One month on

We're a month old - happy one month anniversary.

So where do we go from here? We're getting advice left, right and centre, some of it good but much of the "advice" we're receiving doesn't really fit @ctors Business and what we're about.

Many of the people who've spoken to us have given us an onslaught of information about angel investors, private investment, raising shares etc. Whilst we welcome any and all constructive assistance, we can't help wondering have these people actually bothered to look at the website? Or is our website so ineffective that we radically need to change our message?

WWW Well as for the latter that's an ongoing activity and we'll be amending and hopefully improving our presence and our message. This will be reviewed constantly and roll-out of changes will take place, at the moment as and when.

As for the investment angel, for us this is not the way that we want to go. We maybe cutting off our noses to spite our face but we think for our concept to work we need to be independent. We have to be able to stand alone on our own two feet. We recognise that this will take time, development and lots of hard work but the end result will be more than worthwhile.

We've catered for two clients thus far - we won't get rich quick on the revenue generated, but it's a start. A small one but nevertheless a good one. Life is pretty tough out there at the best of times and we won't be doing anything by halves.

Granted we don't have a formal office space - but given the experieince of some of the formal office we've had the misfortune to work in; in our former employment lives none of us are overly concerend by that. If you know what you're doing than working remotley can be just as effective and an economically prudent way of doing business. It keeps our costs to a minimum which is always a plus. Having someone investing in your idea is a double edged sword, maybe Lucy will elaborate on that one in a future posting! For us keeping and retaining complete control over all aspects of the business is a non negotiable point and a founding tenent of who and what @ctors Business stands for.

@ctors Business

finding your voice

@ctors Business - About

Hello, that's me to the left, Lucy the MD of @ctors Business. That sounds so grand but the higher up the food chain the greater the responsibility. @ctors business rests firmly on my shoulders - in fact I am @ctors Business!

So in a time of recession and corporate cut backs, businesses going into administration left right and centre - why on earth would I want to set up in business, I hear you asking. Believe me it's a question that is never far from the tip of my own tongue.

I've spent the better part of thirty years holding down both PAYE and self-employment. How quite I managed to do this, I really have no idea. It was just something I did. Well the proverbial hit the fan just before Christmas of 2008 and I was made redundant from the day job. Eighteen months prior to losing my day job, I had seriously been thinking about getting back to full time self-employment. The two ideas just collided. Redundancy + self-employment + my idea for a business. I've never stopped looking for paid employment. In fact I'm still looking for a part time position. But I took the redundancy as an impetus, a kick up the backside to get my business idea out of my head, off the page and into reality. Rather than letting lack of paid employment weigh me down as a complete negative.

@ctors Business is as much about an idea, as it is a business and working philosophy. I've worked in quite a few formal organisations and a couple of "informal" organisations. So I've seen the 'good, the bad, the ugly, the indifferent and the excellent'. I'm in no hurry to make the same mistakes that I've witnessed in some corporate environments. I'll be taking the good examples of best practise, superior employment/customer relations with me and weaving these strands into the basic fabric of the business. Our philosophy is very basic, very simple and open:

• Commitment
  
• Honesty
  
• Professionalism
  
• Respect
  
• Responsibility
  
• Communication
  

@ctors Business is a company that takes pride in its service to it's clients, business partners and associates. But we also take pride in our staff. The same care, attention to detail and responsibility that we show our clients is afforded to each and every single staff member; whether they are freelance, contracted, salaried or casual hourly rated. We all have a responsibility to each other and our clients. Too often I have witnessed the corporate cultural of non action, laissez-faire and refusal to take ownership. Delegation doesn't mean the negation of responsibility, especially if your a senior member of staff.

As the MD of a fledgling new enterprise I won't be asking anyone to do anything that I won't, or can't do. @ctors Business is about team work as well as individuality. Creativity in tandem with corporate understanding and know how. So we all dabble in IT, web, administration and the 101 tasks you have to keep on top of when running a business. But we all have working expertise and experience both artistically and or corporately. We're fusing business with art.

Going to work should never be a chore - for sure there will be days when maybe you just want to clock off and walk out, but there will also be days when you're dancing on the ceiling. The work environment has to be a safe, secure, happy and relaxed place to be, were you can cope with all that a diverse and challenging day can unfold.

@ctors Business invests in its most valuable resource - people, by training, mentoring, exchanging knowledge skills, listening to its staff members, giving responsibility and providing robust support.

Follow @ctors Business (and me) as we embark upon a journey of discovery...

@ctors Business
finding your voice