Thinking of starting a business, but not sure what you need to know? Begin your journey here, with my basic guide to business start-ups.

In my role as Editor for The Business Show and Business Startup, I have talked with literally thousands of business owners and entrepreneurs about what they really need to know, not what a business guru thinks they need to know. This series is the result.
Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, I’ll post a new article in the series, covering a different area of business that every start-up or entrepreneur should know. Each part of the series will look at a different topic; from working out whether your idea will be profitable to deciding on your business structure, getting funding, business tax and who to turn to for advice.
You won’t find answers to all your questions here – there are hundreds of books and websites for every individual topic, after all! What this series will do, however, is give you an overview of the areas you should consider, with some good ideas to get you started.
I’ve approached this series in what seems like a logical order in terms of what you should consider when, but if there’s one thing my experience has taught me, it’s that every business is different! Take what works for you, leave the rest and don’t be afraid to shake it up into whatever shape fits your business!
So what can you expect to cover in the coming weeks? The topics I have planned are:

• Register Your Idea
• Research Your Market
• Write A Business Plan
• Set Up Your Business
• Get Funding
• Tax
• Get A Website
• Marketing
• Employing People
• Call In The Professionals!

I hope you find the series useful. Please, please do your research; read several forums and meet successful local business owners – and listen to what they say! If these articles inspire you, or you found the advice valuable, I’d love to hear from you. And when your business needs a copywriter? Drop me a line…

NEXT: How To Register Your Idea