In this episode I speak with Will Davies, Co-founder and Director of HBD Partners. He shares invaluable advice on the importance of legally protecting your business from the start, also how to manage the pressures and responsibilities of being a new business owner and what steps you can take to look after your teams remotely.

HBD Partners is a specialist recruitment consultancy operating within the Hospitality, Leisure and Travel sectors. We focus on middle to senior management positions and work in partnership with our clients in a consultative manner and with the highest integrity. Will can be contacted here: [email protected]

Will’s advice:

• Have confidence in your brand and believe in what you do
• Map out a topline business plan and include the company ethos and culture you’d like to aim for
• Reevaluate and update it continually as your business grows
• If you are a partnership, draft a shareholders’ agreement as soon as possible, to protect the business in case of unforeseen disagreements or disasters in the future
• Partner with a good accountant who will help you run the business efficiently
• Be prepared to diversify your business offering should the market require it
• Leave a healthy percentage of cash in the business at all times
• Make sure your employees are fully engaged and feel valued at all times
• Set a clear direction and framework for your teams in order to deliver back to the business 
• Always thoroughly research suppliers before committing to any long term business
• Do not be fearful of the unknown 

Will’s recommended accountant is Vince Dalaimo Tax Assist Southwark Bridge Road and web marketing company: MBJ London.

Links

• LastPass the password keeping site that syncs between devices. They offer a free of charge service which I've been using. This post is unpaid however there is an affiliate link you can use here should you want to support the podcast. 
• I use Buzzsprout podcast 'how to' & hosting directory to create this podcast series as well as their super simple hosting platform . Their support team is second to none too.
• Canva has proved invaluable for creating all the social media assets and audio bites.

Thank you for listening.  I’d love to hear your own startup stories and please do let me know if you have any questions for future guests as well: [email protected]
I would also be delighted if you could rate, review and share this podcast with anyone else who may be starting a company in 2020. 

Hosted by Juliet Fallowfield, founder of PR for startups advisory Fallow, Field & Mason, How To Start Up hopes to bring you confidence, encouragement and reassurance that you’re on the right track. 

Recorded, edited & published by Juliet Fallowfield in September 2020.
MUSIC CREDIT  Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeod.  Link & Licence

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