1. What does your business do?

We provide training - both face-to-face and by distance learning – in a range of subjects.

2. What inspired you to set up your business?

The need to pay the bills!

3. What was your career prior?

I was a college lecturer and before that was involved in writing and journalism.

4. What was the market like when you set up your business?

To be honest, I don’t know and I don’t care. My belief was that if we delivered good services, then it didn’t matter what anyone else was doing. I never pay any attention to my rivals – time is better spent developing my own business than worrying about theirs.

5. Was it necessary to research the market before getting started?

Experts would have said ‘Yes’. But as I said above, I had the firm belief that if I did things well, then the business would succeed.

6. Did you need any special training/qualifications for your business?

I guess the whole of my life and career up to now laid the basis of what I am doing now.

7. Was it essential?

Yes, definitely.

8. Leading up to setting up your business, what are the 5 things that you learned that helped your business to get off the road?

I started off with 5 core principles that I still stick to now:

1. I never spend any money on the business that has not been earned already – my start-up budget was zero!

2. I aim to make some money every day. I think I’ve managed to achieve that most days over the last 5 years – even if it means flogging a book on Amazon or doing a car boot sale (I’ve done both when things are tight!!)

3. Give things away – but only to people who don’t ask for them.

4. Cut the crap – a lot of small business fold because they spend money on non-essentials. We’ve been trading for five years now – and we ordered our first lot of headed notepaper last week!

5. Never pay for advertising – if you’re any good, people will come to you.

9. What 3 things did you wish you had learned or done?

My main lack was not knowing how to use Microsoft-based IT. I had always used Apple, but had to convert because everyone else seemed to be using Windows and there were compatibility issues.

I wish I’d spent a month learning Windows, Word etc – my biggest frustration still comes from IT. I’ll never know how Bill Gates made such a lot of money from such a useless product!

This is only one thing – but counts for three!

10. What did you do as preparation to set up your business?

Er – nothing! I just kinda gave it a whirl, and have been giving it a whirl ever since!!

11. How did you estimate how much capital would be needed to setup?

I didn’t have to estimate, because I didn’t have any capital – my start-up budget was zilch!

12. Were you estimations correct?

Well, yes, in the sense that I knew I didn’t have any money and I was right!!!

13. What avenues did you take for investment/financing?

None – I deliberately built the business on the foundation of no debt. I have never regretted that decision.

14. Was it necessary to run your business from business premises (shop/offices etc)?

I have always operated from home. I tried an office for a few months but it was a waste of money. Now I have structured the business so I can operate from anywhere – on trains, in planes, hotels, while on holiday … I once tied up a big contract while sunbathing on the beach in Spain!!!

15. How did you find the location?

One big mistake was thinking I need an office somewhere. This went away from my core beliefs of ‘Spend nothing on crap.’ I found a town centre office, which was lovely – but a complete waste of money. Why rent somewhere when you don’t need to.

16. Was it the right location?

No, it was as wrong as it could be – I didn’t need it.

17. What were the key things you looked for in a location?

Looking back, my key driving force was pride – I figured the business was getting quite big and needed a glitzy office. But pride doesn’t pay the bills!

18. Is your business still based there?

No

19. What was the approximate budget to rent premises?

Around £400 a month.

20. How long did you take the lease out for?

Luckily I had it on a month-to-month basis, so I was able to quit after 3 months.

21. How did you market your business?

As I said before, I had no start-up budget, so all my marketing had to be done for nothing.

I managed to scrounge a client mailing list, and bombarded people on it with e-mail shots twice a week for three years; I used a lot of press releases; I used free listings directories; and I also gave a lot of things away – training products and things …I also offered to write a free column in the journalists’ training magazine. All these things really put the business on the map – and did not cost a penny.

On the odd occasion I have strayed into paid-for advertising, it’s been a complete waste of money.
Eventually the business made enough money for me to get a website built, and I spent a lot of time optimising it. The result is that now it comes TOP of Google page 1 on our main search phrases (online journalism courses and online journalism training). Again – all free.

22. Did you use a marketing company?

No – I train people in marketing, so it was a chance to practice what I preach!!

23. Was your marketing campaign successful?

Yes, very. We went from nothing to being one of the UK’s biggest training organisations in our field in five years.

24. What was the initial (approximate budget for marketing)?

Nothing!

25. Was it enough to attract business?

Yes, more than enough.

26. How did you feel during this time?

A combination of things: real excitement and fulfilment, and blind panic at the same time!

27. Who were the key people/services necessary during the start-up period?

No-one really. One of my other foundational beliefs was that I my business would never be reliant on any organisation or individual(s). I deliberately tried to build it so that it doesn’t rely on anyone other than me.

28. Who did you lean on the most?

Myself!

29. Could you have done it alone?

I did! More to the point – I couldn’t have done it with anyone else!! You don’t often find partnerships theat really work or last.

30. Was it necessary to do anything else apart from marketing to attract business?

My belief was that if what I was doing was any good, then the work would come in. It always has done.

31. How did you feel during this time?

Self confident and terrified, all at the same time.

32. Did anything happen that threw you off-guard?

Yes, two things. Firstly, my lack of IT experience led to my letting the My Doom virus onto my system (Apples don’t get viruses!). It nearly destroyed three months work.

And secondly I got a lot of real hassle from an individual in another organisation who tried his level best to put me out of business – I had to threaten libel action in the end, and he lost his job.

But those two experiences taught me to always have contingencies for anything and everything. The business uses lots of other services, but is not reliant on any of them – or on any one client, or type of clients, either.

33. If you were to start up again, what are the 3 things you would have done differently in hindsight?

I can’t think of three things.

The only one thing is my lack of experience in Microsoft. But I’ve finally remedied that this week – the whole operation’s gone over to voice recognition software, so I just scream out my orders and the computer does the rest!

34. Did you have any pleasant surprises?

Yes, mainly that I could succeed if I put my mind to it; and also that I was better at my job than I thought I was – after years of being held back by one boss or another, you start to genuinely wonder if you’re any good.

35. Before you became established, did you feel assured things would work out in the end?

I always take the view that every new day’s a bonus. I just took a day at a time and watched how things developed.

36. What are the 5 main qualities someone in your profession should have?

No-one should have any particular qualities. You are what you do have, not what you should have. Everyone’s different. The important thing is to work out your own strengths and weaknesses and build around them. Anyone can do that – we’re all made of the same stutf!

37. What are the 5 main things someone should take into consideration before starting such a venture?

Again, I don’t think it’s possible to list things like that, because everyone is different. I have 5 things that I considered – and they were crucial for me. But they probably wouldn’t work for anyone else.

That’s why so many small businesses go bust – they always try to copy what someone else has done.

38. How long did it take before you attracted clients?

I guess things started to happen after around three months.

39. How did things go?

Really well – I was gobsmacked! Things just went from strength to strength and work poured in.

I never had a plan of any sort: business plans can either be a millstone or an exercise in self-delusion! But new opportunities kept opening up and I grabbed them when they came. I still don’t know where much of the work came from.

40. What are the 5 key things you must provide as a good service?

1. To keep your promises and do what you’ll say you’ll do.

2. Show good manners – I’m still appalled, every day, at the number of people who don’t have the courtesy to answer a personal email.

3. Go out of your way to help people – do them favours, open doors for them, give them free stuff if you think it will help them. All this should be unconditional – not to try and get their business.

4. Try to give clients what they want, not what I think they should have.

5. Work efficiently.

We live in a fast moving world, and people appreciate dealing with businesses that work as fast as they do. We try to respond to every query in two hours, pay bills by return, and return students’ marked work the same day. Our policy is: never leave anything until tomorrow if it can be done today.

41. What are the 3 worse things you could do?

1. Go back on my word. 2. Lose touch with reality – there’s an awful lot of rubbish and delusion in the business world! 3. Go bust!

42. What are your clients normally like?

They cover a wide range – we’ve done sessions from everybody to the Department of Constitutional Affairs to sharp-end tabloid newspapers!

Every client is different – and we always try to meet their requirements and treat them as individuals.

43. Does word and mouth work in your business?

It will work in any business if you’re any good – and also if you’re useless!

44. How much do you rely on it?

I try not to rely on anything, but I think around 50 per cent per my business comes from word of mouth.

45. Is it necessary to go out and network for new clients?

I’ve never felt the need to do so up to now. But I wouldn’t rule it out.

46. Now that things are up and running how do you feel about your business?

Very proud, but there’s lots of room for growth and improvement.

47. Is it what you expected?

Hard to say. I didn’t really know what to expect. But if someone had told me, five years ago, that the business would be like it is today, I’d have laughed at them!

48. What are your average working hours (days per week)?

They vary. One of the joys of being self employed is that you can choose your own hours. Sometimes I’ll work 20 hours non-stop. Other times I’ll do 2 hours and pack up.

I probably spend some of every day working. I find the business works best if I am happy – and being happy comes from working hard when you feel motivated, and taking a break when you don’t!

I start each working day at 8pm in the evening!! It’s great – you start at 8pm, do a few things, and then go to bed. Luxury. Who says a working day has to start in the morning?

49. How long can you leave your business unattended – run by staff?

Aha ... another of our core principles is that we don’t employ staff, or not in the conventional sense of the word.

I have a number of people who do bits of work for me on a casual, part-time basis. But I hope I never have to employ anyone permanently – it normally causes problems, red tape and unnecessary work.

I have structured the business so I can keep it ticking anywhere, but I have people who plug certain gaps when I’m away.

50. How many weeks do you normally take off as holiday leave per year?

Since I went self employed, I have tried to regard every day as a holiday! So I’m on vacation 52 weeks a year – it’s all an attitude of mind.

51. What do you most enjoy about your profession?

Seeing people get better at what they do and reach their potential. It’s immensely rewarding.

52. Who are your key/essential staff members?

I don’t have any. I have deliberately built the business so that no one is key. I have a pool of people I draw on for certain things, but I don’t rely on any of them.

53. What qualities are essential in your staff apart from honesty and professionalism?

I only use people whom I know personally. The only qualities I look for is that they know what they’re doing; they’re there when I need them; and they’ll do as they say.

54. Who must you NOT employ (apart from criminals)?

Hopefully, I’ll never employ anyone in the strictest sense of the word.

55. How long did it takes before your business became established?

Probably around 2 years.

56. What are the main problems/hitches that occur?

Mainly IT-based – a crap product like Microsoft, internet hosts who go offline, stuff like that.

I tend not to have problems with human beings, since if they let me down I don’t use them again. No most of my problems are involve non-humans!!

57. How competitive do you have to be in your market?

There’s quite a few players out there, but I never take any notice of them – I don’t even know who they are!! My belief is that if I do things properly, then the competition will take care of itself.

58. How do you normally feel when the alarm clock rings?

I never set one! My working day starts at 8pm!

59. How do you normally feel by the end of the day?

Enormously satisfied, and starving hungry (I only eat in the evenings)

60. If you had the chance, would you do it all again?

Yes, definitely, I wish I’d done it sooner.

61. Do you run/own any other businesses?

I have just finished re-structuring my business into three separate entities, so I guess I own three now, rather than one!

62. How much time to you spend on your other business(es) (if applicable)?

na (not applicable)

63. Which do you prefer?

I only do things I enjoy.

64. Can you update us about your other businesses?

The business started as CTJTS Ltd, which covered a lot of things – distance learning, training courses and resources for the media, and in-house courses for corporate clients. They’ve been divided up now.

CTJT runs the distance learning courses through www.ctjt.biz. Potential UK.com runs training courses for corporate clients. And Potential.GB.com provides training and resources for the media.