What’s the business model?
It’s what you do with a great idea that counts – you need the right execution. Google wasn’t the first search engine and Facebook wasn’t the first social network, but by finding the right business model and improving the offering, these companies were able to build on an existing concept to become market leaders.
Often there will be different business models and revenue streams to consider; for instance, a web business could charge end users a monthly subscription fee, or make the website free for the user but earn a commission for every ‘lead’ or sale that it generates for another company, or sell advertising space.

Can you fund it?
Do you have the funds in place to get your business off the ground? You need enough to support yourself and to provide sufficient working capital until your company hits profitability.
You must undertake an honest analysis of how much it will cost to set up and you’re your business. How much you expect to sell each month and when you expect to break even. What are your margins? Can you sell enough at the right price to make it viable?

Look at sales figures from your industry and analyse your competition to forecast more accurately and think carefully about all the costs involved. It is better to over-estimate than to find yourself falling short. Ideally, do three different forecasts, covering the best-case and worst-case scenarios, and your likely results. Can you stay afloat if the worst happens?
Have you got what it takes?
Last but by no means least; have you got the right attitude and skills to make your idea a success? Setting up a business is an endurance challenge. The success of your idea is based on your commitment to seeing it through – during the bad times and the good. Your idea needs to be something you’re passionate about, and you then need the skills, drive and belief to make it work.

Click here for part 1

To ensure you make the most of your SWOT analysis, here are five top tips to follow:

Strengths: In the first box list all the strengths of your company. Why should you succeed? What do you do well? Why do customers say they enjoy doing business with you? What distinct advantages does your company offer? The important consideration is genuineness: don’t be modest, but do be realistic. Any SWOT analysis is essentially subjective, but try for a third-party viewpoint: what strengths does the outsider see?
Weaknesses: A weakness something that seriously hinders a firm’s effective performance, a limitation or shortage in resources, skills, or capabilities. What could be improved about the business – markets, staffing, management, and control? What stumbling blocks do you continue to meet? What does your company do that can be improved? What should be avoided? What do your competitors do better than you? Don’t try to disguise weaknesses, and don’t just list errors, blunders and mistakes.
Opportunities: Where are the openings for your business? What customer needs are not being met by your competitors? You’ll probably start with marketing issues, presumably because your business fills a niche or can compete effectively, but do include all the possibilities. For instance, what are the interesting trends in your business sector – in terms of markets, yes, but also in technology changes.
Threats: Threats are key weaknesses to the firm’s current or desired position. What are the more obvious obstacles in your way, both actual and potential? Obvious candidates would include a sudden rush of bad debts or a slack sales period leading to cash flow problems. But think further than that: What is your competition doing that could take business away from you or stunt your company’s growth? How might your competitors react to any moves you make? What trends do you see that could wipe you out or make your service or product obsolete? Might technology changes threaten your products or services? Or your job?
It’s important to include a couple of worst-case scenarios. Weighing threats against opportunities does not necessarily mean taking a completely pessimistic viewpoint; it’s a question of considering how possible damage may be overcome, bypassed or restricted.
Be comprehensive, this means picking up small detail. Be prepared put real effort into background preparation and gathering information. Be self-critical, but don’t be too defensive. SWOT analysis is supposed to stimulate ideas.
Test your analysis, Ask an outsider (your accountant? Your spouse?) to do the same exercise and compare their views with you findings. The more people who look at the SWOT analysis, the more ideas you are likely to get.
Repeat the analysis situations change with time; SWOT is quick, simple and effective, and it can be used creatively as part of on-going project control or business management procedures.

Picking something that sticks in people’s minds is wise, but your name should be memorable for the right reasons – not because it’s pretentious, bad or just plain ridiculous. Short names are easier to remember, of course.
A modern name will suit some businesses, while for others it’s more important to evoke tradition. Don’t pick something that will soon look outdated. Genuinely amusing business names are rare and suit specific types of business. Trying to be funny can backfire, because it can suggest an owner who doesn’t take their business seriously enough. 
Using your own name for your business can be effective if building close relationships with clients is key. It gives the impression of a small and personable approach to business.
If you use your name, it’s important to let people know what you do, either in the name (e.g. Joe Stone Paving Specialists) or accompanying strapline (e.g. Joe Stone Ltd – High quality pathways and patios).
Giving a sense of place can be effective, too. It suggests local pride and identity – and possibly authenticity and quality.
Do I need to register a business name?
Many would-be business owners worry about registering a business name. If you incorporate (i.e. form a private limited company), you cannot register a business name that is already in use. Furthermore, only private limited companies can use ‘limited’ or ‘Ltd’ (‘plc.’ for public limited companies) in their names. Visit the Companies House website to view an online register of existing limited company names and find out how to go about registering your business if you’re starting up a limited company. Sole traders or those in partnerships can trade under their personal names or go for something that suggests a larger organization.
When it comes to registering a business name for a sole trader business, things can be less cut and dried, but a word of warning. If your business name causes customers to confuse your business with another, you could be guilty of ‘passing off’, which is an offence. Better to make your business name distinct. Do some market research to find out whether your preferred business name is already being used.
Some words and expressions cannot be used unless you’ve been granted official permission. These include words suggesting the business is of: national importance (e.g. British); special status (e.g. association); a particular function (e.g. trust) or a specialist activity (e.g. health center). Obviously, you can’t use swear words or others likely to offend.
Other considerations when naming a business?
Ask yourself whether a potential name is easy to say and spell over the phone (also whether it can be misheard as something offensive or amusing). Steer clear of long names, strange words and unusual spellings.
Check whether the corresponding domain name is available. Also consider how your name would look in an email address, marketing materials and signage. If you plan to trade overseas, check that your business name in English doesn’t sound offensive or inappropriate in other languages. And make sure that it can be easily read and understood by people whose native language isn’t English.
When you have come up with a business name, try it out on friends and family. If you’re not met with giggles or bewilderment – and saying the name fills you with pride and added confidence rather than embarrassment – you could be on to a winner.

Are you in need of a kayak to do a bit of everything? Do you want to paddle on trips with a decent amount of kit but also paddle a bit of whitewater every now and then? The Dagger Approach may just tick the boxes you need it to.

Being 9 or 10 foot dependant on which one you need these kayaks are compact enough to carry by yourself (dependant on muscles) they also have a fairly rounded design that allows the boat to be very manoeuvrable in whitewater with forgiving edges that will not cause beginners to spend too much time upside down. It has a drop down skeg that makes a massive difference to the boats straight line handling, allowing you to munch up a load of miles with ease. It has a massive cockpit which means you don’t need to worry about getting stuck in there, but still has thigh grips allowing you to get a good level of control. The storage hatch at the back is big enough to store some overnight kit and food.

The Approach 9 is small enough for some quite young paddlers to get on very well thanks to its low sides, yet up to the size of smaller adults. The approach 10 is great for any adult and offers more room for longer legs.

Below are some specs:
Model Length Width Weight Volume Max Capacity Spraydeck
9.0 2.74m 0.64m 17kg 250L 111kg Approach
10.0 3.05m 0.71m 17kg 300L 127kg Approach

To sum up – most people do not know where their paddling may take them, and having a boat which allows you to tour rivers and also enjoy the bubblier stuff a bit more will be very beneficial. Although it is not an absolute beast in whitewater it will suit all recreational paddlers who either want to do a bit of everything or the beginner who doesn’t know where they want to go with their paddling.

If you need more information about Canoes and Kayaks , visit Canoes and Kayaks 365.