Mentor meeting #2

Saima and I met up earlier this week for the second time and I think our initial ‘get to know each other’ dinner was a great opportunity to firm up our working objectives, preferred ways of working and next steps. Our second meeting was great – focused, fun and most importantly productive.

Not only did Saima have some great ideas for BlackBrides.co.uk but she also gave me some really helpful feedback on the number one business essentials – my business plan.

Saima knows sales and, even thought I already had some solid market research recommendations on the plan from Brent Business Ventures, it was great to also hear Saima’s thoughts on how to best use the plan to really ‘sell’ the unique strengths of the business in order to secure funding.

The good news is that she thought it was a really strong first attempt (which is a huge compliment coming from someone whose own business plan is now used as the benchmark template for BT Local Business!) and that there wasn’t too much to do in order to get going.

She also put me in contact with some really handy people in the viral/video and online industry and set up some free consultations – I called them the very next day!

Down to business

With most of the initial business planning and research for BlackBrides.co.uk (BB) either completed or well under way, it’s been a real eye opener to realise exactly how much work goes in to setting up an online business.

I now see that my ‘blue sky’ thinking of launching on Jan 1 was just a little bit too ambitious! I am so excited about the business and, as much as I am bursting to share BB with the world, the perfectionist in me is certainly not ready for the big reveal until the site is good and ready!
And it’s coming along nicely...