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Identify a clear need and keep the ‘main thing’ the main thing

The biggest challenge by a long way is confidence in the product.

Business premises in London. — Image: © Tim Sandle
Business premises in London. — Image: © Tim Sandle

Young entrepreneurs and would be startup champions now have a dedicated space to listen to the advice of others – a new podcast. Digital Journal listened in.

The brainchild of Yorkshire-based 21-year-old, John Moody, In-House HR is an online human resources solution designed initially for the automotive sector, as he explained recently to George Thwaytes (@GThwaytes) on The Young Entrepreneur podcast in June 2022.

To thrive and survive, young entrepreneurs need not just ‘hard’ business and digital skills and sector knowledge, they also need to learn from others and develop other supporting skills. This is where a supporting set of resources, like a podcast, comes in.

Thwaytes is a young entrepreneur himself and the founder of fine food and drink specialist Gourmet2Go (a company that provides produce all over the U.K., from small, independent suppliers.) He launched the podcast to talk shop with fellow Gen Z start-up owners.

Thwaytes explains to his thoughts about the recent broadcast Digital Journal: “John’s got a strong entrepreneurial spirit and is clearly on his way to the top. I love that he passed his pilot’s licence before his driving test, and that he’s already giving back by being an ambassador for School of Thought, helping young people pursue careers in the motor industry. His favourite quote, by Stephen Covey, “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing”, is so valuable for all entrepreneurs.”

Here are some of the highlights from the podcast:

GT: What’s the fastest way to grow a business?

JM: “Identify a clear need in the market and find the solution.”

GT: What’s your elevator pitch?

JM: “As a director or business owner, you could be personally liable, open to all sorts of tribunals if you don’t have the right policies and procedures. My system will integrate with your current systems. It will keep an eye on all your people needs, make you more efficient and help to protect against potential lawsuits. It can evolve to meet your specific requirements and it is very low cost.”

GT: What challenges did you face in the beginning?

JM: “The biggest challenge by a long way was confidence in the product. To believe that it deserves to be used for a fee. I’m just starting to get over that and I’m on course to break the £100,000 barrier this year, which is amazing.”

GT: You’re now looking at different industries – how do you decide which?

JM: “The majority of my clients are automotive, mainly franchises, bodyshops and dealerships, but I’m starting to branch out into hospitality, property, dentistry – sectors that are actually quite similar to the automotive aftermarket.”

GT: What routines do you have that help you succeed?

JM: “I’m a big picture guy, so I keep a list of what needs to be done every day to move the project along. I’m quite a morning person so if I’m in the office gym done by 8am I know it’s going to be a good day.”

GT: What’s your go-to quote?

JM: “Definitely by Stephen Covey: “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing”. It keeps me grounded in my core business.”

The Young Entrepreneur podcast is available on Amazon, Audible and Spotify. Previous guests include: Kay Fox, of wood-fired pizza firm Slinky Fox; go-to-market strategist, Aditi Jajal-Newey; and Elliot Horner, founder of CBD-infused beer company Cannabrew.

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Written By

Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news. Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs.

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