Investing In Your Own Business – Q&A

Q. Is now a good time to start or rejuvenate a business?

A. We could say that anytime is a fair time to develop a business, but only if you’re fit and ready. However it is interesting to note that many well known companies were started in recessionary conditions – General Electric, IBM, Hyatt, Apple, Fedex, Microsoft, Hewlett Packard, Twitter, Zynga, Groupon – to name just a few. There are logical reasons for this, here’s 7 -

• Good investors recognize (and any business operator is essentially an investor) the need to be counter intuitive in order to obtain an edge. They know that recessionary conditions can offer significant opportunities: assets are cheaper; cycles change and longer term planning carries increased rewards.
• When times are bad, large businesses usually react by cutting variable costs; leaving potential openings for more nimble players.
• Competition reduces and established businesses look for new suppliers.
• Purchasers tend to look for value (not necessarily price driven) and reliability during recessions.
• Service standards are better regarded. Good staff are easier to find.
• Suppliers tend to offer better credit terms once you have a record as a good payer.
• If the recession is partly based on structural grounds, opportunities are available in new industries.

You will need a smart business plan and definite sources of capital to avoid becoming a recession victim.

Q. How does  Investing In Your Own Business  help my business?

A. This ebook reviews the strategies and positioning needed in  order to develop and grow a successful business. It doesn’t offer a magic formula for guaranteed success (there are none) but does take readers through the major factors putting the odds of success in their favour.

Q. Is  Investing In Your Own Business  a business school style textbook, full of accounting and business jargon?

A. No – we have kept the jargon to the minimum. The ebook is as clear & concise as we can make it (in our opinion).

Q. What do you know anyway?

A. We have started, operated and managed several businesses in our time. For 15 years now we have operated Andersen Bowe, an accounting – business – tax consultancy. Over this time we have dealt with dozens of businesses and shared in their mistakes and successes. And also noticed the common threads with both.

Q. Why do you use the word ‘investing’?

A.  Developing a business successfully partly requires an ‘investment’ in capital, commitment, longer term planning and effective positioning.