APPRENTICE star and West Ham United vice-chair Karren Brady answers your careers questions.
Here Karen gives advice to a budding entrepreneur who wants help on how to market her side hustle.
Q) I work part-time in hospitality, and I don’t earn enough to be able to save anything each month.
I recently put together a care package for a friend who was going through a difficult time and I enjoyed sourcing products to create a nice gift to send to her.
It made me wonder about setting up a business creating care packages for people who are ill, grieving or facing challenges to give them a lift.
I’ve done some research and can see people using platforms such as Etsy to sell gifts like this.
Should I do the same? Or set up a website of my own? I’m not particularly business-savvy, so I don’t where to start!
Elissa, via email
A) It sounds like you have a great idea that combines your creativity and desire to help others, which is wonderful.
First, research your target market to understand their needs, preferences and buying behaviours.
When looking at what competitors are doing, work out what will make your business unique.
Develop a few sample care packages to showcase your style, then take high-quality photos of them to use for marketing.
Starting on a platform like Etsy can be a good option as it provides built-in visibility, a customer base, and tools for managing your listings and sales.
Use social media to promote your products and share engaging content and testimonials to connect with new customers.
As you gain experience, continuously evaluate how things are going, gather feedback, and adapt.
Plus, seek advice from experienced entrepreneurs you meet or take online courses on business basics to improve your skills. Good luck!
