Startup Stories: A free guide with advice on running a business

Starting and running a business can be an exhilarating experience. Leaving the world of employment behind so you can take control of your destiny by leading your own company is something that can be very rewarding.

But with those rewards come challenges that you’ll have to face. From coming up with an idea and putting it into action to finding funding for your business, managing inventory and building a team, there are plenty of things you might be new to.

However, that’s part of the fun of it right? Diving in, getting your hands dirty and learning a lot about yourself and your business as you seek to pursue your dreams.

In Startup Stories, a group of business owners have shared details on just that – revealing what they’ve done to get where they are today.

In this ebook, you’ll read about their challenges, how they’ve overcome them and what you can learn from their experiences.

Startup Stories features insights from these businesses:

Moneycado founder Oliver Mitchell reveals how he came up with the idea for his crossover fintech and travel company with the help of his blog.

Matt Dyson, a co-founder of hardware startup Rockit, reveals how he and his team turned to grants and crowdfunding to finance their business – and are getting babies to sleep without parents having to rock them in their buggies.

MPB.com founder Matt Barker reveals how he built his team to deliver on the increasing demand for his professional photography and film-making equipment platform.

Sarah Welsh, the co-founder of condom company Hanx, talks about the challenges of finding the right manufacturer for their business.

Strong Roots founder Samuel Dennigan highlights how his business is using technology to manage inventory and the supply chain for his frozen food company.

So enjoy the insights from the business owners, take the lessons they’ve learned on board and use their tips to get your business moving. And if you’re yet to take the plunge and start your own company, get inspired by their lessons and let them drive you forward.

Here’s an excerpt from the ebook.

Moneycado on coming up with a business idea

If you’re at the start of your entrepreneurial journey, the first challenge you’ll face is coming up with a business idea.

For some people, the light bulb will go off immediately and the ideas will be flowing. For others, this can be a tricky affair.

Coming up with an idea is important – but it’s worth remembering it’s the execution of the idea that is vital if you’re going to succeed.

So how do you get the inspiration for a business idea that can help you achieve your goals? There are numerous ways of finding the way to your idea but for the founder of Moneycado, it was down to talking to people.

Oliver Mitchell’s idea for his crossover fintech and travel company came to fruition thanks to his strong community focus. Moneycado’s mission is to encourage millennials to save for their dream holiday. But it’s much more than just your run-of-the mill savings product.

Moneycado uses gamification and incentives in the form of offering gifts when you reach a milestone.

Such gifts could include a holiday treat but savers might also unlock a “credit boost” to purchase an expensive flight at an early bird rate, despite not yet having the cash. In other words, Moneycado will also be selling credit products.

Oliver says: “I started without an idea and without a team. I just started talking to people about the general area of finance – about what they’re used to today, what the problems were, what they felt about it and so on.”