LESSONS FOR A FOUNDER: Money Matters with Steve Ellis

Co-Director of Staffords, Steve Ellis, spoke at our last Building the Basics of a Business event about the financial aspects of starting your venture. He offers 10 pieces of practical advice to anyone who is in the early stages of a start-up. Staffords are Chartered Acountants who serve a range of businesses in and around Cambridge, from start-ups and individuals with small investment portfolios to large professional partnerships and companies with a turnover of £10 million. Steve’s top tip is to stay focused on the big picture and have controls in place to take care of the little stuff. If that can be monitored and checked quickly you shouldn’t ever need to look at the detail. Read on for more valuable advice …

LESSONS FROM A BUSINESS FACILITATOR: 5 Ways to a Successful Strategy

This month, business facilitator, Ludo Chapman, talks about 5 sets of recommendations and actions to help any aspiring entrepreneur or early stage start up to grow a business and untangle strategic problems. Ludo is founder of The Innovation Practice and has over 30 years’ experience ranging from launching and leading start-ups to running a mid-sized business. He started out by setting up a software training company before becoming CEO of a scientific instrument business, Grant Instruments. More recently he has been helping technology start-ups get funding, leading product launches and set up their sales channels, both in B2B and consumer markets.