Leaders Perception Magazine is currently running an interview series called – What Are The Top 5 Mistakes People Make When Starting A New Business?
Today, we had the opportunity to interview Lucy Hurst who is a Managing Director at Sherbet Donkey Media.
Interviewee Name: Lucy Hurst
Company: Sherbet Donkey Media
Lucy Hurst’s favourite quote: “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.”
The Interview
Thank you so much for joining us today! Tell us a little bit about yourself. What is your backstory?
Lucy Hurst : I have a degree in Photography, however, I now run a digital marketing agency which has grown beyond expectations over the last 16 months, we started out we 4 employees and now have 35 and we’re still recruiting. I love what I do and the fact that Sherbet Donkey Media is starting to make real waves within the industry as we’ve got some really talented staff.
In your opinion, what makes your company stand out? Any examples?
Lucy Hurst : The vision from the start was to do things differently. We wanted to manage clients’ expectations and deliver tangiable results. There are some agencies out there who hate what we’re doing as it puts them to shame however, we won’t be slowing down.
What are the TOP 5 mistakes people make when starting a new business? Please share advice/examples for all of them.
Lucy Hurst : 1.) Don’t try and wing it- There’s a lot that goes into starting up a business and getting it all going. Make a list of everything that you’re going to need to do in order to ensure that it’s successful so that you don’t hit a roadblock down the line when, for example, you realise you’d like to pay for something by card, but you forget to set up a business banking account.
2.) Don’t underestimate how much it’ll cost. It’ll cost more than you think, so ensure that you have plenty of funds stashed away or access to a lending facility.
3.) Sales are king. This is true for any business so be prepared to push hard to obtain sales. There isn’t a business out there that can operate without sales, and you can’t expect to simply throw open your doors and have customers walk in.
4.) To get sales you’ll need to market. Don’t underestimate to power of marketing as this is what will raise your profile within your target audience… if done right. If you try and wing it then you probably won’t see a great ROI, however, if you get help to put together a proper marketing strategy then you’ll be reaching your target audience in no time.
5.) Make sure you enjoy what you do. As Confucius said, “Choose a job you love, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life”. Entrepreneurship is next level hard work, but this will be made easier if you’re doing something that you enjoy. If you don’t enjoy it and you’re just in it for the money, then you probably won’t be in it for long.
Leaders Perception magaizne would like to thank Lucy Hurst for the time dedicated to completing this interview and sharing their valuable insights with our readers!
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