Preparing to Launch: The Ultimate SME Business Checklist
Launching a new business is exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming. Having recently supported an SME to launch a new property maintenance business, I was reminded just how many moving parts there are. From developing your brand to putting the right systems and marketing in place, here’s a practical checklist to help make sure you’re ready for launch.
What Makes a Good Website?
Your website is more than just an online presence – it’s your digital shop window. For small businesses, a well-designed site can showcase your brand, engage customers and drive sales. In this blog I share five practical website tips to help SMEs create a site that works as hard as they do.
How Early Jobs Shaped My Career
My early career helped shape my work ethic, honed my skills, and gave me the confidence to tackle any challenge. Now I’m supporting SMEs so that they can continue to offer the next generation invaluable life and work skills.
What is a Marketing Generalist?
I often describe myself as a marketing generalist - a professional jack-of-all-trades, if you will. Over the past two decades, I’ve touched on almost every element of marketing, excluding e-commerce.
What always fascinates me, though, is the perplexed look that appears on people’s faces when I tell them I work in marketing - and even more so when I mention I’m a marketing generalist. It’s usually followed by the inevitable question: “So, what exactly do you do?”
Marketing is sometimes dismissed as just the “leaflet department” or a place that makes things “pretty” and “polished.” But the truth is, it’s so much more than that.
AI: Friend, Not Foe
As we navigate the AI revolution, there’s growing concern that robots will replace jobs - especially in marketing. However, AI is a powerful ally, not a threat. It helps marketers streamline tasks, improve decision-making, boost efficiency, and drive results. In marketing, AI should be seen as an opportunity to augment creativity, not replace it.
Marketing 101: A Lesson from a Seven-Year-Old
My seven-year-old gave me a masterclass in marketing - branding, strategy, and creativity - without even knowing what it is!
Stepping into the Limelight: The Art of Self-Promotion
As a marketeer, I’ve always been content with my role of making others shine – whether that’s people, businesses, products, or services. Now, as I step into the world of self-employment, I’m stepping out of my comfort zone and promoting myself, my skills, my experience, and the services I offer.
Preparing to Launch
At the start of 2026, I found myself at a crossroads in my career. I could either continue working in-house for employers, or take the leap into self-employment. I chose the latter, and to kick-start my journey, I needed to create my own brand identity.