Business Advice and Guidance Blog

By Rob Twells 3 days ago . 2 minute read

What it’s really like podcast 007 – giving your customers feedback?!

By Rob Twells

Rob travelled to London this week to give one of his customers feedback. Is it ever ok to tell your customers how to work, or should you always work around them? This podcast will really highlight the importance of open & honest communication...

Read post

By Ania Jeffries 3 days ago . 5 minute read

How to build self-belief and confidence

By Ania Jeffries

We all have the power to believe in ourselves. Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you can’t do something. Henry Ford was right when he said: “Whether you think you can or that you can’t, you are usually right”. As a Life Coach and Mentor, who works in the areas of self-belief, confidence and personal development, allow me to share a few simple steps to help you become more confident and have greater self-belief.

Read post

By Rob Twells 6 days ago . 2 minute read

What it’s really like podcast 006 – what podcasts am I listening to and my gameplan for this week

By Rob Twells

In this episode, Rob takes you through the top three podcasts he is listening to right now to get inspiration. He also touches on some books he’s read recently that gave him actionable changes to be implemented at Frogspark!

Read post

By Rob Twells 1 week ago . 2 minute read

What it’s really like podcast 005 – how we got our first paying customers

By Rob Twells

In this episode, Rob tells the story of how his business got their first few clients. One of the biggest stumbling blocks to starting a business is how you get people to pay for your services and how to generate leads. Follow the advice in this podcast and you’ll be sure to get some paying customers!

Read post

By Phyllis Marlene Benstein 1 week ago . 5 minute read

“Engineer to entrepreneur”

By Phyllis Marlene Benstein

For many years my life was defined by Corporate America. Although my roots were in the fashion and beauty industry, I graduated from college with a B.S. in Electrical engineering and began my 25-year career in a male dominated, fast paced and demanding environment as a high frequency (Rf) design engineer.

Read post

By Rob Twells 1 week ago . 2 minute read

What it’s really like podcast 004 – 2019 personal & business goals

By Rob Twells

In this episode, Rob takes you through his 2019 goals for both business and his personal life!

Read post

By Rob Twells 2 weeks ago . 2 minute read

What it’s really like podcast 003 – 2018 recap & what we can learn

By Rob Twells

In this episode, Rob recaps on 2018 - what happened and what went well. He then reflects on three key learning curves from the year that will help shape 2019 and make it the best one yet!

Read post

By Rob Twells 2 weeks ago . 2 minute read

What it’s really like podcast 002 – how we got started & what it took

By Rob Twells

In this episode Rob takes you through the journey of how Frogspark began and what it took to get the business off the ground.

Read post

By Rob Twells 2 weeks ago . 2 minute read

What it’s really like podcast 001 – trailer

By Rob Twells

What it’s really like is a Podcast taking you through the ups & downs of running a small business with big aspirations. In this episode Rob takes you thought his reasons why he started the Podcast, what you can expect and a brief intro to his business journey so far.

Read post

By Mariatu Turay 4 weeks ago . 3 minute read

Key traits of successful entrepreneurs – Intuition

By Mariatu Turay

There are times in business when in the presence of facts or the absence of, you've got this 'feeling'. This 'feeling' or intuition (abstract at very best) could present itself as a warning bell or excitement. Many times, you can't quite put your finger on it, but it’s birthed from a sixth sense - one that somehow seems to have converged on you from the universe. Unseen, but a co-conspirator that's somehow trying to guide you. Truly successful entrepreneurs have a heightened sense of intuition. They feel it and they trust it.

Read post

By Frances Day 4 weeks ago . 3 minute read

Value vs price

By Frances Day

Pricing is about positioning your product or brand; it needs to be competitive but also make a profit. The price sends a signal to customers about the product quality and exclusiveness. There are powerful psychological and behavioural aspects to pricing. A product is only worth what a customer is prepared to pay for it. But this does not necessarily mean it needs to be the cheapest. A small business may be able to compete with its rivals by adding extra services and details that will offer their customers better value for their money.

Read post

By Angelika Breukers 1 month ago . 3 minute read

Escort to entrepreneur

By Angelika Breukers

Sometimes the thing that changes you is yourself. Thought patterns, belief systems and attitudes are accrued throughout life, imprinting heavily in childhood. It is these very things that can be changed to change your story and change for life.

Read post

By Mario d'Aragona 1 month ago . 7 minute read

Business basics: the finance fundamentals you need to master for growth

By Mario d'Aragona

Small to Medium Enterprises are quite exposed to the changes in the external environment. In the earlier phases of their business life cycle and before maturity, SMEs fight for their survivals; some little mistakes and wrong decisions can result in devastating consequences on their going concern.

Read post

By Sandrine Galbert 1 month ago . 5 minute read

“It’s been a long journey… but now i see it all coming together”

By Sandrine Galbert

Sandrine was always driven to be an entrepreneur. Originally from Martinique, she studied fashion design in Paris before arriving in London at the age of 19, with just a backpack and a French/English dictionary. Shortly after arriving in London she found herself on the streets after her money being stolen. Luckily a friend from Paris was running a model agency in London and Sandrine was offered a position as a booker. Sandrine soon realised she wanted to run her own business.

Read post

By Marie Spreckley 1 month ago . 3 minute read

Staying fit and healthy with a busy schedule

By Marie Spreckley

Are you trying to stay fit and healthy yet find it hard to fit this into your busy schedule? It’s easier than you may think. Here are some tips and tricks that barely take up time yet will make a huge difference.

Read post

By Charlie Whyman 1 month ago . 3 minute read

Top 10 mistakes people make when using LinkedIn (and how to avoid them)

By Charlie Whyman

We all make mistakes when we start doing something new. If you learn from them and don’t repeat the process then a mistake actually turns into a huge opportunity.

Read post

By Nigel O'Donoghue 1 month ago . 5 minute read

Why starting a business is no easy feat

By Nigel O'Donoghue

Starting a business is no easy feat. In fact, it’s estimated that 80% of all new UK businesses launched between 2007 and 2016 failed within a year of launching. These daunting figures aren’t putting off budding entrepreneurs, though. With more than 610,000 startups opening their doors this year alone, there are clearly many people who believe in their big business idea and are willing to put everything they have into making it a success.

Read post

By James Harford-Tyrer 1 month ago . 5 minute read

Don’t fake it! A newcomers guide to premium purchasing

By James Harford-Tyrer

With Instagram leading the high fashion frenzy, getting the lux look for less is something the image-conscious are striving for more than ever before. However, a less than premium purchase can often be hard to spot at first glance – particularly when browsing online. You may think you’re getting a steal, but as they say, there’s no such thing as a free lunch. To ensure you’re not compromising on quality and are investing wisely, there are a few key pieces of advice to follow.

Read post

By Scott Keyser 1 month ago . 12 minute read

My entrepreneurial journey and the 5 lessons I’ve learnt

By Scott Keyser

Here’s my elevator pitch. When I have 60 precious seconds to introduce myself at a networking or round-table event, here’s what I say:
“Hi, I’m Scott Keyser, The Writing Guy. When I was six I wrote a story called ‘I am a shoe’ and since then I’ve been having a love affair with the English language. 54 years later, I’m still in love. Now I show businesses how to use language that resonates with their client or prospect, whether it’s a presentation, pitch or proposal.

Read post

By Catalyst Collective 1 month ago . 5 minute read

Changing the dialogue around inclusion

By Catalyst Collective

Diversity is a hot topic at the moment – everyone has their tick boxes and KPIs. Creating inclusive workplaces is complex and challenging otherwise we’d all have done it by now! In our experience, to actually bring about transformational change takes time with intentional consistent effort, leaders need to walk the talk, and become aware of bias, privilege and how it plays out inside organisational systems and shows up in our own leadership. This is fun challenging and hard work, AND we believe significant change is possible!

Read post

By Kike Oniwinde 1 month ago . 3 minute read

Changing the black narrative

By Kike Oniwinde

When I started BYP, it's because I saw it being the future. Working in FinTech, I recognised the power of apps and tech, but I noticed diversity in this sector was what was missing, not only in terms of the lack of women but also the lack of black people. We all know diversity is the key to success in any organisation, and inclusion is vital for ensuring we keep progressing.

Read post

By David Rothwell 2 months ago . 5 minute read

Why redundancy spurred me on to start a business

By David Rothwell

The advice I would give to others who have just been made redundant and are weighing up their options is to realise that there has never been a better time to get into your own business because of free and cheap ways to get your message heard in the world by people who will be receptive for the skills and experience you could offer.

Read post

By Matt Kepple 2 months ago . 5 minute read

Coaching versus criticism

By Matt Kepple

“Using performance data for the sole purpose of determining whether someone or something has passed or failed is like using a smartphone solely to make voice calls. There is so much more that a smartphone can do if you are willing to embrace its apps. Similarly, there is so much that any kind of performance data can tell us about our work if we are willing to embrace its insights.

Read post

By Neil Elliot 2 months ago . 4 minute read

When life gives Brexit make lemonade

By Neil Elliot

Brexit, bloody Brexit, a whole world of pain for Brexiters and Remoaners alike. Most of you, well those that can even be bothered any more, are sick to hind teeth with the whole debacle. And who can blame anyone for giving up the ghost? At present it could look like Walesland, Scotland, Northern Ireland and England will become no man's land.

Read post

By Neil Robson 2 months ago . 4 minute read

Rebelling against the chocolate norm

By Neil Robson

Did you know that most milk chocolate contains a frightening 50 - 60% sugar and excess sugar consumption is a major contributor to the world obesity epidemic? Here at Rebel Chocolate, our vision is to make a significant impact on the fight against obesity by providing healthier chocolate.

Read post

By Andrew Jervis 3 months ago . 3 minute read

Building a comparative marketplace

By Andrew Jervis

Andrew Jervis is the Co-founder and CEO of ClickMechanic, a car repair marketplace that is aiming to transform how people get their vehicle repaired. His experience and knowledge of enterprise is steeped in years of being surrounded by investors and close business allies.

Read post

By Rob Twells 3 months ago . 10 minute read

10 ways I cope with a heavy workload

By Rob Twells

I’m probably my own worst enemy when it comes to a heavy workload; I always need to have something to do, and I find it difficult to just sit and do nothing. In saying that, there is always something that needs to be done, whether that’s within my personal, or business life. My main issue is that I struggle to prioritise and figure out what it is that needs my attention more urgently.

Read post

By Carly Thompsett 3 months ago . 6 minute read

Started from the bottom and now reaching for the top

By Carly Thompsett

I left school at 15 with some GCSE’s but being dyslexic I was told I probably wouldn’t mount too much anyway so why bother. I got a job and I started at College for 3 years, which I did both full-time. I did hair and beauty for the first year and art and design for the last two. I wanted to become a fashion designer that was my calling in life, my room was always piled high with art books and designs, I was always making things and I just never knew what to do with them. I did all this while I became a manager at my job.

Read post

By Andrew Sanderson 10 months ago . 8 minute read

How starting a business with a family changed me

By Andrew Sanderson

I’ve often heard people say that having children made them a lot more motivated and driven in their careers, as the responsibility of needing to provide for them pushed them forward. It’s an interesting point and the reverse can also be true, material things previously aspired to become less important after having children. Playing an active part in their lives means a 24/7 focus on business isn’t necessarily sustainable. I’ve experienced both sides having started my London Estate Agency when I didn’t have any children and my Derby Estate Agency as a dad to two children under 3!

Read post

By Rob Twells 1 year ago . 6 minute read

Why I love making mistakes

By Rob Twells

In the business world, there’s often a stigma around making mistakes, whether it be the worry of being perceived as weak or unprofessional, we fear making mistakes. When in fact, there is nothing wrong with making mistakes - it makes us human, and shouldn’t be frowned upon. Both in our personal and professional lives, the only way we can move forward and progress is by learning, and making mistakes presents the perfect learning curve.

Read post

By Rune Sovndahl 1 year ago . 5 minute read

Fantastic Services ‘360 degrees happiness’

By Rune Sovndahl

Fantastic Services, established by Rune Sovndahl and Anton Skarlatov, is one of the leading domestic and home maintenance companies in the UK. The founders met at a party. Rune needed a carpet cleaning service and Anton was running a cleaning business. While talking, they both realised that they shared a vision - to revolutionise this industry by creating a trustworthy brand.

Read post

By Tom Oswald 1 year ago . 8 minute read

Adaptability in business

By Tom Oswald

I have always been an avid entrepreneur, a holder of multiple patents and involved in a variety of things from on-licence alcohol dispense systems to record labels, robotics and to Laser spectroscopy gas detection products, and I’m always looking for the next big opportunity and 3 years ago my biggest opportunity yet presented itself; YouTube was going to launch a product called YouTube Red. This product was going to destroy the livings of millions of artists because what YouTube was going to do was paywall their content.

Read post

By Tom Lovelace 1 year ago . 10 minute read

The truths of starting a business in the fashion industry

By Tom Lovelace

I think one of the first things I remember thinking when starting my first business was “this isn't that hard; why are people always complaining that starting a business is hard work?” Oh, how wrong I was! Business is a massive learning curve, and it means that you have to have a well-rounded knowledge of a number of different skills and capabilities.

Read post

By Rob Twells 1 year ago . 12 minute read

Biggest business lessons during 2017

By Rob Twells

2017 has bought a year of growth and development for Frogspark; since the beginning of the year we’ve added 6 new members to our Derby based digital marketing and web development teams. We’ve seen a particular growth in the digital marketing side of the business this year, which has seen a shift in our business strategy - as previously we had a primary focus on the web design side of Frogspark. This year has brought challenges and successes, and overall has taught me some of the biggest lessons in business when it comes to growing a business.

Read post

By Simon Crowther 1 year ago . 10 minute read

Barriers in business

By Simon Crowther

I launched Flood Protection Solutions Ltd in 2012, aged 18, alongside studying for a degree in Civil Engineering. The company became the sole UK importer of the Water-Gate barrier from Megasecur. The business has grown over the past 5 years into one of the UK’s leading flood defence companies. It now has a turnover of almost £2million, with clients including Thames Water, Yorkshire Water and the Environment Agency.
I’m always asked ‘why flood defence? That’s an odd business to set up!’

Read post

By Araminta Sheridan 1 year ago . 7 minute read

Values to build a successful business

By Araminta Sheridan

If you surround yourself with happy, interesting, kind people, your behaviour becomes a reflection of theirs. Another person's excitement about a project or thirst for knowledge and personal development is contagious. When you make the decision to start your own business, you take on the ability to curate who you surround yourself with. Starting a business is challenging enough so upon starting my own I felt I owed it to myself to take away the additional stress factor of working with disruptive people.

Read post

By Rob Twells 1 year ago . 8 minute read

What I wish I’d known before starting a business

By Rob Twells

During my third year at university, I decided to put my passion for going into business to reality and began designing and building websites for people that were looking for them in my spare time. By the time I graduated, I had built up a steady client base and had the financial security in order to go full time with Frogspark. But there was definitely a lot of lessons I had to learn - and many late nights ahead!

Read post

By Rob Twells 1 year ago . 11 minutes read

Work-life balance as a business owner

By Rob Twells

It can be difficult to know how much time to spend on both working in and growing the business, whilst also spending quality time with my friends and family. I think this is something many business owners do struggle with, but I’m starting to improve.

Read post

By Melissa Eveleigh 1 year ago . 7 minute read

From a love of books to something much more

By Melissa Eveleigh

I’ve always had an interest in books. My fascination started as soon as I could understand words and stories. Just after I moved into secondary school, I became friends with a woman who wrote books and had been published. I turned my attention to the process of creating books, mostly in terms of writing.

Read post

By Natalie Bamford 1 year ago . 10 minute read

How I used local knowledge to start my own business

By Natalie Bamford

My mission is simple and is what drives me to do my job every day – it’s to help local families find what’s on locally by being a ‘one stop site for family fun in Derbyshire.’ One site for all the information you need so you don’t have to look at several sites like I was forced to do in the past.

Read post

By James Taylor 1 year ago . 12 minute read

Going above and beyond your competition

By James Taylor

When people start a business, one of the common questions people get asked is – what’s your business plan, what will make you different?

Read post

By Chris Green 1 year ago . 6 minute read

Business meeting in a coffee shop?

By Chris Green

The bond between coffee and work is forever. It has long been the staple drink for employees in offices, leading to pumped workers, ones with alert brains ready to tackle the tasks of the day.

Read post

By Maria Baranowska 1 year ago . 13 minute read

Choosing a career in tech in 2017

By Maria Baranowska

Choosing a career in technology in Britain has always been a safe bet for a secure future. But with recent political and social developments, what does the future actually look like for the technology industry?

Read post

By Rebecca Newenham 1 year ago . 15 minute read

Virtual assistance: a gap in the market

By Rebecca Newenham

Rebecca Newenham spotted a gap in the market to provide businesses with virtual assistance. She shares the reasons behind her business success.

Read post

By Kate Tattersfield 1 year ago . 8 minute read

How can serviced offices help growing businesses?

By Kate Tattersfield

From co-working to shared offices, agreements to terms, leases to contracts, it can be hard to know what to look for. Why choose a serviced office?

Read post

By Derry Holt 1 year ago . 12 minute read

Starting a business: the truths

By Derry Holt

Many things change during the ‘entrepreneurial journey’ all aspiring business owners walk. People, products and places can all change in an instant, but one thing is constant - the experience you take away from it.

Read post

By Rob Twells 1 year ago . 12 minute read

Should you start a business at university?

By Rob Twells

Most people say there's never a good time to start a business, but could university be the answer? The deadlines are daunting and you have to work night and day, but here's a few reasons why I think that starting my business at university was the best decision I made.

Read post

By Ed Hollands 1 year ago . 4 minute read

How to take the first step?

By Ed Hollands

Launching your first business can be very hard; it’s a bit like bungee jumping for the first time. You’re stood on the edge scared it’s going to fail and you’ll hit the ground. But you try it and you either love it or say you’ll never do it again.

Read post

By Rob Twells 1 year ago . 3 minute read

Welcome to Blogspark!

By Rob Twells

I wanted to create somewhere that could act as a hub of advice and relatable stories from the business community. Whether you're just starting out or have had years of experience, we all need continued advice and guidance.

Read post

Sharing business journeys

Find advice and guidance that will help you grow and develop your business.

The ceiling has a crack in it: women in property investment

Revolutionising the support for dementia caregivers

What it’s really like podcast 007 – giving your customers feedback?!

How to build self-belief and confidence

What it’s really like podcast 006 – what podcasts am I listening to and my gameplan for this week

What it's really like podcast 003 - 2018 recap & what we can learn