A serial entrepreneur’s top tips for start-up success
Looking to start a business in the new year? Emma Jones, serial entrepreneur and founder of small business support platform Enterprise Nation, shares her top tips for start-up success in 2025.
“The advice for all sectors of business is the same because routes to profitability and growth depend on maintaining a good business model, a clear plan including where you need to be after 12 months, five years and 10 years,” Jones said.
“Entrepreneurs are naturally optimistic, but it’s also important to be flexible, expect to develop resilience – and keep on learning. These are key qualities for success.”
1. Do your research
If it’s a food product, test on family and friends and then take it to a wider, less biased audience. It’s always worth relentlessly researching competitors, too.
How do they do things, and how can you do things better or more efficiently? In some cases, it might be worth considering investing in market research.
Is there a demand for your product or service, what would people be prepared pay for it? Then, work out if that allows you to make enough profit to get to the next level.
2. Create a business plan
If you haven’t already, you need to invest time in building a business plan. A good way to look at this is ‘I’M OFF’: idea, market, operations, financials, and friends – which includes advisers and those who can help you along the way.
You can literally make a plan on our website. It will take you through everything from finances to marketing strategy. It helps you remain on track and accountable and hitting the goals can also be very motivating.
3. Start selling
Reaching a wider audience straight away without having to invest in a huge marketing budget is now more accessible than ever. Many businesses now use social commerce, where they share content and sell their products on their Instagram or Tiktok account.
Or this can be done via powerful global marketplaces like Amazon, Etsy and eBay will give you easy access to customers and you can parcel-up and send via your local Post Office.
You must factor in costs, but it’s a fast way to get going without having to initially invest in your own digital ecommerce software. Or look for service-based businesses, consider platforms like or People per Hour.
4. Get paid
It sounds ridiculous, but having processes to ensure you can be paid on time is vital. Having cash in the bank means you are less likely to have to need expensive finance.
If you’re using marketplaces, the cash comes through automatically, but if not, get used to regularly invoicing, and chasing relentlessly as well as using accounting software which can help with this.
5. Upskill and network
Once you’ve got orders or work coming in, start networking to widen your contacts and use online platforms to build skills. Or you could enrol on Help to Grow: Management course to really hone skills.
We know businesses that take advice or find a mentor, do better than those that don’t. Joining local groups and attending events now that we can again, is a great way to learn and explore in the business community.
Enterprise Nation runs friendly local meet-ups called Local Leaders. It’s free to join – but you do have to buy your own coffee from independent coffee shops, where we hold the meet-ups.
This post is in partnership with the Enterprise Nation Start Up Show 2025, the UK’s biggest start-up show of the new year.
The membership community is on a mission to support a million entrepreneurs and start-up founders every year with supercharged advice, curated and diverse e-learning, events, local connections via its network of local leaders and access to one-to-one mentoring and advice.
Returning on January 25, 2025, the Start Up Show is supported by Constant Contact, GS1 UK and Monzo Business. It is a day where would-be entrepreneurs gather to get tips about starting up.