Soundbites of success: Lessons from entrepreneurs  

What does it take to start a business? How do you scale? What separates the successes from the failures?  

Every week on the Sage podcast Sound Advice, business owners and entrepreneurs answer these exact questions. After 3 seasons, it’s time to look at what they have in common that guarantees success.  

Read on to discover the secrets to running a successful business, from business owners just like you.  

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Whether you’re a podcast fan or not, chances are if you’re reading this then you’re either an aspiring entrepreneur or have already taken the leap to start your own business.  

Every week, over 3 seasons, the Sound Advice podcast interviews fascinating guests with business stories worth sharing.  

There are 3 key lessons that unite the guests, whether they’ve launched a subscription business from their bedroom, or opened up a Brick-and-Mortar shop on the high street. 

In the article, 5 of our most popular episodes will help outline the secrets of success you need to venture forth and do it yourself.  

James Mansfield: Start an online business with a single cow 

This episode is a must-listen for any budding entrepreneurs interested in starting a subscription business model. James Mansfield, co-founder of field&flower, shares his journey of building his business from scratch.  

He talks about the importance of listening to customers’ needs, building strong email lists, understanding competitors, and learning every aspect of the business.  

James offers a unique insight into both the challenges and rewards of running a subscription business, leaving you with plenty of (flower) food for thought.  

Julien Callede: How to start a scalable business from day 1  

Julien Callede, CEO of Made.com, is for the e-commerce evangelists out there. In this episode, Julien gives a compelling insight into the early days of Made.com, one of the most successful online furniture retailers.  

He explains the importance of aligning the business with one’s purpose, the role of technology in scaling operations, and the value of resilience when things go wrong when scaling a business. This is definitely one to enjoy in your armchair as you ponder the strategy for your startup. 

Natalie Bamford: Set up a £1million mail-order business from £0  

Natalie Bamford shares her journey of creating Colleague Box, a mail-order business that hit £1million in turnover in just 5 months. She talks about the importance of anticipating growth, hiring smartly, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance.  

Her story is a testament to the power of determination and smart business strategies. Tune in if you’re interested in learning how best to handle rapid business growth. 

Simon Squibb: Secure investment for your dream business  

If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, put this episode to the top of your must-listen list. Simon Squibb, serial entrepreneur, shares his hard-won insights on securing investment, crafting winning pitches, and understanding the investor’s mindset.  

He talks about how vital it is to build resilience, understand what investors want to see, and the difference between building a brand and building a business. You’ll be queuing up for his famous pitch doorbell in no time!  

Zoë Chapman: From my 1-bed council flat to the Dragons’ Den  

Zoë Chapman shares her inspirational journey from her 1-bed council flat to pitching her business on Dragons’ Den. She talks about the importance of defying the odds, growing a unique business, and how neurodivergence can provide a fresh lens for innovation.  

As a single mum with limited budget for promotion, Zoe demonstrates the important of building a community on social media, as well as the way the right influencer endorsement can make or break your business. One for all the single parents with a hot idea bubbling in the background.   

3 lessons from entrepreneurs 

You might want to start a cat café, launch a new product, or offer an online service. No matter what your new business is, these 3 themes are integral to running a successful business, as demonstrated by our entrepreneurs.  

1. The customer is at the heart of everything 

Customer-centricity is a phrase which is often bandied around in the business world, but essentially means putting your customers at the centre of your business. Try to really understand their pain points and needs, and address with them with your product or service. If you don’t listen to the needs of your customers, then chances are your business won’t succeed.  

“Our customers helped us in making those decisions. So that kind of led the way, and we tried to understand how people were using our products. The feedback that we were given is what led us to subscription.”

James Mansfield

2. Resilience and risk-taking 

Starting a business is always a risk of one kind or another. It takes someone with a particular kind of risk-tolerance to thrive in that uncertainty. Trying to make a business successful also comes with many ups and downs. Cultivating resilience and the ability to bounce back after failure is one of the core strengths of being a successful entrepreneur.  

As Simon Squibb puts it:  

“The reason I’m successful today is because I’ve taken a lot of risk. In the early years I had no choice but to take a risk.” 

Simon Squibb

3. Innovation and adaptability 

The last few years, including during the Covid-19 pandemic, have been a particular test of entrepreneurs’ agility. At the heart of most successful businesses, you’ll find a willingness to evolve the product or service based on real world feedback (both customer and environmental). It’s one thing to create a successful business. It’s another to create a legacy that will last, and that comes with innovation.  

“At some point, you reach that tipping point, where your business is secure enough, the team you have in place is not only able to run it securely for the rest of the life of the business, but also it’s going to be able to innovate, challenge it.”

Julien Callede

Final thoughts 

Listening to the stories of other business owners, and learning from both their successes and their failures, is a smart course of action for any aspiring entrepreneur.  

However, at the end of the day, success often comes through personal trial and error. If you’ve got a great business idea, start researching everything you need to know, such as: 

• How to create a business plan 

• How to write an invoice 

• How to do your Self Assessment tax return 

Then, take the leap, just like the guests on Sound Advice.  

Who knows, you might even be featured on an episode one day with your own success story to share. Good luck.