Diversifying the client base at launch and learning to say ‘No’
David Barker reflects on resisting the temptation to say 'Yes' to the first offer when he opened his data centre, and how choosing instead to diversify his client base at launch has enabled 4D Data Centres to maintain rapid growth in a recession.
More from The Entrepreneur
Investment for business growth: Springfield Healthcare Group
Care home operator Springfield Healthcare Group has already begun to use its Business Growth Fund cash to get acquisitive. We find out how progress has been since the investment as part of an exclusive portfolio roundtable.
James Layfield is currently heading up the rapidly expanding Central Working
The Budget 2013: Help for those at the top and bottom, but not the middle man
With dust beginning to settle on George Osborne’s fourth Budget speech, entrepreneur James Layfield looks at whether, yet again, the middle ground SME has been forgotten about.
Lessons learned: Not taking a business card was one of Adams' regrets
Making the most of networking and exploiting customers contacts
Business coach Alan Adams explains the value of capturing good-quality data and reveals why he wished he’d made his clients feel loved at the start of his career.
Katz got the cream
As part of a restructure, law firm Howard Kennedy has appointed partner Dov Katz as head of AIM within the firm’s capital markets group.
Technology review: Noise cancelling Ferrari by Logic3 R300 headphones
The R300 headphones by Ferrari by Logic3 provide a comfortable and high quality way to listen to music on the move and at home.
More from: Best Business Decisions
New ways: Customers were targeted on social media platforms and forums
Promoting the brand directly to the consumer
To allow his brand to stand out in a crowded market, John Bramm decided that shaking up the marketing strategy was the best way to make it stand out.
Switching operations to purely business-to-business
Focusing on the right customer base is important for businesses – and for Omnifone CEO Jeff Hughes, it was a case of B2B is best.
Power of discount: Elliot Grove relied on Groupon when the credit crunch hit
Taking a chance with Groupon
Elliot Grove explains why his Raindance Film Festival and film school might not have survived without the website and Groupon.
Building a team with the right mix of experience and youth
For Simon Hill, founder of idea management business Wazoku, finding the right balance between experience and youth when building his team has given the business the perfect platform to flourish and grow.
Tech entrepreneur: Philip Letts previously founded Beenz.com
Listing on the Alternative Investment Market
Having listed on the Alternative Investment Market and raised £4 million, blur Group CEO and founder Philip Letts explains why the IPO was the best move he’s ever made.
Focusing on company development, not client wins
For aTech Media founder and managing director Adam Cooke, the decision to stop taking on new clients and focus on developing his company's offering has borne fruit in the long run.
Investing in space: Nicholas Green is a firm believer of inspiring surroundings
Investing in the right office environment
For Nicholas Green and his printed.com business, setting up an enjoyable and motivating office space was one of the top priorities.
Getting the right PR message out into the market
With London School of Attraction having a unique and interesting selling point, director Alex Chubb wanted to make sure the company's marketing wasn't cold and formal.
In the deep end: Despite a well-paying job, Britton decided to do it himself
Starting up a business in a recession
A recessionary period is normally a time for business struggles and ultimate failures. However, for CloudSense founder Richard Britton, he decided it was the perfect time to start a business.
Taking advantage of the recession
With the recession at its height in 2008, Steven Hancock, managing director of hospitality provider The Zest Group, decided to embrace the downturn and tackle it head-on.
If at first...: Brandwatch and Palmer have changed direction three times
Learning when to pivot
Finding the right niche market to target is often a big decision, and for Giles Palmer, CEO of social media monitoring company Brandwatch, it took more than one pivot.
More from GrowthBusiness
News & Market Deals
BYOD security business AirWatch tops up its Series A with help from Accel Partners
Mobile security business AirWatch has added to the $200 million Series A round it closed earlier in the year by securing an extra $25 million.
Growing A Business
Corporate leaks: How to prevent and investigate if they occur
Bob Mecrate-Butcher, partner at Charles Russell, looks at how corporate leaks can first be prevented and then plugged when they do occur.
Comment & Analysis
Channeling Instagram for start-up success
That a team of 13 could build a business worth $1 billion should be the inspiration that all entrepreneurs need.
Research
The rise of cash shells
New research from GrowthBusiness shows that the number of UK cash shells is climbing. We speak to new entrants to the market and those that have recently closed deals to find out what’s driving shells’ increasing popularity.
