolbox. It’s a powerful way of connecting directly with potential customers, investors and partners and explaining why they should buy your product or service. So, what’s the secret to creating a powerful pitch that will win people over? Well, it all starts with knowing your audience and appealing to their interests and needs. In any pitch situation, start by doing your homework on your audience, understand what they are looking for, and what makes them ‘tick’ - and also, if possible, their previous buying patterns. This will give you a starting point. Next, ensure your messaging is simple but clear - your audience needs to know what you are trying to achieve, what your goals are, and what actions you need them to take. In any successful pitch, there needs to be a clear ‘what next’ on the part of the audience, leading them to make a decision. So the question is, how powerful is your pitch?

Pick up any business self-help book and amidst the wealth of information and advice about what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur you will see a number of key building blocks. Obviously, it all starts with a great idea, product or service that fills a gap or meets a need, but that just gets you out of the starting blocks. Running a successful, sustainable business takes much more than that. Here are five startup building blocks to put your business on the right track. Firstly, put the right people in place and build your team, based on complementary and needed skills that can all contribute to the bigger goal. Secondly, a laser-like focus is key, and every member of the team needs to share that focus and know their role. Thirdly, any successful business needs great customers, so invest in creating a strong customer base that you can grow over time. Fourthly, without sales a company can’t survive, so ensure the sales strategy is strong and the sales team is focused and incentivized. Finally, as the old saying goes, cash flow is king, so make sure that every dollar counts and is made to work for the business.

“Fortune favors the bold” as the poet Virgil once famously said, and this is definitely a saying that can be applied to many a successful entrepreneur through history. Just ask Virgin founder, Richard Branson, an entrepreneur who has personified the word ‘bold’ in business over the years. He is a great example of not sitting around and expecting to just ‘get lucky’ in business, but instead going out there and grabbing the opportunities as they present themselves.  He says, “I have often struggled to figure out where coincidence stops and good luck begins, or how just happening to be in the right place at the right time can so dramatically play into one’s path through life. One thing that’s clear, however, is that entrepreneurs who play it safe for fear of failure are the ones who just never seem to get as lucky as the risk-takers. Is this just a coincidence? I don’t think so.” Perhaps the question you need to ask yourself this morning is, “Just how bold do I feel today on my entrepreneurial journey?”

Have you noticed a difference in the way that trendy, fast growing, artisan retail brands are connecting with audiences and buyers when it comes to positioning their brands? They all tend to have one thing in common - they harness the power of a strong brand story that makes an emotional connection with their consumers. By sharing in narrative form the origins of how the brand was born, the heritage of the business, the personal vision and journeys of the founders, it makes the brand and product feel more authentic, more believable. So how do you start to tell your own unique brand story? It all starts by remembering where and when you began to think of the idea that created your business or unique product. It continues by writing your brand story, describing in a highly personal way the reasons why you created the business or the product, what problem or need you were trying to fix, or what experience you were trying to create. Tie it back to your life story and your personal experiences, and take your customer on a journey that is uniquely connected to your brand. Then lead that story back to your business and product and you have the basis of a great backstory that can be used in your marketing and brand activity, on your product labelling, and in your brand communications. It’s all about capturing the essence of what your brand is all about.

How often do you see companies, business leaders, and event programmes talking about the importance of innovation, finding the next ‘big idea’ or new way of doing  something that can change the face of an industry sector? But innovation is only one part of the process, it’s not the end game. Jim Clifton, the Chairman and CEO of Gallup, made an interesting observation on the subject, saying, “An innovation has no value until an ambitious entrepreneur builds a business model around it and turns it into a product or service that customers will buy. If you can't turn an innovative idea into something that creates a customer, it's worthless.” The bottom line, as Jim Clifton suggests, is not that there isn't enough innovation, it’s that there aren't enough entrepreneurs turning those innovative ideas into viable businesses.

The world’s environmental challenges are front and centre of global political, economic and social discussions and debates right now, with daily calls for innovative and sustainable solutions. And there is no doubt that major innovative thinking is needed if solutions to some of the biggest environmental challenges facing the world are to be found, such as how to combat climate change, how to lower global greenhouse gas emissions, how to deal with waste in an effective and environmentally friendly way, and how to preserve biodiversity in the environment. And it’s everyone’s problem and responsibility, to be part of the solution, not the continuing problem. Africa is undoubtedly feeling the impact of many of these environmental challenges, and that’s why a new generation of innovative women eco-preneurs is emerging from the continent with practical solutions. They are building sustainable recycling businesses to deal with waste management challenges in some of the continent’s biggest cities; they are building companies that create world-class products using recycled plastic as their base materials; and they are tackling invasive weed infested waterways by using them as a source of new materials for beautiful products that the world wants. This is the age of Africa’s women eco-preneurs who are making a real difference to the environment through their high impact sustainable business models.

Have you ever wondered where all the time goes to each day? You start out the morning raring to go, feeling focused and ready for anything that life and business throws at you, but by the end of the day, you feel like you have hardly accomplished any of the tasks you set for yourself. Sound familiar? As entrepreneurs with increasingly busy lives, and lots of conflicting time pressures, sometimes it’s essential to take a step back and get some help when it comes to learning how to manage time better. There is a great book which might help all those battling with time management in their businesses right now. Written by Allyson Lewis, The 7 Minute Solution: Time Strategies to Prioritize, Organize & Simplify Your Life at Work & at Home is great for small business owners who have a problem planning their day. It takes a very different yet highly practical approach, encouraging readers to spend only seven minutes in the morning and seven minutes in the evening putting a business game plan together to maximize each day. If you are at that stage where every minute matters in your business and life, then this could be a good read to point you in the right time management direction.

Entrepreneurs are very often seen as leaders, whether they are setting new business or design trends, or creating innovative new products that shape future marketplaces, or disrupting existing ways of doing things. They epitomize the very notion of leaders from a business perspective. But it’s also interesting to see just how many women entrepreneurs are also leaders in their communities, using their businesses and their success as a means to help those communities to grow and thrive too. They say that the value chain created by women entrepreneurs is so much longer because they are hardwired to spread the benefit of their business success to others. They look at ways of tackling socio economic challenges in their local communities, they are interested in educating the next generation of children, and they are passionate about finding solutions to environmental challenges affecting those communities. These women entrepreneurs are real leaders, passionate about using business to make a lasting impact, and showing others how it is done. We can all learn from their example and be the change that is needed in the world through the businesses and products we create, and the experience and knowledge we share with others.

They say you are never too old to learn, and when you are an entrepreneur you never stop learning, particularly from those around you. Put a group of like-minded entrepreneurs together in a room and within minutes, experiences will be shared, networks will be opened, and advice will be given - often, whether you want it or not! But that’s the wonderful thing about being amongst people just like you. You can learn from each other’s mistakes, and hopefully not repeat them. You can get insights into how to launch new products or break into new markets from those who are already there. You can glean useful trade tips from specialists who have great experience of doing business in tough industry sectors. And importantly, you can make connections that can stand you and your business in great stead when it comes to gaining knowledge and getting access to specialist expertise. There is a great quote from uber successful global entrepreneur, Cher Wang, co-founder and chairperson of HTC Corp, who says, “As entrepreneurs, we must continue to ask ourselves ‘what’s next?’ It takes humility to realize that we don’t know everything, not to rest on our laurels, and know that we must keep learning and observing.” Great advice!

There is nothing quite like the energy that comes from a room full of young aspirant women entrepreneurs, keen to talk about their ideas for a new business, enthusiastic about learning from other more experience women business builders. And perhaps one of the biggest lessons that these next generation women entrepreneurs can learn is that by taking the opportunity to connect with other successful women who have been there and done it in business, they can gain invaluable knowledge. Not only that, they can see at first hand how these women so often turn passion into profit, and importantly get inspired and fired up to start their own entrepreneurial journeys. Seeing other successful women entrepreneurs in action also helps to shorten the learning curve for those starting up in business, witnessing at first hand how to deal with some of the inevitable challenges that arise. Starting out in business for any young aspirant entrepreneur can be daunting, but by seeing how other women have blazed a trail before you demonstrates that it’s possible.

As an entrepreneur, if you have ever felt that your business is beginning to shape your identity because your whole life revolves around it, then you are not alone. It seems like more and more of us are dedicating almost all our waking hours to work on our businesses, putting other things such as hobbies, recreational activities, personal relationships, healthy eating and even sleep to one side. This approach inevitably means we become one dimensional, and this isn’t healthy for us, the business, or those around us. It also increases the chances of burn-out. So, how do you reclaim your identity and maintain a healthy sense of self outside of your business?  Well, it all starts with your schedule. Make a conscious effort to book time in the diary for you and your family and friends; times for doing the things you enjoy, whether it’s exercise, reading a book, watching a movie, or meditating; set boundaries - times and places where everything except business is talked about; and build personal relationships that are based on you and your interests, not your business. Here’s to reclaiming your identity so that you and your business ultimately benefit.

It can happen to the best of entrepreneurs - that period of time in business when you know it’s important to keep things fresh and to ensure products and services stay relevant and interesting to your customers, but your creativity dries up! New ideas suddenly refuse to appear, inspiration is hard to find, and you hit that proverbial creative wall, worried you will never have an original idea of your own again. The truth is, creative slumps are par for the course in business, and they can strike at any time. The trick is to find ways of getting that spark back in your life, and there are some practical methods to do that. Start by surrounding yourself with other creative entrepreneurs, get a dose of their passion and enthusiasm for their new ideas, be stimulated by the conversations you will have. Try something new, develop a new interest or skill that could help the business further down the line, set up a chat with someone whose creative work inspires you, and share experiences. Chances are, you will beat your slump, and if all else fails, at least you will know you are not alone.

The world is becoming more and more conscious of the impact we are having on the planet, both as individuals and as the businesses and organizations we run. By now, we should all be well aware of the environmental benefits of making green decisions. When we choose to recycle and conserve resources, we preserve the planet for many future generations. This environmental responsibility extends to our business life as well as at home. But the planet isn’t the only one to benefit from our efforts to go green. If you’re running a business, you can enjoy regular cost savings, as well as demonstrating to clients that you are a sustainable business that treads lightly on the environment. Here are a few ways you can start to green your business. Go paperless in the office. Cut down travel and organize more online meetings. Automate your book-keeping. Conserve energy in the workplace through smart lighting. Recycle and reuse. And, green your supply chain by identifying like-minded green companies to do business with.

Everywhere we look there are distractions - our smartphones constantly encourage us to check on things that are happening in our 24/7 connected world; our team members want to bounce ideas around or chat about projects in a constant stream of engagement; our electronic meeting schedules remind us throughout the day of people to see and deadlines to make. We live in a world where there’s always another distraction to take us away from what we should be focusing on. But research points to a need to stop multitasking and working at a shallow level, and instead to focus our attention on individual tasks, and to remove the distractions around us until those tasks are completed. So here are four tips to cutting the distractions and getting the job done. Firstly, put your smartphone on silent and out of sight for the set period of time you have allocated to your task. Next, inform your team that you are not available for meetings or discussions during that time. Thirdly, switch off any electronic reminders or email alerts. Finally, be in the moment, just focus on the task at hand and it will get done quicker and less painfully.

Speaking about what it takes to build a successful life and business, best-selling author and serial entrepreneur, Tim Ferris, said, “Focus on being productive instead of busy”, and he has a point. As entrepreneurs we all have busy lives, that’s just a given, but if we really want to accomplish our goals we have to become more productive. It’s not about the number of hours worked, it’s about doing things that will move our businesses and lives forward. And, it all starts with knowing when your body feels at its most productive in the day - if you are a morning person, then harness those early hours of the day to tackle the most pressing jobs before most people have arrived at their offices. If you are more of an afternoon and evening person, then get your scheduling right to ensure you have quality uninterrupted time to work on your priorities, and squeeze in any essential meetings. Create a productivity checklist to review at the end of each day to ensure you have achieved your goals. Now, that’s being productive!

Ask many entrepreneurs why they made the choice to build a business instead of working for someone else and chances are they will tell you it’s because they wanted to be their own boss. And that’s fine, it’s a great motivation to go out and fulfill the dream of working for yourself. But the reality is that being in business means that you still have to deal with the challenges of working with clients who sometimes make you feel like they are bosses in the workplace. Deliverables and deadlines still have to be met, products and services have to be created and targets reported on, senior executives who are paying your bills to answer to. The trick is to ensure that you are the boss of your business from the outset, setting the ground-rules when you engage with clients so that they are a win for both parties. As a business owner, there will always be people you need to answer to, but there is a way of managing that process so that it works for you.

They say, “time is money”, but in your business day how often do you actually track the amount of time you spend on key tasks, and importantly, are you spending your valuable time on the things that actually bring in the revenues? Like many entrepreneurs, you might be surprised at just where your time is actually focused and it might not be in the right place. So how do you start making your time work better for you? Here are a few tips to ensure you maximize your valuable time in the business. Start by monitoring a week’s worth of activities, track time spent on each activity each day, and the return on investment of that time on each activity. Incorporate a digital time-tracking tool into the business so that everyone sets time completion goals for each activity and records it against agreed deadlines. The daily and weekly digital reports will highlight where improvements can be made or where certain activities need to be addressed differently. Knowledge is power and by incorporating a time-tracking system into the business, it’s possible to make time work better for you.

Women entrepreneurs often spend too much time worrying about the competition, and not enough time focusing on what makes their business more attractive to customers in the marketplace. It’s a common trait, but one that needs to be avoided. Competition is a reality, but how you approach it is what sets you apart in business. Celebrate what makes you and your business unique, and remember that no other company or entrepreneur has your story, so leverage that fact with your customers. Acknowledge that we live and operate in a new economy, one that celebrates sharing and collaboration, so perhaps instead of seeing other entrepreneurs as competition, explore whether there is the opportunity to share expertise and collaborate to win new business.  And importantly, stop comparing your efforts and results with those of other entrepreneurs. Everyone has a different business building journey they are on, so learn from others, celebrate and be inspired by other entrepreneurs’ success, and focus on your own journey. It’s a mind-shift that is needed, but one that is worth the effort.

Have you noticed how much broadcast and social media talk, and how many newspaper and magazine column inches, are dedicated to talking about innovative technologies like AI and blockchain. And there’s no doubt that these have a lot of potential. But there’s a tendency to forget that the biggest trend in business is on how we understand and treat our customers and ensure we continue to meet their needs. New UK research indicates that consumers place a significant value on human interaction in the customer services process, with 87% reporting they tend to stay more loyal and increase their business with companies that offer a real person to talk to at the right stage of their customer journey. So while all this talk about innovation is exciting, there is no substitute for world-class customer service delivered by people who really care about the customer experience, who are responsive and open to listening to what customers really need. It’s why there’s nothing quite like the human touch.