Angel Holdings

About you:

Is this your first business?

Yes, this is the first, and with my 2011 application to the popular reality TV show, “The apprentice Ireland”, hosted by Bill Cullen, I reached the top 0.6% out of a record number of applications, making it to the top 18 candidates with my proposal to launch Angel Holdings.

When did you first decide you wanted to work for yourself?

It has been a life-long dream. It was a question of finding the right project that would be a perfect fit for me.

What are the things that you find most valuable and rewarding about working for yourself?

The freedom to create and innovate!

Where did you get the idea for your current business?

I was trying to find information for a few individuals in the telecoms industry, and realised there’s a niche in the market for a more comprehensive service.

About Starting Up:

How did you evaluate your business idea before deciding to go ahead with it?

I did surveys on linkedIn, and asked individuals who are looking to start up, what they find frustrating.

Did you prepare a business plan before starting your business?

Yes

How often do you revisit it?

Monthly

What advice would you give to others when writing a business plan?

Know your industry, know your figures & keep it simple

What challenges did you face in the early start up stage of your business?

Refining the plan – I had lots of ideas, but it was hard to streamline.

Finance – I’m rubbish at finance

Click here to find out information about raising equity finance

How did you overcome these challenges?

I networked & surrounded myself with people who knew more than me.

I appointed a financial director that is brilliant with figures.

What did you learn about yourself during the start-up experience?

I cant to everything myself – delegation is key.

About your business:

What is the nature of your business?

Angel Holdings is a start-up support and investment platform, aiming to fill the much needed gap for guidance and angel investment for start-ups.

Planing to attract capital from business angels around the globe and to promote Europe as the start up hub for young talent, is at the heart of this venture. 

How many employees do you have? Full- or part-time? 

2 Full time & 1 intern

What is an average workday like for you?

Exciting! Making launch preparations, vetting mentors, getting content ready, meetings with potential partners and industry experts, etc.

How has your market changed in the past few years? How has your business changed to keep pace?

Most things are done online – my market is serviced online.

What are the most crucial things you have done to grow your business?

Networked & kept it simple

Click here to view some tips for networking

What plans do you have now to expand your business further?

We are looking to expand into selling franchises and businesses as agents in future.

We are also looking to promote entrepreneurship in schools

What has been your most effective marketing tactic or technique?

Social Networking sites & online press/media

What’s been your most successful strategy in building your business so far?

Attending networking events, forming partnerships and synergies, networking online.

What tips do you have for other entrepreneurs that want to use that strategy as well?

Listen to a constructive criticizer, but don’t entertain destructive criticism.

What is the toughest feedback you have ever received?

Cut your 99 page business plan down to a max of 17 pages.

And how did you learn from it?

Less is more!

About entrepreneurship:

What is your definition of an entrepreneur?

Someone who organizes & operates a business/businesses, taking financial risk to do so.

 Do you believe that everyone has what it takes to be one?

No – its not for everyone. Some are happy working 9-5 and switching off when they get home. There are common characteristics in entrepreneurs:

1.       Take what you do seriously

2.       Do what you enjoy

3.       Plan Everything

4.       Manage money to work for you (employees work for money)

5.       Be a shameless self-promoter

6.       Optimism

7.       The ability to be objective

8.       They are good risk managers

9.       They are good delegators

10.   They know they don’t have to be experts at everything – so they employ experts and delegate the tasks to them.

What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about starting their own business?

1.       Take what you do seriously

2.       Do what you enjoy

3.       Plan Everything

4.       Manage money to work for you (employees work for money)

5.       Be a shameless self-promoter

6.       Be optimism

7.       Learn the art of being truly objective

8.       Learn how to be a good risk manager

9.       You can’t control every aspect of your business – learn to delegate

10.   You don’t have to be an expert at everything – employ experts and delegate the tasks to them.

Who do you look up to in business?

My brother: He has achieved much success via continual studies & through his own business ventures. Through talking to him about his experiences, I learnt a lot about what it takes to be a success. One of the biggest lessons he taught me was how to be objective – “take your emotion out of the equation, evaluate the situation again” 

How important do you think innovation is for entrepreneurs?

CRUCIAL!!! Innovation leads growth – both go hand in hand. Without innovation your project will wilt away. Think of evolution as an example. Nature teaches us to survive we need to adapt. Adapting implies change. Change implies innovation.

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