This week SmallBizPod #52, the small business podcast, takes a look at how startups and early stage businesses can make the most of market research and includes an interview with Stephen Phillips of Spring Research and Surinder Siama of the Research Talk podcast. There’s also the usual round up of comments from listeners and news on PodCamp UK.

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Listen now:
Download audio file (Sbp52.mp3)

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For those who’d like to download SmallBizPod or listen to it now, right click on the download link or left click on the grey arrow button above to play now.

Show Notes

Summary

Intro:

• 00:00 Alex on what’s coming up in the show.
• 01:04 Your comments and feedback matter, so do get in touch.
• 02:11 Podcamp UK on 1st & 2nd September 2007 in Birmingham – a free and enjoyable event for anyone interested in podcasting, social media and all sorts of online stuff.

Features:

• 02:53 Interview with Stephen Phillips of Spring Research and Surinder Siama of the Research Talk podcast. Alex, Steve and Surinder talk about the ways in which bootstrapped, start-ups can and should conduct research into their market, while not losing their ability to act on gut instinct. The discussion also focuses on how startups with funding or seeking funding should take a more detailed, structured and analytical approach to influence investors. The podcast also covers the importance of co-creation and testing online.

Comments:

• 26:04 Email comment from Angelo Tardioli who asks whether anyone knows of any fashion or food networking groups in London. Get in touch, if you do.
• 27:08 Email from Hannah Wilkinson who points listeners to a useful scheme run by the London Development Agency designed to get graduates to work on projects for your company for 8 weeks, for just £180 per week. Further details can be found at www.stepenterprise.co.uk.
• 28:16 Comment on the blog from Daksh Sharma on how much he’s enjoying Facebook and looking forward to a cd collection of the first 50 episodes of SmallBizPod.
• 29:11 Comment on the blog from SmallBizPod’s first African listeners, Oladele Ayuba, adding to Martin Webb’s thoughts about listening and learning from criticism of your business.
• 31:00 Thanks to all those who’ve signed up to the Frappr map including: Richard Marshall, Alan Noake, Mads, Rick Vanner from Macclesfield and Lisa Foster from Manchester.
• 31:00 Check out the latest posts on e-marketing, green PCs and Business Link at the SmallBizPod blog.

• 33.21 Music – Beyond Babylon by Narcissus Project with many thanks to the Podsafe Music Network.

Tags: small business podcast, market research, startups

SmallBizPod #52 – Friday 27 July 2007

This week SmallBizPod #51, the podcast for small business owners and entrepreneurs, includes an interview with Nigel Botterill, chief executive of thebestof.co.uk about online business, franchising and how his local information site became one of the most visited UK websites. There’s also the usual round up of comments from listeners and some summery electronica.

Right click here to download

Listen now:
Download audio file (Sbp51.mp3)

If you’d like to subscribe free using an RSS feed or better still iTunes, just follow the podcast screencasts to find out how easy it is to make sure you never miss an episode of SmallBizPod.

For those who’d like to download SmallBizPod or listen to it now, right click on the download link or left click on the grey arrow button above to play now.

Show Notes

Summary

Intro:

• 00:00 Alex on what’s coming up in the show.
• 01:24 Many thanks to Eric Dadoun and Skyler Clarke for helping me develop the SmallBizPod Facebook app, which lets anyone on Facebook install a player that plays the latest podcasts. You can find out more about it at the SmallBizPod Facebook group.

Features:

• 02:48 Interview with Nigel Botterill, chief executive of thebestof.co.uk. Nigel explains how the business evolved from the community magazine business his wife had built up and franchised. He talks about how the business has grown rapidly from its launch in 2005 to over 330 local sites, and how he developed its online franchise business and revenue model. Nigel and Alex also discuss how he dealt with the leap from his corporate background to a career as an entrepreneur, the importance of responding and adapting for success, how he built a team, recruitment and the inspiration of thinking big.

Comments:

• 22:52 Email from Mark Wood about how the inspiration and practical advice he’s received from SmallBizPod has helped him and his wife build their business.
• 25:14 Comments on the blog from Ian Denny re business failure and Fiona Brown on 50 episodes.
• 27:11 Latest people to sign up to the Frappr map including: Ed Masters in the French Alps, Jon King in Newport and Stefan Drew.
• 28:08 Audio comment from Gagandeep Sapra.

• 30.10 Music – Emaze by bitbasic with many thanks to Monotonik.

Tags: small business podcast, thebestof.co.uk, startups, internet business

Continued here:
SmallBizPod #51 – Tuesday 10 July 2007