Taking Your Business Global

One of the most exciting things you can possibly do in business is to take it global, and when this opportunity presents itself, you are likely to want to grab it with both hands. Of course, that doesn’t mean that it is necessarily going to be simple or easy, but as long as you are happy to research what you might need to do, you will find that you can make it work as well as you would like it to. In this article, we are going to take a look at a number of the things that you might want to consider in order to ensure that you can make your business a much more effective international agent. You might find that the following are all important aspects of making that a reality.

Consider The Culture

Expanding to overseas places means that you need to be fully aware of the differences between your home culture and that new one, and that you should be sensitive to how business is likely to operate in the two separately. The more aware you are of this, the more that you can ensure that your business does not tread on any toes – and that it continues to operate in the most effective way possible. The more that you consider the culture, the more likely it is that you will be able to drive your business to greater and greater levels of success, so this is definitely something to think about to begin with. You might even want to hire a cultural researcher to help you appreciate some of the most important differences and distinctions between the two (or more) cultures in question.

Lost In Translation

Clearly, language barriers can be something of a nightmare if you are not tackling them head-on, as you always need to have clear communication lines open with anyone you might be working with. In order to make this as expedient and simple as possible, it might be worthwhile looking into whether or not you can hire a professional translation service. This can be a particularly effective means of keeping the lines of communication open, and it is likely you will want to think about this first and foremost, to ensure that you can keep the business running as strongly as possible. Remember this when you are expanding to other countries, as it is a hugely important thing to be aware of.

Secure At Home

The more secure a base you have, the more freely and openly you can hope to expand overseas and in other global territories, so this is something that you should have one eye on at all times. The goal here is never to allow your home base to be in danger. As long as you can do that, you will find that you can lead your business globally in whatever way you like, and that you will be able to keep it going strong throughout such ventures. The more secure the business is at home, the more secure it is abroad.

Preparing For A Training Day

Training days can be hectic. This is especially the case if you have several different segments of your business partaking in different training events at the same time. Organisation is imperative. This article should help you to make sure that you are ready for the big day that lies ahead.

First and foremost, you need to sort out all of the obvious factors. You need to find your training venue and you need to determine what day and time you want the event to take place. The best companies use reservation software so you can easily manage your venue booking. When you find a venue, you need to make sure that it is easy to get to. Make sure you factor in travel arrangements as well. If your staff are going to spend the entire day there and not go to work then select somewhere with good public transport links. If not, then you will need to arrange transport from your business, such as a bus.

These are all the obvious particulars which lay the foundations and put the groundwork in place. You can now begin to prepare your training rooms to make sure everything is ready. If you have hired the venue through a good company then you should see what possibilities they also have at your disposal. They may be able to help you with services, contacts, and advice.

So, what do you need to think about when determining your rooms? The size of each room is important. You need to make sure it is a comfortable size for those in attendance – this ensures of a more productive training day. Don’t forget to think about breaks. These are essential in guaranteeing the mind stays refreshed. Is there going to be catering offered? Does the venue have easily accessible restrooms?

One crucial area of room preparation relates to the seating. Make sure that the person giving the training is visible from all areas. Lots of rooms tend to have an annoying pillar blocking the way! Don’t forget to make sure that the furniture is comfortable. But, also make sure that it is upright and not too snug; it is a training day not a pamper day after all. Also strategically consider how the room is going to look. How is the seating going to be arranged? Think about this tactically; how the seating is going to be best suited to the day ahead and the training methods that are taking place.

Once you have covered all of these areas all you need to do is contemplate the training methods and procedures going ahead. This is something you are likely to have a hold over anyway. Nevertheless, it is worth pointing out that there are companies available who specifically cater to training days. They can help you with innovative methods of team building activities and alike. They can take over half of the day whilst you do the rest; or whatever is more convenient for you.

If you use this preparation guide then your training rooms should be more than ready for a busy and effective day of training ahead.

3 Great Ways to Save Money When Starting a…

One of the most difficult challenges startups face in the early days is that of managing a tight budget, as when you’re starting a business it can feel like money is constantly going out with little coming back in.  This can be a very stress inducing situation, as on the one hand you know capital is required to put things into motion, but at the same time, you can’t help but feel vulnerable given how much money is being spent.

Furthermore, most startups don’t have a bottomless pit of financial resources to tap into, they are starting up on a shoestring and must manage their limited resources as effectively as possible.

In that vein, we’re going to look at three great ways to save money when starting out in business.

1.  START OFF WORKING FROM HOME

Try to avoid the temptation to rush out and acquire premises.  Of course, it’s tempting, as it adds credibility to your brand and will likely make you feel much more like a “proper business” yet, it is often unnecessary and creates a huge financial burden that commits you to a particular location.

Flexibility is key when starting out, both in practical aspects such as location but also financially – so if you’re thinking of tying yourself into a commercial lease, consider whether this is absolutely vital to what your business needs, or whether it’s more of an ego purchase that makes you feel more established.

Startups require agility, as the best startups are able to respond to customer demands and adapt to different market conditions very quickly.

You need to remain as flexible as possible, and one of the cheapest ways to do that is to work from home.

2.  LOOK FOR LOW ENERGY APPROACHES

If you do decide to acquire premises, you will want to consider utilising environmentally friendly practices within your workspace, not just as a way to ensure esos compliance and being perceived to be doing the “right thing” by your customers and staff… but also, to keep costs down.

A low energy approach can be as simple as turning the lights off each time you leave a room, or installing a timer on lighting, which automatically cuts out if there isn’t motion detected for a set period of time.  

Of course, today, electric cars are all the rage and public transport is being promoted extensively as a more environmentally friendly solution to the convenience of jumping in your gas guzzling car…. and when you consider things from a cost perspective, lower energy approaches to business do make a lot of financial sense.

3.  DON’T HIRE STAFF

Again, similar to feeling the need to go out and get premises, many entrepreneurs feel the need to go out and get staff with a view to feeling more like they have a “proper” business.

Nobody is an island, and when starting a business, you are likely to need the support of others, yet when hiring staff, you are burdening yourself with a lot of financial and administrative responsibility that prevents you from being as agile and nimble as you need to be in order to succeed.

It can be a much more efficient approach to hire people on a project basis, for instance, if you are wanting to create a stunning website, hiring a freelance web designer rather than employing someone as an inhouse designer makes more sense in the early stages.  This way, you can optimise cash flow and ensure you are only paying people when you require them.