This is a journey no-one should make on their own so where can you turn for support
"One of my main motivators is the fact that I don’t have to go and work somewhere else. I’ve worked in London, and I..." Fiona Cruickshank
"I think you have to be quite an open person to be an entrepreneur. You have to be willing to listen to people and be..." Kari Owers
"My dad has been an invaluable support to me offering me both business guidance but also encouragment throughout." Tom Bivens
"When we were setting up, again with the support of the region, we went to a lot of networking events. We managed to..." Satish Shewhorak
"We attend regular seminars at Northumbria University with lawyers, accountants and industry professionals. They taught..." Sarah Taylor
"I would say to other emerging entrepreneurs if you really want to achieve something just go for it. I took the plunge..." Susan Pluse
"I don’t think there’s any stage of starting a business that’s academically difficult. It’s not like learning algebra..." Pete Hunt
"I think if you want to start out in business, the one thing I would say is, just do it, and try not to analyse..." Roy Stanley
"Don’t give up and don’t lie there thinking you can’t do this. I reckon just about anyone could set up their own..." Sheila Stokes-White
"My family have been a great support but I would advise anyone wanting to start their own business to seek independent..." Alison Stanley
"I don’t think business gets easier or harder. I think you just get different issues to deal with. If you’re a small..." Keith Miller
"All the opportunities I’ve had in my adult life have sprung out of the North East of England, and a lot of those have..." Roy Stanley
"My mum had always drilled down my throat that I should never have to rely on a man as she had done, and it’s just gone..." Fiona Cruickshank
"When we started out, we talked to Newcastle University enterprise centre who put us in touch with Business Link, One..." Pete Hunt
"Be prepared to be open to people’s advice and criticism, but don’t feel like you have to take it. You don’t have to be..." Pete Hunt
"It’s really important to get the right support, those crucial building blocks, behind you. For Finance we have an..." Peter Nixon
"It’s up to the individual to make it happen. You can go for all the advice and support in the world, but unless you..." Nickie Gott
"You’ve got to think, as I did, right, I’m going to do this and just go for it, and make sure the people around you..." Nickie Gott
"I went to Northumberland Business Services and got advice from them and attended some workshops. Now I have a uniform..." Alison Stanley
"To be an entrepreneur takes a lot of hard work and some long hours, but if you are determined to succeed, research your..." Les Calvert
"If you’re thinking of starting your own business, I would say it’s not easy, but it’s definitely worth it. So you’ve..." Chris Quickfall
"If you’re thinking of starting your own business, all you need is the ability to believe in it, and to do it." Fiona Cruickshank
"I had a mentor at Generator when I went on music course, and also a business advisor, and they helped me realise my..." Clare Tucker
"Don’t be in awe of the business world. Business people are not a special breed; there’s nothing magic that they have..." Trudy Hindmarsh
"There are people out there who are cautious- folks who tell you you can’t do this, you can’t do that. But if you..." Sir Peter Vardy
"I think you need to be flexible and open minded. If your mind is too set in one particular direction, that could be..." Antonia Clifford
"You’ve got to have self belief; you’ve got to be determined, focused, and not give up. Just keep going. You’ve got a..." Keith Miller
"It’s about living with yourself at the end of the day, being able to do something that you can make an impact on...." Angela Brown
"I didn’t really see myself being different to anyone else; all I knew was that I wanted to take control of my..." Lynn Gate
"You’ve got to be able to take risks, and to stand right back up again whenever you get knocked down. Business isn’t..." Chris Quickfall
"I’ve also underestimated the importance of networking. I did quite a bit of it, but didn’t see it for what it was; I..." Sheila Stokes-White
"I think the secret behind being a good entrepreneur is to maintain a belief in what you’re doing and be totally aware..." William Ingram
"I’ve had four businesses before Rozmic, but I always wanted Rozmic to be a lot bigger than my other companies and it’s..." Ross Cooney
"Don’t let things knock you back, and if they do, bounce straight back. David Beckham’s got golden ones; to build your..." Louise Allcroft
"If you’ve really got the passion and the determination to set up your own business, then grab hold of that self belief..." Lynn Gate
"Whilst I have ambition, I am also realistic. I realise my limitations but am confident enough to seek help. My family..." William Ingram
"I think you can either be an optimist or a pessimist, and I’m an optimist so I think that if you work hard enough, you..." Carol Metcalfe
"I’m a member of the trade group. That’s allowed me to network in the sense that I’m able to talk to other people in..." John Hays
"People often think, it’s a completely new experience, what if it doesn’t work out, what if I don’t enjoy it? But..." Alistair McLean
"My husband was a great support and got a personal loan for me when I was turned down for a business loan. I’ve done..." Naomi Johnson
"I’ve gained so much support from my girlfriend Louisa and my parents. They have helped pull me through the hard times..." David Shannon
"If you’re thinking about starting your own business, remember to keep focused and motivated and have self belief…you..." Clare Tucker
"I booked an appointment with Business Link as I thought I could benefit from their support in regards to expertise and..." Ceyhan Mihcioglu
"I don’t think business is difficult from an intellectual point of view. It’s grinding and tough at times, but if..." Lorna Moran
"The more you can learn and the more knowledge you gain, the more you can put into your own work. People will take less..." Sarah Taylor
"I’ve received encouragement and advice from my family and friends, particularly my husband, who is the brains behind..." Nicole Race
"I wouldn’t change what I did under any circumstances. Even if the company fails, I’ve had a fantastic time and I’ve..." Jonathan Wells
"I didn’t seek enough advice to start the business though. Now I’ve learnt that it’s good to talk about your ideas and..." Anh Mao
"Through sheer determination, I researched and wrote the ‘vien ici’ business plan myself, and my father gave me a lot of..." Vien le Wood
"I think most things fail because people only half heartedly try them, or they don’t run at them fast enough. If you’re..." Alan Timothy
"I went to Business Link and got advice on how I should write my business plan and find the right location for my..." Steve Mbara
"Having a mentor’s fantastic and I’d recommend it to anybody. Somebody just to throw your ideas at, and who’ll come..." Chris Quickfall
"Eventually, once established myself I would like to be able to offer advice and support to youngsters in the area who..." Michelle Taylor
"Remember inspiration and support shouldn’t be and isn’t just centred around money; real value comes from people..." Sean Gerrie
"I’ve had support from my husband Michael and my mother works one day a week on reception. Michael’s parents have also..." Linda Winship
"It’s really important to protect intellectual property. We have incredibly secure employment contracts and we’re also..." Ross Cooney
"I think in order to be successful you need to do something that you passionately believe in, then all the difficulties..." Anne Curtis
"The support I’ve received has been invaluable. My wife Evan has been a major player in my success. My daughter even..." Terry Barnett
"We’ve worked extremely hard to get where we are, and have found that there are many people out there very willing to..." Kevin Owens
"You can do it. In the words of Goethe “Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Begin it now. Boldness..." Gavin Blowman
"You do need to be sure it’s what you want, and the changes in your life that that’s going to bring about. But then..." Sheila Stokes-White
"In order to become successful you need to have that self belief and confidence that your product or service can take..." Rosie Willett
"Although the business has only been going for three weeks I have loved every bit of it and I’m learning all the time. I..." Lindsay Hogg
"Its not the hours that you put in, it’s what you put in the hours that counts. It’s what you do when you’re there, not..." Sir Peter Vardy
"I think you need to ignore all those many, many reasons why you think you shouldn’t do it and go for those one or two..." Christian Cerisola
"There are plenty of people out there who have bought the T-shirt. You just have to go and ask them. We’re not going..." Sir Peter Vardy
"My former employer in Saltburn was really supportive when I told him I wanted to set up my own business. He stopped..." Nathan Robinson
"One of the biggest problems with having a good job is that you’re frightened of leaving. It’s a very big decision to..." Jonathan Wells
"Stories provide great insightful and inspiring snippets that you can takeaway with you – whether online like this one..." Sean Gerrie
"I think there’s advice that you have to pay for too. We’ve got a very good accountant, a financial adviser and a great..." Kari Owers
"When I meet friends of mine who have normal, full time office based jobs and I describe my day to them and all the..." Ross Cooney
"I try to spot things early on and patch them up. If it’s not going to work in the long run, it’ll just get harder and..." Jamie Greenwood
"Rozmic is a high cash burn business, so the risks involved are very very high. In order to cover those risks we’ve..." Ross Cooney
"I think if you start your own company, you need to love what you do as you will be eating, breathing and living in the..." Melanie Cornish
"When you get bad advice, when people say your idea’s never going to work, really pursue it. Don’t give up." Sarah Taylor
"One of the reasons I joined the Entrepreneurs Forum was so I could have access to people who've been there and done it..." Greg Phillips
"The support I’ve received has been tremendous. I couldn’t have achieved what I have without my husband Stephen who has..." Anne Larvin
"There were various routes where we got help from in terms of start up costs. We got some assistance from Building Up..." Christian Cerisola
"Business Link were a good source of support in the way of grants for our website and the purchase of software. Sarah..." Peter Nixon
"I genuinely believe that adversity is a test to see what you do next. The majority of people often back off but..." Peter Nixon
"On an ongoing basis I would also recommend having access to a range of advisers with whom you can discuss specific..." Sheila Stokes-White
"My biggest mistake was the fact that when I first started out, I expected things to just happen. They didn’t, and..." Jonathan Grubin
"I think if you want to start your own business, don’t be too hard on yourself and give it your very best shot. If the..." Anh Mao
"My family, Northumbria University and Business Link have been great in helping me realise my vision." Rosie Willett
"When I speak to friends who are sitting in jobs but perhaps have aspirations to run their own businesses, they often..." Ross Cooney
"My business partner Hilary came on board with me. She was a fine artist and had been through the same process as me..." Carol Metcalfe
"Be passionate in what you are doing, focused, determined, hard working, dedicated, but don’t do everything yourself! A..." Nancy Haughey
"I’ve really needed my friends and family’s guidance as well as professional support. My parents have never pushed me..." Louise Allcroft
"You can’t think, this could be the difference between paying the mortgage next month or not. You need to have the..." Mark Ions
"Think hard about the path you’re about to take and listen to the advice from those who offer it, but remember you don’t..." Melanie Cornish
"Our family and friends have supported us from the start and would walk over burning coals to continue supporting us." Anne Curtis
"I’ve recently had loads of positive feedback which is a real moral boost. I couldn’t have got this far without the..." Leanne Hodgson
"From the people I’ve spoken to, the best advice comes from the people who’ve been there and done it. Learn from anyone..." Matt Stirland
"When you’re starting out, I would definitely recommend seeking out as much help as possible, there will be times when..." Sheila Stokes-White
"It’s not easy, and there’s a lot of work involved. To run your business you need complete dedication and commitment to..." William Ingram
"My dad was a great sounding board because he’d been there and done it but if you can just find someone who has a real..." Paul Bell
"Have a healthy attitude to risk. I don’t think you’d get away with much if you’re not prepared to risk some stuff...." Fiona Cruickshank
"I take my inspiration from other entrepreneurs especially some of the founder members of the Entrepreneurs Forum. We..." Lynn Gate
"The only advice I’d give to any budding entrepreneurs would be to go for it! You don’t always need business experience..." Leanne Hodgson
"I’m not sure I see myself as an entrepreneur. I think it is the company that is successful but I do acknowledge that..." Anne Curtis
"I would urge people interested in starting their own business to check out the competition and what they are doing..." Linda Winship
"I think one of the things I’ve learnt specifically about selling the business is that lawyers get paid to tell you what..." Alan Timothy
"If I’ve learned one lesson in life, it’s to be decisive. You can’t expect every one of your decisions to be right...." Lorna Moran
"I think the public perception of an entrepreneur is that they’ve got the right connections; they know the right people..." Antonia Clifford
"I went to Business Link for support and they helped me to put in place business plans and organise grants to buy..." Nickie Gott
"In terms of finding advice and who to lean on for support, I look to people who run their own business a lot of the..." Kari Owers
"To succeed in business I think you have to be incredibly resilient. No matter how many times you’ve been kicked on the..." Simon Pearson
"Someone who is prepared to follow their ambitions and dreams have the makings of a successful entrepreneur. It is also..." Denise Walker
"Don’t do anything half hearted. If there’s an idea that you believe in, that you’re passionate about, if you’re going..." Greg Phillips
"I decided to do a course in company direction (with the Institute of Directors) and when I got there, there were some..." Louise Allcroft
"If you look long enough and ask enough people, experience has taught me that more people than not want to help. Don’t..." Ann Oliver
"For someone setting up their own business I would say what my dad has always said to me ‘Never give up’ and ‘You can..." Ceyhan Mihcioglu
"If you’re going to start in business, find yourself a growing market. I literally stumbled across this market of shoes..." Sir Tom Hunter
"It’s difficult when you have family commitments, to put those at risk. I’m at a stage in my life though in my late 40s..." Jonathan Wells
"We’ve received an offer for i-snapshot in this current funding round to re-locate it all to America which is probably..." Alan Timothy
"We faced a number of barriers we had to overcome in getting the business off the ground, and it was mainly just keeping..." Alan Timothy
"What gives me huge satisfaction is that I can look at my diary in the morning, and most of the things I’m doing I..." Fiona Cruickshank
"One of the biggest challenges has always been to keep believing even when bad news has just been received. I read and..." Peter Nixon
"It’s not going to be plain sailing. Maybe it’s just me but I’ve never yet seen a business plan that has done what it..." Roy Stanley
"I think it’s probably easier to set up a business in the North East than anywhere else in terms of opportunities that..." Kari Owers
"We’re looking to grow Rozmic, from around one hundred thousand in turnover a year to several million. The..." Ross Cooney
"Several years ago whilst my business idea was spawning I kept it very much to myself, however as I began realising..." Sean Gerrie
"I’ve had tremendous support from friends and my close family as well as networking groups, talking to people who..." Nancy Haughey
"We were presented with a lot of help from the region which was really important for us having just come out of..." Satish Shewhorak
"If you have an idea all you need is the belief to make it happen. If I was to give one tip to a budding entrepreneur it..." Tom Bivens
"I don’t think there’s a magic secret; I think people have different qualities. It’s certainly not down to intelligence..." Greg Phillips
"My wife has been an amazing support and I got financial support from the Northumberland Enterprise Fund, In Biz and..." David Goldsmith
"There’s no better thing than to take control of your life and not have other people control you. You should never be..." Lynn Gate
"Like many business owners running Pearsons has been a huge roller coaster of highs and lows! Since starting Pearsons..." Simon Pearson
"A lot of people ask me how I value intellectual property. It’s our most important asset; the only item of stock that..." Ross Cooney
"Speaking to people who’ve done it all before has been a very good thing to do though. I joined organisations like the..." Jonathan Wells
"Simply to go for it and be persistent. If you get knocked down, get up again and believe in what you are doing." Anne Larvin
"Through our previous experiences we had already established a sound network in the North East. Durham University was..." Rona Askew
"I didn’t go for many business support organisations when I started. We got a small grant from Business Link when we..." Angela Brown
"We get a lot of support from the two non execs that we have in the business. It’s been so important to us to have them..." Chris Quickfall
"I think the North East is a fantastic place to do business. The people are incredibly friendly, and within the..." Kari Owers
"Someone who is prepared to follow their ambitions and dreams have the makings of a successful entrepreneur. It is also..." Lorna James
