In this month’s guest blog post, Peter Starbuck sets out the founding steps for any new business venture. Read the piece below and feel free to digest and share on your own website or social media accounts.
All new ventures, whether they are businesses of not-for-profit organisations need what used to be called ‘a business plan’, which is now called a strategy.
This is because as little as 50 years ago management meant business for profit. Now management is an essential part of our lives. The first is the basic idea, which is the inspiration to create the organisation.
It is the purpose – the ‘Why’ question? The second is research to determine if there is a market demand for the proposed project, which may be a product or a service or a combination of both.
The research may throw-up a range of answer that may include the need for a better product than exists, which may be more complex and sophisticated, or more surprisingly, more simple.
Also revealed may be the demand for something that the customer has not realised they require, be it a new product or service. It could be new access by different forms of delivery, which includes gaining access to previously inaccessible countries of the world.
The next action is to answer the question what are the resources needed: human, material, and capital to produce the product or service. This leads to the questions are they affordable? And if they are not readily available how can they be made so?
With the resources in place and the support required, a start can be made as the final mechanics of performing management can be implemented. This is when the plan is organised into action with the necessary controls to measure essential performance.
Always to be remembers is the essentiality of integration to keep the function in balance.
Sales traditionally the description was ‘sales and marketing’, which were lumped together as the majority incorrect view was that the sales would look after themselves.
Generally so little was known about sales and marketing that they were labelled in the wrong order as marketing is the preparation to make sales work.
Fortunately, through observing the best performers in sales, such as IBM and Unilever, it has been recognised as the essential dynamic force by converting the output effort into cash.
Cash is as essential to the organisation as blood is to bodies. For as without it, the body dies. It has been correctly observed that organisations can make losses several times and survive, yet it can only run out of cash once.
About Peter Starbuck
Starting his career as a quantity surveyor while completing National Service in the Royal Engineers, Peter is now a Visiting Research Fellow to The Open University Business School and a Researcher and Contributor on Management to the British Library. 
He holds fellowships with the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, the Chartered Institute of Building and the Chartered Management Institute.
Other notable positions include: Peter StarbuckFounding Visiting Professor, University Centre Shrewsbury Visiting Professor, University of Chester Visiting Research Fellow, The Open University Business School Researcher and Contributor to the British Library, Alma Mater: The Open University Business School Subject Matter Expert, Chartered Management Institute.
Find out more by visiting his site http://www.starbuckonmanagement.co.uk
New branding and design
/in Latest News /by Peter MountfordWe would like to say a HUGE thank you to everyone at We Launch who donated over £20,000 of new branding design and advice to Heropreneurs. They were superb!
http://www.welaunch.co.uk/helping-those-who-served-with-pride-succeed-in-business/
The Telegraph features Justin Crump of Sybelline
/in Latest News /by Peter MountfordAs part of the Telegraph’s series on our members, here’s the latest article on one of our exceptional entrepreneurs – Justin Crump of Sybelline.
The Telegraph features Richard Gill of Drone Defence
/0 Comments/in Latest News /by Peter MountfordThe Telegraph, as part of the series of articles that it is publishing on Heropreneurs in connection with the Heropreneurs Awards, featured Richard Gill of Drone Defence. ‘No plan survives contact with the enemy’.
Heropreneurs has provided help to Richard through its highly successful Mentoring Programme.
You can read the full article here.
The Telegraph’s 1st print article on Heropreneurs
/0 Comments/in Latest News /by Peter MountfordThis was well worth waiting for! Superb article on Steve McCulley of LIOS Bikes and how he created the business with a little help from Heropreneurs.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/connect/small-business/steve-mcculley-came-to-terms-dying-trench-in-afghanistan/
The Heropreneurs Awards Welcomes Goldman Sachs As A Sponsor
/0 Comments/in Latest News /by Peter MountfordWith just under a month before the closing date for entries to the Heropreneurs Awards in association with The Telegraph, Goldman Sachs, the leading global investment bank and financial services company, has signed up to sponsor the Heropreneurs Awards. In so doing they join a strong line-up of supporters such as Deborah Meaden, star of Dragon’s Den, Paddy Ashdown, the MoD, Warwick Business School, top ranking military personnel and many leading businessmen and women from the corporate world.
Peter Mountford, the Chairman of Heropreneurs, said “We are delighted that Goldman Sachs have decided to sponsor our inaugural Awards. Goldman Sachs does a great deal to nurture Armed Forces Veterans and recognises the considerable skills that these exceptional people have in civvy street”.
£10,000 prize to be granted to the winner of the Heropreneurs Veterans’ Foundation Award
/0 Comments/in Latest News /by Peter MountfordAll too many veterans find leaving the Armed Forces, and returning to civvy street, a huge struggle due to physical injuries and mental health issues. This may result in homelessness, unemployment, family breakdown, and a dramatic deterioration in their well-being. The Veterans’ Foundation is a charity that was created to raise funds for military-related charities and other organisations that do excellent and effective work in helping veterans in need. This Heropreneurs Award category seeks to recognise an individual in civvy street, or a business, that has given outstanding help to such veterans.
Nominees of the Veterans’ Foundation Award must be an individual who is a civilian (not necessarily from a military background), a former member of the Armed Services, or a UK business. The winner of this Award will receive the prize of a grant of £10,000 from the Veterans’ Foundation to be given to the charity that the winner runs or works for, or the charity of their choice provided that it helps Armed Forces’ people in need and is approved by the Board of the Veterans’ Foundation.
People can be nominated for this Award by applying here.
The Heropreneurs Awards is a new initiative created to celebrate the achievements of ex-Armed Forces personnel in business. It is run by Heropreneurs, a charity created in 2009, that helps ex-Armed Forces personnel and their dependants on the road to creating their own businesses. The Awards are run in association with The Telegraph and the Warwick Business School, and with support from the Ministry of Defence.
Deborah Meaden and The Ministry of Defence support the Heropreneurs Awards
/0 Comments/in Latest News /by Peter MountfordHeropreneurs is delighted to announce that Deborah Meaden, the serial entrepreneur and investor, who stars in the highly successful TV series ‘Dragons Den’, has agreed to be a Judge on the Heropreneurs Awards.
Heropreneurs is also honoured that The Rt. Hon. Tobias Ellwood MP, Under Secretary of State at the Ministry of Defence, who will be presenting the top award of Heropreneur of the Year, will also be attending the Awards Ceremony on 14 November 2018 at the Plaisterers’ Hall in the City of London.
Further information can be found here.
Nominations or applications for the Awards can be made here.
Breakfast Show on BFBS
/0 Comments/in Latest News /by Peter MountfordPeter Mountford, the Chairman of Heropreneurs, was recently interviewed by Richard Hatch and Verity Geere on BFBS Radio’s Forces Breakfast Show about the Heropreneurs Awards. You can listen to the interview here:
Find out what it’s like to kayak across the Atlantic… alone
/0 Comments/in Latest News /by blazeOur upcoming networking event is sure to excite and appeal to those with a sense of adventure, as we are pleased to announce that Pete Bray, a former elite soldier and adventurer, will talk about his exploits.
Pete first served in the SAS before becoming the first person to kayak across the North Atlantic unsupported.
It took Pete 76 days to complete his voyage – he lost three stone and his doctor described him as ‘the healthiest skeleton that he had ever seen’. The first time that Pete tried to cross the Atlantic he failed and almost drowned, but it didn’t stop him from trying again and succeeding.
Pete will talk candidly about his adventures and about setting up and growing his Cornish kayak and coaching business PB Adventures.
Heropreneurs currently mentors Pete and you can find out how we can help by joining us in January for this special event.
When: Wed 11 January 2017 @ 18:30 – 21:00 GMT
Where: The Tower Room, London & Partners, 6th Floor, 2 More London Riverside, London, SE1 2RR
Price: £16.22
Tickets: EventBrite
Heropreneurs help serving (regular and reserves), spouses and ex-service men and women develop their ideas and give them the mentoring, networking and confidence to try to reduce the risks inherent in starting and growing a business.
Many of these mentors are business people with significant experience of small businesses who have not served themselves but who are willing to give a couple of hours per month to help those who have served.
The event price covers our event costs (including a drink or two) with all profits going to the charity.
The venue has generously given us the room free of charge.
Dress code is whatever you fancy and I hope you’ll join us for an inspiring, humorous and enlivening evening!
Guest blog: The Founding Steps of the Heropreneurs Venture
/0 Comments/in Latest News /by blazeIn this month’s guest blog post, Peter Starbuck sets out the founding steps for any new business venture. Read the piece below and feel free to digest and share on your own website or social media accounts.
All new ventures, whether they are businesses of not-for-profit organisations need what used to be called ‘a business plan’, which is now called a strategy.
This is because as little as 50 years ago management meant business for profit. Now management is an essential part of our lives. The first is the basic idea, which is the inspiration to create the organisation.
It is the purpose – the ‘Why’ question? The second is research to determine if there is a market demand for the proposed project, which may be a product or a service or a combination of both.
The research may throw-up a range of answer that may include the need for a better product than exists, which may be more complex and sophisticated, or more surprisingly, more simple.
Also revealed may be the demand for something that the customer has not realised they require, be it a new product or service. It could be new access by different forms of delivery, which includes gaining access to previously inaccessible countries of the world.
The next action is to answer the question what are the resources needed: human, material, and capital to produce the product or service. This leads to the questions are they affordable? And if they are not readily available how can they be made so?
With the resources in place and the support required, a start can be made as the final mechanics of performing management can be implemented. This is when the plan is organised into action with the necessary controls to measure essential performance.
Always to be remembers is the essentiality of integration to keep the function in balance.
Sales traditionally the description was ‘sales and marketing’, which were lumped together as the majority incorrect view was that the sales would look after themselves.
Generally so little was known about sales and marketing that they were labelled in the wrong order as marketing is the preparation to make sales work.
Fortunately, through observing the best performers in sales, such as IBM and Unilever, it has been recognised as the essential dynamic force by converting the output effort into cash.
Cash is as essential to the organisation as blood is to bodies. For as without it, the body dies. It has been correctly observed that organisations can make losses several times and survive, yet it can only run out of cash once.
About Peter Starbuck
Starting his career as a quantity surveyor while completing National Service in the Royal Engineers, Peter is now a Visiting Research Fellow to The Open University Business School and a Researcher and Contributor on Management to the British Library.
He holds fellowships with the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, the Chartered Institute of Building and the Chartered Management Institute.
Other notable positions include: Peter StarbuckFounding Visiting Professor, University Centre Shrewsbury Visiting Professor, University of Chester Visiting Research Fellow, The Open University Business School Researcher and Contributor to the British Library, Alma Mater: The Open University Business School Subject Matter Expert, Chartered Management Institute.
Find out more by visiting his site http://www.starbuckonmanagement.co.uk