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Cheryl Rickman Interview

by: Damien Senn

Cheryl Rickman runs her own group of businesses CherryJam - with her partner James in Hampshire. Her first company WebCritique a web copywriting also marketing consultancy, helps other businesses to improve their online presence also Cheryl provides workshops to local businesses on these issues. WebCopywriter was borne from WebCritique also provides web copy for small also large businesses alike. Her clients include AnitaRoddick.com, Business Link Wessex, Motorola also Microsoft. Cheryl’s other main business is the UK’s largest independent online music magazine - ilikemusic.com.

Cheryl has been a freelance writer for the past nine years, writing on business issues for Better Business also Internet Works magazine, also interviewing business leaders also music celebrities. As well as writing The Small Business Start-Up Workbook, which has a foreword by Dame Anita Roddick, Cheryl is author of booklets, 111 winning ways to promote your website successfully also 127 insider ideas on creating a winning website also has been a Judge at Hampshire’s Awards of Web Excellence for the past two years.

The Interview

DS: What inspired you to follow an entreprenerial path also in particular what inspired you to write the Small Business Handbook?

CR: Well, I was never the ‘selling packets of sweets’ kind of playground budding entrepreneur at school, also my main dream was to become a freelance writer, however somewhere at the back of my mind I liked the idea of running my own business, something small also (dare-I-say-it) manageable. (I now know that smaller businesses are often harder to manage due to the lack of people to delegate tasks to).

However, it was mainly circumstance that led me to start-up, also the support also encouragement of my partner, James. And I think it is that circumstance - which creates entrepreneurs. The majority of self-made types are ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

Also, I guess some of my ‘entrepreneurial spirit’ came from my mum. She passed away in 1991 when I was just 17. And, to cope with the trauma also loss, I began to fill my time with trying to further my writing career. Years after her death, one of my mother’s best friends told me that mum always believed that I would someday run my own business. I had no idea that she thought that until a few years into my first business, however that gave me the inspiration I needed to think about writing my book. Having succeeded in business through a combination of determination also my own trial also error, I longed to write a book that would offer insight also encouragement to young entrepreneurs like me who dreamt of running their own business, however didn’t have the faintest idea where to start. Ultimately, The Small Business Start-Up Workbook is the culmination of that dream.

DS: Did you have any help setting up WebCritique your first company or were you going it alone?

CR: In terms of advice I received help also guidance from my Local Enterprise Agency, however got most of the information I needed from the web. In terms of finance my personal bank turned me down for a business loan, so I set up a new account – great while it was free, however not so useful now it isn’t. Choosing the right business bank is a crucial decision also worth spending time on. I’m with Lloyds however wouldn’t recommend a bank who’s business managers are difficult to get hold of also don’t see the longer-term bigger picture. My book includes questions to ask banks, also you can compare UK banks at www.bba.org.uk or www.moneyfacts.co.uk

DS: What was the biggest challenge you faced in bringing your idea to fruition? How was it overcome?

CR: The first was to challenge my own assumptions about whether or not I could do it. Everybody has some element of fear going into it for the first time, however I had such a great support mechanism in my boyfriend James, that he fuelled my own belief in my ideas also capabilities. The second challenge also probably the biggest ongoing hurdle that is shared by most small businesses is funding also cash flow. Finding start-up capital was far from easy, so I started up with a minimal amount. It’s certainly easier to borrow bigger sums than small amounts. In the early days I or else found getting clients to pay on time was a challenge. Now this is less of a problem, however it is still a general rule that the bigger the customer, the longer they will take to pay you. Another ongoing challenge is finding balance in terms of thinking time. I think mostly about the businesses also what’s going on in them, also need to find a way to switch off more frequently.

The bottom line is that, as an entrepreneur, you have to challenge yourself fairly regularly also be open to that concept. You’re often going to have to enter unchartered territory also do something that is foreign to you also your skillset, however that’s what happens when you wear many hats. And certainly, on start-up as a sole proprietor, you are the receptionist, marketing department, MD, fulfillment house, sales team. You wear ALL the hats, so being challenged on a daily basis becomes part also parcel of life as an entrepreneur.

Finally – realizing that you may have to rely on others who don’t share your vision/dream also who may/will let you down is a challenge to accept also overcome. Once you find reliable also impressive suppliers you can trust, from a great web developer to a great business card supplier, you learn to stick with them.

DS: What makes you most proud of your entrepreneurial achievements ?

CR: The book does because it’s something tangible that I can pick up also say ‘Yes! I did this!’

I must admit, I’m often so busy that I only rarely stop to ‘smell the roses’ also appreciate what I’m achieving. This is a lesson in itself that I have to learn to do more also is certainly something that I suggest others do in my book. People (myself included) should list their achievements more frequently. Some books advise to do this on a daily basis, writing down mini-achievements.

I guess the main milestones that make me feel proud of my achievements are:
The friendships also contacts I’ve gained since embarking on my entrepreneurial journey, including a few ‘celebrities’ such as Anita Roddick also Wendy James, among others, plus a whole host of people who are part of the same online networks as me (such as ecademy.com also Digital Eve) who inspire me also make me feel proud. The people I’ve managed to interview both in the business world also music world makes me feel proud. Learning is so important in life, also being able to learn from those who are ‘living the dream’ is important.

Knowing that we’re still doing it also are stronger than ever makes me feel proud, with I Like Music (www.ilikemusic.com) it’s taken us four years, however we are now at a point where some of the larger well-known brands also companies who’ve spent pots of cash however with minimal results are now taking notice of us also can see our strengths. We now have four years worth of great content, contacts also traffic also are ready to take the site to the next level, however we’ve not forked out on flash offices or streams of staff. And with Web Copywriter it’s great that the original business 'WebCritique' has grown organically into this niche area of writing for the web. The fact that all businesses are still going makes me feel proud.

DS: How did you actually fund your business to get it off the ground?

CR: WebCritique was launched with just a small amount of my own savings, plus a Ł1500 bank loan. My personal loan bank refused me for a business loan, so I set up a business account elsewhere. I or else sold my car. Since then I’ve financed the business on cash flow, plus overdrafts also occasional loans, which is or else the case for I Like Music, which is entirely self-funded. WebCopywriter cost nothing as the design was done in house.

I wish there was more cash readily available in the form of grants to small businesses in all areas: both affluent also under-privileged areas.

DS: What attributes do you think make a successful entrepreneur?

CR: That’s a tough question because there are so many variables that go toward making a business actually work; from personalities also people to the viability of an idea, state of the market and, often, circumstances outside a business owner’s control. As I say in my book, 'Certainly, there is no entrepreneurial elixir you can swiftly drink to make you automatically successful (except your own home-made passion-fuelled one). But you can prepare yourself to seize opportunities also make it happen for you.'

However, if I had to list attributes that would make the entrepreneurial life manageable, I would say, you need energy, passion also to be dedicated also thick-skinned. You need to be able to cope with times when your social life will suffer. You should be a great communicator also someone who enjoys networking, be it face to face or online. But probably the most key attribute is the desire to learn. That includes learning from mistakes.

In my book I speak to a variety people from Anita Roddick also Stelios to Simon Woodroffe, among others. All of them told me how important listening also learning is as an entrepreneur. And, as soon as you think you know it all, you’re history as a business. As a boss, if small business owners can remember that just because they started the business doesn’t mean they know more about marketing than the marketing chap, businesses would flourish easier. Learning should be a continuous endeavour, so a capacity also interest in learning is a crucial attribute for any entrepreneur.

DS: What do you believe are the necessary elements for a business venture to succeed?

CR: Good people. You need the right people working with you, be that in terms of partnerships or staff. They are the lifeblood of your business, so you need to value them also they will perform well. As Mike Southon says in The Beermat Entrepreneur 'People buy from People.' So ensuring that people working for you share your vision also at least can serve your customers in a way that they themselves would wish to be treated, is the first step.

You need to plan, as it’s easier to be passionate about getting somewhere if you know where you’re heading also how you’re going to get there. Plus cash-flow can kill businesses, so it’s important to know what is going to be coming in also out of the business all the time. Again, being open to learning is a key element. Many businesses fail because those driving the business are so caught up working ‘in’ the business, instead of ‘on’ the business, that they can’t implement changes, find time to learn or stay creative or on the ball. That’s why planning also hiring the right people with complementary skills who you can delegate to are essential success factors.

These are just some of the elements included in my Start-Up Checklist which appears in the book after the chapter called: LESSONS FROM LEADERS IN BUSINESS: Success Stories, Mistakes also Top Tips

DS: How essential do you see a University education in achieving success as an entrepreneur?

CR: Not essential. I went to University to a) make my parents proud b) delay the prospect of working for a few more years also c) because with A-Levels reading the Media Guardian I realized all the jobs I wanted to be able to do were only open to graduates. For me, although I ended up on lower or similar income to many of my peers, I needed to be a graduate to get my editorial also writing positions. However, I’d have learned a great deal more if I’d gone into a publishers also worked my way up. I believe work experience counts for a lot more (just as some people I sent my CV to as a graduate believed). What’s more, my partner James is more entrepreneurial than me (and he has the gift of the gab, is more confident, etc). He didn’t go to university, so that proves my point that university education is definitely not essential in achieving business success. Indeed, my BA (Hons) Degree in Media with Cultural Studies may well have hindered me in some ways. I could have been working all that time also saving up to fund my own business. And, if you look at the most successful people in UK business, the majority of them didn’t go to college let alone university. Richard Branson, Simon Woodroffe…

DS: What are the three most important lessons you have learned about business also entrepreneurship?

CR: 1. Everything always takes longer also costs more than you think it will (even when you are fairly stringent with your planning).

2. Go with your gut feeling. Learn how to feel what that is also go with it. The buck stops with you, so you need to get as many decisions right as you can. Some of these decisions will involve others trying to sell you something: support or a service or a partnership. There is a time for diplomacy also sometimes you will need to listen to your instincts also opt not to go ahead with a certain partnership or project.

3. Listen also learn constantly. You must never think you know it all as nobody does. People like to give advice also tell you what they know about things, so you can be constantly learning. You or else need to delegate, also appreciate that there are people out there who can compliment your talents. Remember, it’s all about people.

DS: What advice would you give to an aspiring entrepreneur?

CR: Do your research, find out what your potential customer needs are also test the market where possible. Surround yourself with a good support network also work out your break-even point before you take the plunge. Buy or create a checklist that you can go through before you set up, making sure you’ve considered everything from your company name also marketing to your website, staff also expenditure needs.

DS: What's the number one book you would recommend to aspiring entrepreneurs?

CR: Of course my own book – The Small Business Start-Up Workbook. However, another book I would heartily recommend is Anyone Can Do It by Sahar also Bobby Hashemi of Coffee Republic, also or else Anita Roddick’s Business As Unusual – both are inspirational also help you get things into perspective. Both are available from Amazon.co.uk, or you can order Anita’s books via her own site at www.anitaroddick.com

DS: What memorable mistakes, if any, have you made in business? What did you learn from them also how can they be avoided?

CR: Earlier I mentioned the importance of going with your gut feeling. Well, if I’d done that on at least two occasions, I could have saved a lot of time, credibility also money. We chose a web development team based on referral who ended up being appalling. They made very technical looking sites which had a reduced Google ranking, terrible indexability also were poorly designed also coded. Effectively they talked the talk however didn’t walk the walk. If I’d followed my gut instinct earlier on when the partnership was being discussed, I’d have walked alright… away from them. The partnership cost us credibility, lost Google ranking, plus a whole year of our time. Fortunately, we found a new developer who has made our sites the best they have ever been. But that’s just part of the roller-coaster ride of running your own business.

DS: What are the best also worst things about being an entrepreneur?

CR: Best things are the freedom also flexibility it gives you in terms of trying to reach your goals also in being your own boss. Plus, it’s nice to feel in control of your destiny. The worst things are that nobody can understand what it’s like to run their own business until they do it themselves also the fact that you lose a lot of ‘me’ time also social life when you work long hours on your business. Not getting paid holiday is another negative also personally it’s my occasional inability to switch off from business mode.

DS: Are there any other thoughts, insights, or advice for aspiring entrepreneurs that you'd like to add?

CR: If you believe in your idea, have some proof to back it up also have the energy to be your own boss, go for it. Remember, it’s better to try also fail than to not even bother to try then get to the end of your life wondering, ‘what if’ also ‘if only I’d done that.’

About the author:
Damien Senn helps entrepreneurs create compelling businesses. He is one of the UK's top Business Coaches as well as a fully qualified Chartered Accountant.

Damien is the author of the 'Senn-Sational Success Journal' also has developed his own coaching model called the 'Senn-Sational Success System'.

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