"A degree can be a hindrance. The further you go in education, the more narrowly defined you become. Come graduation, you've invested so much of your life in one area and amassed a wealth of knowledge so it's hard to imagine not doing something with that.

9. Keep your reputation. In Buffett's mind, perhaps the most important piece of advice for businesses, and for everyone else, is to maintain a sterling reputation for honesty by never doing something you wouldn't want to see reported on the front page of your local newspaper. After taking control of Salomon in the wake of a major 1991 scandal at the financial firm, he famously told a Congressional panel that he had a simple message for employees:
Achieve study success Successful study requires discipline, focus and motivation, so we’re here to help you every step of the way. When you register as a student with AAT we provide you with exclusive access to award-winning revision materials, study resources and support. This includes webinars, Green Light tests, sample assessments, e-learning modules, Real Life scenarios, key calculations and much, much more. We also have a thriving student community providing support and advice on Twitter @youraat, our Facebook page and our discussion forums, to help you get the most out of your studies.

“Automating key tasks gives you the confidence to step away from your desk without worrying about work piling up while you’re away,” says Matt Perkins, head of SME engagement at FreeAgent, which provides cloud accounting for freelancers, contractors and micro-businesses. He recommends using an automatic email responder and a tool such as Hootsuite to schedule social media posts. You can also set up email reminders to chase outstanding invoices while you’re away.

It can be easy to start a small business, as there are opportunities to fit almost every budget and skill. It is often harder, however, to run a small business successfully. Running a successful small business often starts with the planning stage when you are deciding what you will sell and where you will locate your company. It doesn't stop there, however, as everything from your choice of employees to your accounting practices may influence your potential for success.
At university you have the ideal opportunity to set up a business, with your mates as your first customers. You have time to do it. If I was an employer and interviewed a graduate who had run a venture at university and paid some of their debts off with revenue, I'd hire them. That means much more than all the usual academic achievements.
Registration applies to most types of food business, including catering businesses run from home and mobile or temporary premises, such as stalls and vans. You should register your premises with the environmental health service at your local authority at least 28 days before opening – registration is free. If you have more than one premises, you will need to register all of them. You can register using the food business registration service on GOV.UK.
Don’t go it alone. Tap into resources, such as small-business peers, mentors, and trade associations, that can help take some of the energy-draining trial and error out of starting and running your business.
I applied for a management trainee placement programme at Enterprise Rent-A-Car while at Leeds University studying Information Systems and Management. On looking through a number of different business placements, Enterprise Rent-A-Car definitely stood out in terms of offering a programme which provided an opportunity to have real responsibility and impact within the Management Trainee role, and essentially learn how to run a business. During my placement with Enterprise I was given the chance to work within two different rental locations in Enterprise’s North England region and had great exposure to a range of key areas of the business, including sales, marketing, customer service and financial management. I worked with fantastic, really supportive teams throughout the year, enabling me to learn a great deal during my placement. Throughout the year I and other members of the programme were provided with valuable on-the-job and dedicated training sessions, ensuring we had a good understanding of the broader business and key interactions between different departments. Following my final year at Leeds University, I returned to Enterprise to work within the South East regional head office as an area accountant in the business management department. This position was to assist branch and area rental managers in better understanding areas directly relating to their financial performance. This enabled me to utilise and further develop skills acquired within the business element of my degree, gain exposure to different areas of the business and have the opportunity to assist and directly impact branches’ profitability. While working at this location I received key training and experience working with a number of different departments, and after two years I relocated to the main head office location in London, joining the South East business management team. I continued to work alongside great teams, interact with a range of departments and receive incredibly valuable training, guidance and support, further broadening my knowledge of the business and enabling me to progress. I believe one of my best career experiences was the progression through the various business management roles, requiring me to complete two separate grill interviews. This enabled me, nine months after joining the London office, to combine my current skills set and apply for and obtain a promotion within a new department at the Corporate Head Office, UK IT Infrastructure, as vendor services administrator. A further highlight would subsequently be the experience, operational understanding and skills that I gained within the IT department from the teams I worked with. This led to the promotion to my current position of vendor services manager, which involves the utilisation of both business and operational IT skills in working with vendors to ensure maximum value is provided in the items we procure, as well as analysing further business elements of the department. The skills I gained and Enterprise’s culture of providing career opportunities and continual guidance and development clearly enabled me to be in a position to apply for these roles. It has also been apparent from the start of working at Enterprise that opportunities are available throughout your career if you are willing to work for them. Therefore I have learnt to take advantage of opportunities where they arise, build upon and develop my career and always look for ways to ensure my current skill set is best serving the company. The management trainee programme provided a great learning experience within our rental environment, enabled me to learn about our overall business operation from the outset of my career and work with a great number of teams and fantastic people. I feel this knowledge greatly assisted me when starting out in the business management department, as I had a good understanding of our business as a whole, and how the rental branches I would be assisting operated. Following this, the financial and business management skills I built upon while working within an accountant role I believe positioned me to be able to apply for the vendor services role within IT, assessing financial elements of the department’s operations. The management trainee programme really does provide a thorough and key understanding of the business from day one, which, coupled with the opportunities available and support provided, enables you to pursue and build a career in areas that you are passionate. As I progress through my career, my aspirations are to ensure I continue to further develop my skills and build upon my experiences, ensuring I am best serving the company at all times as well as assisting my personal development, bringing the maximum value I can to the business. Tags:#mycareerstorymy career story
https://greyreaders.com
Combine study with full-time work or a family With AAT you don't have to put your life on hold while you study. Our flexible qualifications mean it’s easy to fit learning around your work, family, friends and leisure time. You can study full-time or part-time, from home, work or on the move. We work with the best training providers who will guide you through your training and forward into a successful career.
Luckily, it’s not too hard to do so. The website itself makes it very clear how to go about filling everything in and you’ll have a circle telling you what percentage complete yours is: keep going until it’s at 100%, of course.
Successful study requires discipline, focus and motivation, so we’re here to help you every step of the way. When you register as a student with AAT we provide you with exclusive access to award-winning revision materials, study resources and support. This includes webinars, Green Light tests, sample assessments, e-learning modules, Real Life scenarios, key calculations and much, much more. We also have a thriving student community providing support and advice on Twitter @youraat, our Facebook page and our discussion forums, to help you get the most out of your studies.
The beauty of a bar in a five-star hotel is that you get the luxurious environment without having to pay for it. Although, one assumes, the Duchess does have a budget for her Laurent-Perrier Rosé champagne.
Turning foodpreneur seems to be the hot daydream du jour. It's not merely bakers and pickle-makers, being told by friends that their special recipe is so exceptional they should turn it into a business, who are graduating from kitchen table to production kitchen.
Deliver what you promise. Your small business will need to offer a product or service of some kind to be successful. However, if you want to grow your business by growing your customer base, you have to give people not only what they want, but what you promised them. If your product or service does not match what you advertise consistently, you will have incredible difficulty in growing your customer base. Delivering what you promise begins with how you tailor your approach to sales. If you or your sales team is offering or promising too much, your customers will be understandably disappointed when they receive or use your product or service, leading to negative reviews and bad word-of-mouth about your business. Remember, good sales tactics should be centered around identifying and understanding your customer's needs and making them see the realized benefits that your product has, not lying to your customers and clients about the potential of your product.
Imagine this scenario… Your name has been ticked on the register at the door and a badge has been slapped on your jacket ready to announce to the room who you are and how exactly you can be of use to anyone. Having been directed to the table of coffee and croissants you automatically walk over and help yourself, only realizing afterwards that you don’t have enough limbs to carry your coffee, croissant AND bag whilst still being able to do the obligatory shaking of hands with everyone you meet. You don’t even know why you picked up a croissant. You’ve already had breakfast and your mouth is so dry and your stomach so unsettled that eating anything right now is clearly going to be disastrous. Placing the croissant back down on the table and hoping no-one saw you pick it up in the first place, you scour the room. Groups of people are huddled together in a seemingly relaxed state like they’ve known each other forever. There’s a buzz of chatting, laughing, handshakes, business cards…they all seem to be having a whale of a time. But for you? This situation makes your heart sink to your knees. You’ve got to go up to these people. These strangers, that you’ve never met before. And chat, sell yourself, exude confidence, charisma and charm. You’ve never felt more out of your comfort zone in your life. And as you stand there staring at the busy room, you think to yourself – ‘What the hell am I doing here?’ Hmm, fun, right? NOT! Early on in my start-up journey I soon realized that running a business holds many challenges for the gentle dreamers of this world. For starters, as someone who is quiet, introverted and at times shy, the idea of attending huge networking events as a way to market my business (something that so many business blogs encourage) makes me want to run for the hills and never look back. Not only that, but the time and energy needed to set up and run a business can be incredibly draining and overwhelming for introverts. From marketing, to accounts, to customer service… at the beginning of your business development, there’s lots to learn, do, tweak, try, and get your head around. If not careful you can burn out before you’ve even got going. And yet, despite this, I still believe that becoming your own boss is a wonderful option for the quiet types of this world. When I first started a business I knew I was going in the right direction from the moment I took my initial tentative steps. Leaving behind the exhausting open plan offices and hectic schedules of full time employment allowed me to find the freedom and peace I’d been looking for throughout my entire career. It meant I could work from home, find blissful solitude when I needed it, and create my own rules to live and work by. And I guess that’s the point really. Because when you’re the boss. YOU get to choose how, why and when you do things. It doesn’t matter how many business blogs I read that tell me I should be getting out there and networking face-to-face at big conferences. I never do. Instead I choose what’s right for me. I listen to my body and give myself what I need. And I take steps to ensure that my business nourishes who I am rather than leaving me empty. If you want to do the same, the tips below for introvert business owners will help you honor who you are, create a business that brings you joy, and keep your quiet determination at an all time high. It’s all about looking after the gorgeous individual that you are. Because when you do that? Your business will certainly reap the rewards. 1. Focus on your natural strengths I really believe that getting to the heart of your natural strengths and using them within your business is one of the best things you can do for your success and career happiness. Work will feel easier, you’ll get far more done with less effort, and ultimately your life will be filled with far more joy and fulfillment. When I first launched I found myself attending lots of big networking events, which only served to drain my energy and knock my confidence. However, after a while I realised I would gain far better results by focusing on the marketing strategies where I really thrived such as blogging and social media. The result was that I felt less overwhelmed, more energised, and a whole lot happier (which also happened to mean I got way more done!) 2. Set boundaries to protect your energy When running a business it can be very easy to end up working crazy hours, seeing people every day, and generally working every spare moment you’ve got. However, as an introvert it is imperative that you have regular quiet time to reflect, get inspired, and re-charge your batteries. As you run your business make sure you build quiet time into your week. Think of solitude as an important part of your self-care routine and set boundaries to ensure you give yourself the time and space you need. I limit the amount of face-to face meetings I have each week, I use email and social media for the vast majority of my communication, and I ensure that I get out and go for a walk at least once a day (which is normally when I have all my best ideas!). The more self-aware you are of which activities drain your energy, the more you can shape your business to work well for who you are. 3. Connect with others who ‘get’ you Even introverts need people and connecting with others who really understand what it’s like to be in your shoes can help to maintain a healthy mind-set and get the support you need when things don’t go to plan. As an introvert I found that becoming a member of supportive online communities helped enormously when my motivation took a nose-dive or I needed a second opinion. There is something very special about being able to share a similar way of thinking with other people, and building connections with others (even if it is just online) can really give you a boost on those days when you need it. A lot of my first clients also came from these groups which goes to show that connecting with others in supportive communities can be good, not only for your mind-set, but also for your bank balance. ***** Running a business as an introvert certainly has its challenges, but if you get the self-care balance right it can also be an amazing career option for the quiet types of this world. Work with your strengths, give your body what it needs, and don’t forget that important time alone. You’ll be creating a nourishing business in no time. Kathryn x P.S. I’m currently stepping back from producing content for this website because I’ve entered a new phase of my life – motherhood! In the meantime feel free to browse the posts that I’ve previously written on this site and check out my list of favourite resources to help you create a business as an introvert.

9. Keep your reputation. In Buffett's mind, perhaps the most important piece of advice for businesses, and for everyone else, is to maintain a sterling reputation for honesty by never doing something you wouldn't want to see reported on the front page of your local newspaper. After taking control of Salomon in the wake of a major 1991 scandal at the financial firm, he famously told a Congressional panel that he had a simple message for employees:
Achieve study success Successful study requires discipline, focus and motivation, so we’re here to help you every step of the way. When you register as a student with AAT we provide you with exclusive access to award-winning revision materials, study resources and support. This includes webinars, Green Light tests, sample assessments, e-learning modules, Real Life scenarios, key calculations and much, much more. We also have a thriving student community providing support and advice on Twitter @youraat, our Facebook page and our discussion forums, to help you get the most out of your studies.

“Automating key tasks gives you the confidence to step away from your desk without worrying about work piling up while you’re away,” says Matt Perkins, head of SME engagement at FreeAgent, which provides cloud accounting for freelancers, contractors and micro-businesses. He recommends using an automatic email responder and a tool such as Hootsuite to schedule social media posts. You can also set up email reminders to chase outstanding invoices while you’re away.

It can be easy to start a small business, as there are opportunities to fit almost every budget and skill. It is often harder, however, to run a small business successfully. Running a successful small business often starts with the planning stage when you are deciding what you will sell and where you will locate your company. It doesn't stop there, however, as everything from your choice of employees to your accounting practices may influence your potential for success.
At university you have the ideal opportunity to set up a business, with your mates as your first customers. You have time to do it. If I was an employer and interviewed a graduate who had run a venture at university and paid some of their debts off with revenue, I'd hire them. That means much more than all the usual academic achievements.
Registration applies to most types of food business, including catering businesses run from home and mobile or temporary premises, such as stalls and vans. You should register your premises with the environmental health service at your local authority at least 28 days before opening – registration is free. If you have more than one premises, you will need to register all of them. You can register using the food business registration service on GOV.UK.
Don’t go it alone. Tap into resources, such as small-business peers, mentors, and trade associations, that can help take some of the energy-draining trial and error out of starting and running your business.
I applied for a management trainee placement programme at Enterprise Rent-A-Car while at Leeds University studying Information Systems and Management. On looking through a number of different business placements, Enterprise Rent-A-Car definitely stood out in terms of offering a programme which provided an opportunity to have real responsibility and impact within the Management Trainee role, and essentially learn how to run a business. During my placement with Enterprise I was given the chance to work within two different rental locations in Enterprise’s North England region and had great exposure to a range of key areas of the business, including sales, marketing, customer service and financial management. I worked with fantastic, really supportive teams throughout the year, enabling me to learn a great deal during my placement. Throughout the year I and other members of the programme were provided with valuable on-the-job and dedicated training sessions, ensuring we had a good understanding of the broader business and key interactions between different departments. Following my final year at Leeds University, I returned to Enterprise to work within the South East regional head office as an area accountant in the business management department. This position was to assist branch and area rental managers in better understanding areas directly relating to their financial performance. This enabled me to utilise and further develop skills acquired within the business element of my degree, gain exposure to different areas of the business and have the opportunity to assist and directly impact branches’ profitability. While working at this location I received key training and experience working with a number of different departments, and after two years I relocated to the main head office location in London, joining the South East business management team. I continued to work alongside great teams, interact with a range of departments and receive incredibly valuable training, guidance and support, further broadening my knowledge of the business and enabling me to progress. I believe one of my best career experiences was the progression through the various business management roles, requiring me to complete two separate grill interviews. This enabled me, nine months after joining the London office, to combine my current skills set and apply for and obtain a promotion within a new department at the Corporate Head Office, UK IT Infrastructure, as vendor services administrator. A further highlight would subsequently be the experience, operational understanding and skills that I gained within the IT department from the teams I worked with. This led to the promotion to my current position of vendor services manager, which involves the utilisation of both business and operational IT skills in working with vendors to ensure maximum value is provided in the items we procure, as well as analysing further business elements of the department. The skills I gained and Enterprise’s culture of providing career opportunities and continual guidance and development clearly enabled me to be in a position to apply for these roles. It has also been apparent from the start of working at Enterprise that opportunities are available throughout your career if you are willing to work for them. Therefore I have learnt to take advantage of opportunities where they arise, build upon and develop my career and always look for ways to ensure my current skill set is best serving the company. The management trainee programme provided a great learning experience within our rental environment, enabled me to learn about our overall business operation from the outset of my career and work with a great number of teams and fantastic people. I feel this knowledge greatly assisted me when starting out in the business management department, as I had a good understanding of our business as a whole, and how the rental branches I would be assisting operated. Following this, the financial and business management skills I built upon while working within an accountant role I believe positioned me to be able to apply for the vendor services role within IT, assessing financial elements of the department’s operations. The management trainee programme really does provide a thorough and key understanding of the business from day one, which, coupled with the opportunities available and support provided, enables you to pursue and build a career in areas that you are passionate. As I progress through my career, my aspirations are to ensure I continue to further develop my skills and build upon my experiences, ensuring I am best serving the company at all times as well as assisting my personal development, bringing the maximum value I can to the business. Tags:#mycareerstorymy career story
https://greyreaders.com
Combine study with full-time work or a family With AAT you don't have to put your life on hold while you study. Our flexible qualifications mean it’s easy to fit learning around your work, family, friends and leisure time. You can study full-time or part-time, from home, work or on the move. We work with the best training providers who will guide you through your training and forward into a successful career.
Luckily, it’s not too hard to do so. The website itself makes it very clear how to go about filling everything in and you’ll have a circle telling you what percentage complete yours is: keep going until it’s at 100%, of course.
Successful study requires discipline, focus and motivation, so we’re here to help you every step of the way. When you register as a student with AAT we provide you with exclusive access to award-winning revision materials, study resources and support. This includes webinars, Green Light tests, sample assessments, e-learning modules, Real Life scenarios, key calculations and much, much more. We also have a thriving student community providing support and advice on Twitter @youraat, our Facebook page and our discussion forums, to help you get the most out of your studies.
The beauty of a bar in a five-star hotel is that you get the luxurious environment without having to pay for it. Although, one assumes, the Duchess does have a budget for her Laurent-Perrier Rosé champagne.
Turning foodpreneur seems to be the hot daydream du jour. It's not merely bakers and pickle-makers, being told by friends that their special recipe is so exceptional they should turn it into a business, who are graduating from kitchen table to production kitchen.
Deliver what you promise. Your small business will need to offer a product or service of some kind to be successful. However, if you want to grow your business by growing your customer base, you have to give people not only what they want, but what you promised them. If your product or service does not match what you advertise consistently, you will have incredible difficulty in growing your customer base. Delivering what you promise begins with how you tailor your approach to sales. If you or your sales team is offering or promising too much, your customers will be understandably disappointed when they receive or use your product or service, leading to negative reviews and bad word-of-mouth about your business. Remember, good sales tactics should be centered around identifying and understanding your customer's needs and making them see the realized benefits that your product has, not lying to your customers and clients about the potential of your product.
Imagine this scenario… Your name has been ticked on the register at the door and a badge has been slapped on your jacket ready to announce to the room who you are and how exactly you can be of use to anyone. Having been directed to the table of coffee and croissants you automatically walk over and help yourself, only realizing afterwards that you don’t have enough limbs to carry your coffee, croissant AND bag whilst still being able to do the obligatory shaking of hands with everyone you meet. You don’t even know why you picked up a croissant. You’ve already had breakfast and your mouth is so dry and your stomach so unsettled that eating anything right now is clearly going to be disastrous. Placing the croissant back down on the table and hoping no-one saw you pick it up in the first place, you scour the room. Groups of people are huddled together in a seemingly relaxed state like they’ve known each other forever. There’s a buzz of chatting, laughing, handshakes, business cards…they all seem to be having a whale of a time. But for you? This situation makes your heart sink to your knees. You’ve got to go up to these people. These strangers, that you’ve never met before. And chat, sell yourself, exude confidence, charisma and charm. You’ve never felt more out of your comfort zone in your life. And as you stand there staring at the busy room, you think to yourself – ‘What the hell am I doing here?’ Hmm, fun, right? NOT! Early on in my start-up journey I soon realized that running a business holds many challenges for the gentle dreamers of this world. For starters, as someone who is quiet, introverted and at times shy, the idea of attending huge networking events as a way to market my business (something that so many business blogs encourage) makes me want to run for the hills and never look back. Not only that, but the time and energy needed to set up and run a business can be incredibly draining and overwhelming for introverts. From marketing, to accounts, to customer service… at the beginning of your business development, there’s lots to learn, do, tweak, try, and get your head around. If not careful you can burn out before you’ve even got going. And yet, despite this, I still believe that becoming your own boss is a wonderful option for the quiet types of this world. When I first started a business I knew I was going in the right direction from the moment I took my initial tentative steps. Leaving behind the exhausting open plan offices and hectic schedules of full time employment allowed me to find the freedom and peace I’d been looking for throughout my entire career. It meant I could work from home, find blissful solitude when I needed it, and create my own rules to live and work by. And I guess that’s the point really. Because when you’re the boss. YOU get to choose how, why and when you do things. It doesn’t matter how many business blogs I read that tell me I should be getting out there and networking face-to-face at big conferences. I never do. Instead I choose what’s right for me. I listen to my body and give myself what I need. And I take steps to ensure that my business nourishes who I am rather than leaving me empty. If you want to do the same, the tips below for introvert business owners will help you honor who you are, create a business that brings you joy, and keep your quiet determination at an all time high. It’s all about looking after the gorgeous individual that you are. Because when you do that? Your business will certainly reap the rewards. 1. Focus on your natural strengths I really believe that getting to the heart of your natural strengths and using them within your business is one of the best things you can do for your success and career happiness. Work will feel easier, you’ll get far more done with less effort, and ultimately your life will be filled with far more joy and fulfillment. When I first launched I found myself attending lots of big networking events, which only served to drain my energy and knock my confidence. However, after a while I realised I would gain far better results by focusing on the marketing strategies where I really thrived such as blogging and social media. The result was that I felt less overwhelmed, more energised, and a whole lot happier (which also happened to mean I got way more done!) 2. Set boundaries to protect your energy When running a business it can be very easy to end up working crazy hours, seeing people every day, and generally working every spare moment you’ve got. However, as an introvert it is imperative that you have regular quiet time to reflect, get inspired, and re-charge your batteries. As you run your business make sure you build quiet time into your week. Think of solitude as an important part of your self-care routine and set boundaries to ensure you give yourself the time and space you need. I limit the amount of face-to face meetings I have each week, I use email and social media for the vast majority of my communication, and I ensure that I get out and go for a walk at least once a day (which is normally when I have all my best ideas!). The more self-aware you are of which activities drain your energy, the more you can shape your business to work well for who you are. 3. Connect with others who ‘get’ you Even introverts need people and connecting with others who really understand what it’s like to be in your shoes can help to maintain a healthy mind-set and get the support you need when things don’t go to plan. As an introvert I found that becoming a member of supportive online communities helped enormously when my motivation took a nose-dive or I needed a second opinion. There is something very special about being able to share a similar way of thinking with other people, and building connections with others (even if it is just online) can really give you a boost on those days when you need it. A lot of my first clients also came from these groups which goes to show that connecting with others in supportive communities can be good, not only for your mind-set, but also for your bank balance. ***** Running a business as an introvert certainly has its challenges, but if you get the self-care balance right it can also be an amazing career option for the quiet types of this world. Work with your strengths, give your body what it needs, and don’t forget that important time alone. You’ll be creating a nourishing business in no time. Kathryn x P.S. I’m currently stepping back from producing content for this website because I’ve entered a new phase of my life – motherhood! In the meantime feel free to browse the posts that I’ve previously written on this site and check out my list of favourite resources to help you create a business as an introvert.
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