Helen Lindsey

A global search is underway for startups keen to develop innovative and customer-centric e-commerce solutions, with applications now open for a new accelerator programme in the North West of England. Online electricals retailer AO is partnering with London-based global startup accelerator L Marks to launch the AO Innovation Lab. Based at AO's high tech, high spec premises at Parklands in Bolton, the 10-week programme offers startups expert mentorship, opportunities to trial products at scal...

With so many options for consumers to choose from, it's your brand that sets your business apart from your competitors. Branding is a powerful business tool and in an ever-changing marketing landscape, you need to constantly re-evaluate your branding strategy to keep pace with the latest trends in technology and consumer expectations. The competition to win customers is tougher than ever and businesses that don't take full advantage of branding and marketing opportunities will be left behin...

No one succeeds alone. There's a proverb that says "it takes a village to raise a child" and founding a company is a lot like raising a child. It requires the input of an entire community to gain experience, learn and grow. And while there's no "one-size-fits-all" guide to success, there are some universal truths that can help you steer your new venture in the right direction. Here, artificial emotional intelligence pioneer Rana el Kaliouby shares what she's learned about four key...

  Advances in technology, the increase in co-working spaces and the growing popularity of remote working are allowing more people take up freelancing instead of regular employment. While the prospect of being your own boss—with the freedom to choose the projects you work on and the flexibility of creating your own schedule—may seem appealing, there are some major pitfalls you need to avoid. "Freelancing has a learning curve, and it can be perilously steep," warns Michael Stov...

The U.K. can still maintain its reputation as a prime destination for startup founders—despite continuing uncertainty over its future as a major European hub for innovation. While there's much debate about the outlook for foreign investment, talent acquisition, and the flow of data, the UK should still be seen as "a fantastic ground for innovation and business development," says Ivan Mazour. Here, he shares how entrepreneurs can effectively navigate the current environment to avoid potential stu...

Raising start up capital is one of the biggest challenges entrepreneurs face, yet starting a successful business with no outside funding may be easier than you think. While it doesn't take a lot of money to build your own digital marketing agency, it does take time, effort and commitment. And although some people may see it as a disadvantage, starting out on a tight budget can be beneficial as it helps you to be self-sufficient and to focus on what's essential to the business. Here, Aaron A...

The continuing political turmoil and prolonged economic uncertainty around Brexit is already impacting UK businesses, making long-term planning more difficult. Small business growth is stalling amid fears that any "decisions made with confidence today could be ill-advised tomorrow." And, with not knowing what to expect, fewer than a quarter of the UK's small businesses have started adapting their business processes. In this Brexit survival guide, Henry Williams shares the key areas you need to c...

A great mentoring relationship is a two-way street, with benefits for those doing the mentoring as well as those being mentored. Being able to learn from someone who has the experience they've yet to acquire can save first-time entrepreneurs a lot of time, stress and money. And having a great business mentor who understands the challenges can have a significant impact on their success. While becoming a mentor requires time and effort, the rewards will be reflected in your own business and charac...

For any business to grow, it needs to sell more. Yet many companies fall into the trap of focussing so much on getting new customers they fail to effectively address the need to keep those they already have. It's cheaper to retain your existing customers than acquire new ones and it's also easier to sell to your existing customers. So the more customers you can keep and continue selling to, the more likely you are to achieve your business goals. Here, Charles Crawford sh...

To be successful, you need to set goals with a clear outcome in mind and create a plan to ensure you achieve them. Otherwise, your business will lack focus and direction. SMART is an acronym that brings structure to the goal setting process. Writing SMART goals gives you clarity, guides your actions, ensures you can measure your progress, helps you fine-tune your strategy, and improves your chances of success. Here, Felicia Sullivan shares an overview of the SMART goal setting technique and...

The best way to become successful is to emulate the practices of individuals who are already highly successful. Yet, discovering what differentiates those who achieve success from those who aspire to be successful isn't an easy task. And that's because the most successful people are "so complex that many of their defining qualities are paradoxical. Rather than an "either/or" set of static characteristics, they're more likely to demonstrate both," writes emotional intelligence expert an...

While many people dream of renouncing traditional nine-to-five employment for the freedom and flexibility of being their own boss, starting your own business isn't all fun and games. The pressures of financial management, decision making, uncertainty about the future, and the fear of failure can often feel overwhelming. And when you feel overwhelmed it can be hard to take action and get things done. Here, members of Forbes Coaches Council share their top tips for handling the stress and anxiety ...

Being able to communicate your ideas clearly and deliver an engaging speech or presentation is an important component for success, yet the fear of public speaking is very common. Fear is a powerful, protective emotion and while it can prevent you taking risks that pose a genuine threat to your safety or wellbeing, it can also make you avoid challenges and miss valuable opportunities for learning and growth. Effective preparation is crucial for building your confidence as a public speaker. With t...

Whether it's a bug fix, new feature, or new interface design, the earlier and more frequently you release software updates to end users, the quicker you get feedback on how useful they really are. Although continuous delivery requires a major shift in mindset, it can deliver value faster and more frequently than typical Agile or waterfall release schedules, writes Heather McCloskey. Here, she explores "what continuous delivery means to you as a product manager and how to adapt your roadmapping p...

A healthy conflict culture improves problem solving, encourages innovation and creativity, boosts morale and increases productivity. Although many people consider conflict to be harmful, it's only when we avoid or suppress conflict that it undermines our working relationships. "Conflict isn't bad for organizations: it's fundamental to them," says C-suite advisor and bestselling author Liane Davey. In this article, adapted from her new book, Davey explores some of the unproductive ways peopl...

European FinTech startups looking to scale-up abroad have only a few days left to apply for a 5-day acceleration programme in Lithuania. Startup Lighthouse, part of the European Commission's Startup Europe initiative, is running a series of Deep Dive Weeks (DDW) for promising startups looking to expand in Germany, Portugal, Ireland and The Baltics. Although applications are already closed for Medtech startups in Dublin, Smart Cities in Lisbon and Mobility in Berlin, FinTech startups still have u...

Female entrepreneurship is on the rise and some of the fastest growing businesses are either founded or co-founded by women. Geri Stengel, founder and head of a New York-based research firm, says women business owners tend to be good at allocating capital, collaborating inside and outside their companies, and listening to the needs of others. As a result, "they tend to be rated as better managers than men." To help you create winning strategies for accelerating your own company's growt...

As an entrepreneur or business owner, you can't avoid tasks that need to be done just because you don't feel like doing them. Procrastination is the enemy of productivity. And it's procrastination, rather than lack of motivation, that's the main obstacle to achieving your goals. You don't have to feel like doing something to actually do it, says entrepreneur, founder and CEO Aytekin Tank. Here, he explores the reasons why people procrastinate and shares some top tips on how to stop pro...

Unintended consequences of the #MeToo movement may be hurting rather than helping women's careers. Mentorship is a powerful tool for personal and professional development and the increased focus on sexual harassment is making many men in positions of authority reluctant to hire, work closely with, or mentor women. "If we want more women leaders, we need men in powerful positions to support their ascension," writes Babson College professor and author Wendy Murphy. Here, she shares her top tips fo...

For businesses across a wide range of industries, being able to adapt to change is crucial for their survival. Yet, despite the imperative to keep pace with a constantly evolving and increasingly competitive business environment, many organizations struggle to transform themselves successfully. "Change creates an identity crisis," says Lior Arussy, CEO and president of a global transformation consultancy. Here, he shares with Sally Percy the reasons why change programs often fail and what l...

Whether you're looking to advance your career or grow your business, networking can help you to unlock new opportunities. And the ability to forge meaningful connections can be a great asset for entrepreneurs. The more people you engage with on a regular basis, the bigger your network becomes and the greater your exposure to opportunities for accelerating your success. Yet, despite the benefits, many people dread networking. If the thought of striking up conversations with people you've never me...

A great business pitch is a fine balancing act and many entrepreneurs make mistakes that ruin their chances of securing funding. If outside investment is the only way to get your new venture off the ground, you want potential investors to be as excited about the business as you are. Yet along with your confidence and enthusiasm, you also need to demonstrate your competence and credibility. Here, Tim Berry shares the10 things he hates the most when they come up in business pitches so you can...

Entrepreneurs are great at coming up with ideas to improve people's lives through the products they create, the services they provide, or the problems they solve. Yet many breakthrough ideas never see the light of day because people fail to act on them. Taking action to follow through on your ideas requires courage. And you can only gain the courage you need by facing your fears. Here, Danielle Sacks shares five principles Case Foundation CEO Jean Case says entrepreneurs and other change-makers ...

Diversity of thought is a key ingredient for creativity and problem solving. And a reluctance to hire marketers from outside your sector means you're missing out on the fresh perspective an outsider can bring to your marketing strategy. Marketing is a highly transferable skill and with the blurring of boundaries between sectors there's no reason why someone can't take what they've learned in one sector and apply it to another, writes Molly Fleming. Here, she shares some top tips from experts on ...

Despite continuing uncertainty over post-Brexit access to foreign talent, international trade and international capital, most British startups aren't planning to move their headquarters abroad. The U.K. is due to leave the European Union on 29th March 2019 unless the negotiating period is extended. Yet despite the unpredictable outcome and fears of damage to the innovation economy, research shows British startups are still attracting investment and expanding into foreign markets. Here, Valentina...

  Failure is an inevitable part of the entrepreneurial journey and even the most successful entrepreneurs experience failure at some point. While having a positive attitude towards failure is a good indicator of future success, the advice we often hear about embracing failure can be counterproductive as it conflicts with our natural, emotional response. Here, Gwen Moran shares some top tips from executive coaches and leadership experts on the steps you can take to manage your emot...

Your personal brand is your reputation. It's the impression you make on other people—in person and online—about your values, attitude, credibility  and integrity. And it's what potential employers, business partners, investors, or customers rely on to decide if they trust you. While a strong personal brand can open the door to new opportunities, being careless with your brand can slam it shut. Here, members of the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) share how to fix some of the most commo...

Sales are the lifeblood of every business. And no matter how good your products or services are, they aren't going to sell themselves. Lead generation is the process that attracts people to your business and sparks their interest in what you're selling. And the more effort you put into lead generation, the more people you'll have in your sales funnel that you can convert into paying customers. Here, Ryan Myers shares some top tips for implementing an effective lead generation strategy that will ...

Raising finance through the traditional venture capital route can be a gruelling process and many startups opt for crowdfunding instead. The most common form of crowdfunding is reward-based, in which you raise funds by offering people your new product, a gift or a discount in exchange for their contribution. With equity crowdfunding however, you raise capital by offering investors part of your company's equity in exchange for their investment. And equity crowdfunding can work for both early...

California-based startup accelerator YCombinator is hosting a free 1-day workshop for people "whose full-time job is to inspire, teach, and advise founders or would-be founders." Following the enormous success of its annual Startup School for founders, the company now wants to share its expertise with mentors and advisors. You have until March 31, 2019 to apply for a place on the workshop, which takes place May 4, 2019 in the San Francisco Bay Area. Even if you can't attend in person the or...