Build a Better Startup Interviews

Hey, Mark here with a quick update about this evergreen interview series and my other podcast, The Podcast Accelerator (https://www.markasquith.com/listen).

In this episode I discuss why I'm putting Excellence Expected on a hiatus. For more information, read “Why I Stopped Podcasting & 5 Lessons I Learned Along The Way“. Don't forget, the more you expect from yourself, the more you WILL excel! The post https://www.excellence-expected.com/episode151/ (The End of The Road As We Know It) appeared first on https://www.excellence-expected.com (Excellence Expected, by Mark Asquith).

“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” We’ve all heard that expression, haven’t we? And it’s a great saying when it comes to the benefits of education and passing on the skills that have served you well. As… The post https://www.excellence-expected.com/episode148/ (Give Them the Fish) appeared first on https://www.excellence-expected.com (Excellence Expected, by Mark Asquith).

The growth of the tech startup scene over the last decade has brought the idea of the pivot to the attention of entrepreneurs worldwide. A company pivots when it moves from one business model to another. Uber, YouTube and Twitter are just a few of the big names that came about when their creators pivoted… The post https://www.excellence-expected.com/episode146/ (Killing Your Business: How to Emotionally Deal with a Pivot) appeared first on https://www.excellence-expected.com (Excellence Expected, by Mark Asquith).

Taking out a loan can be daunting process. Whether it’s a mortgage for your first home or a new car, there are a lot of details to keep in mind when looking for the best possible financing option. When applying for a loan for your small business, it can be even more confusing. You may… The post https://www.excellence-expected.com/episode143/ (Shark Bait – Finding the Right Finance for Your Small Business) appeared first on https://www.excellence-expected.com (Excellence Expected, by Mark Asquith).

What processes have you got in place in your small business? If there’s just yourself or a couple of others, it might not seem like you need any. After all, you know what you’re doing and you know who you’ve been dealing with recently. But, what happens if one you is stuck at home for… The post https://www.excellence-expected.com/episode136/ (Super Joe Pardo’s Processes Playbook) appeared first on https://www.excellence-expected.com (Excellence Expected, by Mark Asquith).

As entrepreneurs, we’re always on the lookout for additional revenue streams to bolster our main sources of income. In the early days, it may be through necessity as we’re trying to raise funds for our small businesses, but whatever stage we’re at, it’s always good to have different ways of bringing in cash. If these… The post https://www.excellence-expected.com/episode131/ (Developing a Secondary Income Stream from a Surprising Source) appeared first on https://www.excellence-expected.com (Excellence Expected, by Mark Asquith).

There may come a time when you feel it is the right time to sell your business and move on. Perhaps you’ve got a new project in mind, fancy a change of location or have some personal matters to focus on. Whatever the reason may be, you want to make sure that you are able… The post https://www.excellence-expected.com/episode129/ (The Secrets to Preparing Your Business for Sale with Ace Chapman) appeared first on https://www.excellence-expected.com (Excellence Expected, by Mark Asquith).

We’ve all had those lightbulb moments, haven’t we? Maybe we’ve been in the shower, working out at the gym or sat stuck in traffic. A solution to a problem you’ve faced has come to mind, or a new and improved way of handling a process has just popped into your head. We often get wrapped… The post https://www.excellence-expected.com/episode128/ (How do I know that there’s a demand for my product in the marketplace?) appeared first on https://www.excellence-expected.com (Excellence Expected, by Mark Asquith).

Crowdfunding, as a concept, is something that many of us have an understanding of through platforms such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo. People around the world can check out a campaign and if they like what they see, they can help fund the project. Usually the person or team behind the campaign will offer a variety… The post https://www.excellence-expected.com/episode123/ (Crowd Funding Uncovered: The Secrets to Successful Campaigns) appeared first on https://www.excellence-expected.com (Excellence Expected, by Mark Asquith).

Maintaining a healthy cash flow is absolutely essential for a small business to survive. It sounds so strange to have to say that, but if it’s so obvious, why do so many of us get into trouble when it comes to cash flow? Why aren’t we more aware of where we stand financially? What are… The post https://www.excellence-expected.com/episode120/ (Stay on top of your cashflow: grow your small business with Gary Turner, MD of Xero) appeared first on https://www.excellence-expected.com (Excellence Expected, by Mark Asquith).

All small businesses start with an idea. We all have new ones constantly; it’s just part of the entrepreneur’s DNA. If we come across a problem, we want to be able to solve it for ourselves and anyone else out there that might be facing the same issue. But ideas are ten a penny, it’s… The post https://www.excellence-expected.com/episode119/ (Build It and They Won’t Come, Unless…..) appeared first on https://www.excellence-expected.com (Excellence Expected, by Mark Asquith).

We’ve all had those lightbulb moments when we think we’ve come up with the next big thing. Whether it be an app, service or product, every small business owner has, at some point, convinced themselves that their next idea is an absolute gem. Often these ideas start to fall apart as soon as you try… The post https://www.excellence-expected.com/episode114/ (Turning Your Idea into a Startup) appeared first on https://www.excellence-expected.com (Excellence Expected, by Mark Asquith).

Putting your heart and soul into a new product or service can be one of the most exciting aspects of being an entrepreneur. Seeing your idea flourish before your eyes can be fantastic and we can all get carried away at times. It can be hard to know when to stop making improvements and endless… The post https://www.excellence-expected.com/episode111/ (Is It Time Yet…? Getting Ready to Launch with Jaime Jay) appeared first on https://www.excellence-expected.com (Excellence Expected, by Mark Asquith).

We all get those lightbulb moments from time to time. Brilliant ideas that we think could have a real impact and really go somewhere. But as we start thinking more critically, the steps needed to make that idea a reality seem daunting. We find that someone has already brought a similar idea to market, or… The post https://www.excellence-expected.com/episode90/ (Overcoming Startup Paralysis – How to Implement that Big Idea NOW) appeared first on https://www.excellence-expected.com (Excellence Expected, by Mark Asquith).

It seems that almost every day we hear of the next killer app, a system or service that will revolutionise our lives and businesses. But for every Uber or Evernote, there are hundreds of others that fell by the wayside and failed to make the desired impact. If we have an idea that we think… The post https://www.excellence-expected.com/episode83/ (Creating The Next Killer App – On Budget!) appeared first on https://www.excellence-expected.com (Excellence Expected, by Mark Asquith).

The face of customer service is changing, and customer relationships are vital. The recent boom in transparency of information, social media, and use of “big” data have created high service levels from companies. So much so, that proactive customer service is now expected, not the exception.  Digital = customer first – without compromise! Programmed empathy… The post https://www.excellence-expected.com/episode79/ (The Future of Customer Service in a Digital World with Steven Van Belleghem) appeared first on https://www.excellence-expected.com (Excellence Expected, by Mark Asquith).

Customer service isn't hard – it's about being genuine; a person; a human who understands the needs of other people and has a willingness to help. The trouble is, we're all busy – right? Well, so what. There's no excuse for poor customer service and I'd even challenge that we should be delighting our customers every single… The post https://www.excellence-expected.com/episode77/ (3 Ways to Delight Your Customers Every Single Day) appeared first on https://www.excellence-expected.com (Excellence Expected, by Mark Asquith).

You know, startups aren't all about ping pong and foosball – in fact it's a pressure cooker! We have all heard about the rapidly growing “unicorn” businesses that generate billion dollar status overnight, Über et al. But that's just the swan on top of the water… In fact, there are lots of ups and downs, and it takes 7-9 years to… The post https://www.excellence-expected.com/episode75/ (Billion Dollar Startup Secrets – Creating A New Future for Your Customers) appeared first on https://www.excellence-expected.com (Excellence Expected, by Mark Asquith).

Investment: A buzzword that is massive right now and something that brings about a lot of opportunity. However, most people do not know much about it. As an entrepreneur, you need to secure investments to get others to buy into your vision and dream. You need to look at investment opportunities to grow your business!… The post https://www.excellence-expected.com/episode72/ (Startup Investment Uncovered with Mark Pearson) appeared first on https://www.excellence-expected.com (Excellence Expected, by Mark Asquith).

Stop making excuses! You’ve got everything you need to start a business – full-time job or not. But here's where the first time sidepreneur usually falls at the first hurdle: you don’t have to quit your full-time job to make your idea a reality. Keep your full-time job and develop your idea on the side until… The post https://www.excellence-expected.com/episode67/ (No Excuses: Launching a Product with a Full Time Job) appeared first on https://www.excellence-expected.com (Excellence Expected, by Mark Asquith).

Crowdfunding – a word that brings with it excitement and the lure of billion pound startups. But what's the real truth behind this phenomenon, and what alternatives do you have; what pitfalls will you face? Curiously, and I didn't know this, there are different types of crowd funding: Rewards-based is typically done through Internet fundraising sites… The post https://www.excellence-expected.com/episode65/ (Crowdfunding – Alternative Finance Uncovered by Startup Direct) appeared first on https://www.excellence-expected.com (Excellence Expected, by Mark Asquith).

Money is a big deal, and cash is king when it comes to business. However, some businesses face a cash flow issue, but do not think about it until it is too late. Typical pitfalls regarding cash flow include businesses thinking it’s only their problem – no one else’s – but everyone suffers from such… The post https://www.excellence-expected.com/episode61/ (Cash is King – Unlock Your Small Business Finances) appeared first on https://www.excellence-expected.com (Excellence Expected, by Mark Asquith).

Kate Erickson recently fulfilled a decade long ambition – to author and self-publish a book. “The Fire Path” was a labour of love for Kate and was borne from her role as partner at Entrepreneur on Fire, the highly successful podcast and digital business created by John Lee Dumas in 2012. Kate held the desire to write a… The post https://www.excellence-expected.com/episode18/ (Kate Erickson’s “3 Ps” To Guarantee A Powerful Product Launch [Partner at Entrepreneur on Fire]) appeared first on https://www.excellence-expected.com (Excellence Expected, by Mark Asquith).

Doug Richard is amongst the world's most successful entrepreneurs: an award winning entrepreneurial mentor, former Dragons' Den dragon and highly commended philanthropist. In 2008 Doug set up his first socially focussed business, School for Startups, a programme that has gone on to provide accelerated mentoring & financial support to over 15,000 business and over 30,000… The post https://www.excellence-expected.com/episode10/ (Essential Startup Survival Tips & Embracing Your Inner Entrepreneur) appeared first on https://www.excellence-expected.com (Excellence Expected, by Mark Asquith).

Thinking about leaving the rat race behind and pursuing a passion? This week's guest, Simon Hickton, did just that. Since then his business, Cornerstones Education, has grown from 3 founding directors to a team of over 35 people with a customer base that grows daily. Simon's inspirational story begins as he discusses leaving a stable… The post https://www.excellence-expected.com/episode9/ (From Education to Small Business – Leaving it All Behind to Start Again) appeared first on https://www.excellence-expected.com (Excellence Expected, by Mark Asquith).

Working on a new product or service and coming up against physical, mental or developmental obstacles at every turn? Unsure when to launch? Afraid of negative feedback? Worried your software or app isn't good enough? Adriano Ferrari from Gingko shares his wildly inspirational experiences with you to allow you to overcome these obstacles and get your… The post https://www.excellence-expected.com/episode8/ (Overcoming Product Launch Paralysis) appeared first on https://www.excellence-expected.com (Excellence Expected, by Mark Asquith).

Welcome to Excellence Expected. Episode 1 is my opportunity to thank you for picking up the show and beginning this journey with me. During the episode I talk about how I bounced back from a business catastrophe to become founder of a rapidly growing design & digital agency, whilst also discussing how that rapid growth… The post https://www.excellence-expected.com/episode1/ (From Burnout to Broadcast) appeared first on https://www.excellence-expected.com (Excellence Expected, by Mark Asquith).