I launched Fab Events in May 2016 as a part time venture and went full time with it on 1st April 2019.

So, we are one of the 40 percent of small businesses that make it to their fifth year. When I was looking up statistics to write about my experiences, I found some other interesting ones.  According to the Durham City Incubator among the most common reasons businesses fail is a lack of understanding of the market and where they fit into it and having no clear business plan.

This says that having a clear plan for your business, and particularly a marketing strategy that ensures you understand where you sit in your chosen market and how to communicate your offer is critical to business success. But there comes a time when you just need to “go for it”. I had procrastinated with Fab since 2006.

In 2006, I was on a placement in New York working on a big weekend event and talking to a colleague I recognised how much I loved the business and that I really wanted to create my own little part of it. Fab Events lived in a notebook for years, but when I met a business coach within my network called Neil Jagger, he looked at my notes and told me I had everything I needed to make a success, and it was time to go for it.  So, I started, with gritted teeth, and with support from my employer, network, and family I decided to go for it.

I’m a glass half full sort of girl, and always look for the positives. While I’ve never worked so hard as I have in the last few years, I’ve never enjoyed anything so much either. Running Fab has allowed me to create something I never thought was possible. So, if there is one thing, I would say to anyone thinking of setting up on their own, it’s that while it is hard work it’s also fun if you allow it to be. Being the captain of your own ship creating something impactful is so worthwhile.

When Covid hit my business, my coach Jon Covey said to me that while events had been taken away, my skill set had not changed, and that will only change if you let it. That has stayed with me and I share it with my clients. It can be so hard as business owner to celebrate what is going right, even if it feels like your world and your business are collapsing. One of my key values is support other small businesses because it is difficult for us to be our own cheerleader.

At the start we mentioned some of the reasons for business failures. An important part of any business plan is the marketing strategy. Fab Strategy will help you position yourself in the market, identify the gaps in your existing marketing and produce an action plan that can guide you to being on the successful side of the statistics. It all starts with a free 15-minute discovery call that you can book here.

Thank you, and here’s to the next five years in business.

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