a business mentor says hi

[Chris Kaday]

Hi everyone. Let me introduce myself. I am a business mentor author and entrepreneur living in London overlooking the beautiful river Thames. I have built and sold a multi million pound business and am willing to share insights and thoughts which might help you to be as successful and as fortunate in business as I have been. Nowadays I spend half of my time working in companies and with people who are focused, energetic and really excite me. The other half is spent travelling, going to the opera, theatre, restaurants etc. and generally living a full and fulfilling lifestyle. I have an opinion and can add value on most business issues which I will give for free – what not try me?

Chris Kaday
Business mentor

 

[SpeedyExpressCouriers]

Hi Chris,

Welcome to UKBF

 

Hello Chris,

Welcome to the forums.

 

[stephendoyle]

hello chris,

its great to have a person like yourself on the boards

 

[aquarian]

Hi Chris I think you are exactly the kind of person I have been looking for.
Could you explain to me why the UK market is harder to crack than the US market in ecommerce?
Thanks

 

[fxdigital]

Hi Chris...

Welcome... I look forward to learning lots...

Steve Cartwright
FX Digital Pty Ltd
www.website-designs.com

 

[joanna116]

Hi chris,
welcome to UKBF.
Maybe I need to get some suggestions from you.

thanks

 

[Chris Kaday]

Not quite sure what you mean by ‘harder to crack’. Of course ultimately this means sales but to get there we need visibility, hits, conversions loyalty and so on. You could be having problems with any one or all of these. I am also not an expert in the US market so cannot compare. Not doing very well so far am I? OK here are a few guesses.

• Your visibility in other markets depends on where you are hosted. Consider a remote US server and you will then look like you are over there.
• The language you use on your site is very important. You need to speak like them if you are going to trade with them. Americans speak a distant version of English. I have no idea if ‘collectables’ or ‘crafts’ resonate with them or not. See what language your US competition uses.
• The US sites are designed differently. Bet you are sometimes turned off by what we feel is yucky. You need to look like them if you are going to trade with them. Have to say I am not desperate about your site in terms of immediacy and impact (sorry). Why not copy the look and feel of successful US sites offering similar products. Maybe they like to see some pics on the front page. I wonder what your bounce rate is – bet it is high.
• People are less likely to buy cross boarder. That is why the large ecommerce companies have in country operations
• Shipping is always a problem and people do wonder if the yak milk churn (goodness knows where I got that from?) is going to arrive from Outer Mongolia

OK the web might be a global phenomenon but it actually operates locally. If you have US customers why not ask them how to succeed in their market? Finally attracting any audience takes considerable understanding and attention to detail. Maybe you need to think more carefully about your audience in the US and also in the UK.
I hope this is helpful
Chris Kaday
Business Mentor

 

[HC-Martin]

Hi Chris,

Welcome to the forums! What industry(s) have you pervious worked/built businesses in?

 

[FunkyBears]

http://www.chriskaday.co.uk/biography.php
for Design Wizard

 

[Calypso]

Hi Chris, Already seen some great posts by you!

Dean

 

[DuaneJackson]

Hi Chris,

Welcome to the forums ; )

Duane

 

[HC-Martin]

http://www.chriskaday.co.uk/biography.php
for Design Wizard

just testing ya'!

 

[Calypso]

Interesting read.

 

[brian xu]

Hi Chris,
Welcome to the forums, I am from YIWU commodity city,china. I am a business man,working in a trading company. I want to export our chinese goods to UK. But as you know i do not familiar with UK market. Can you make a comment on chinese goods seriously? thank you

 

[Chris Kaday]

Main industry was IT both consumer as MD of Commodore Computers (get out your 64's guys) and business to business with clients like IBM, Oracle. Lucent, Sun, Cisco, Cable and Wireless and so on. Have also worked in financial services with Schroders, Abbey life Natwest and Cornhill and been main board director of one of the world's largest PR companies. My own business developed marketing strategies particularly in channels, carried out every type of research, especially mystery calling and customer sat and had a large telemarketing call centre creating sales leads for top corporates in a dozen or more languages across Europe and beyond. Nowadays I mentor companies in every type of sector including a West End theater producer, an estate agent, a hosting business, an ecommerce product company and a training organisation. I find what the company does almost irrelevant once one has understood the business model, as the main challenges of creating business, delivering business and getting paid remain the same.

Thanks for your interest

Chris

 

[aquarian]

Thanks for your reply Chris. Currently about 40% of my income is derived from the US. Most of my collectables are tins and mirrors, they sell so well to the US but just can't seem to work out why they are not selling in the UK. Some of my craft items like patterns also sell well in the US but they have something like 30 million crafters!

It was just an interesting observation I had made over time that the UK was a harder market "to crack". I should explain my Aussie slang, "to crack" is how we describe suceeding in a new market.

As you say people aren't as interested to purchased across borders so maybe the appearance of being in the UK might be the way to go. Just some food for thought.

Cheers

 

[Chris Kaday]

No worries I do understand harder nut to crack. I just did not have any figures to show how hard. Thanks for the info - much clearer now. Sorry got the markets the wrong way round and thought it was the US which was the problem - oops. Reading too quickly. I am surprised there are not some nice pics of the typical items you sell on the home page. People who are looking to buy something want to see product at the first click not the second.
Chris Kaday
Business mentor

 

Main industry was IT both consumer as MD of Commodore Computers (get out your 64's guys) and business to business with clients like IBM, Oracle. Lucent, Sun, Cisco, Cable and Wireless and so on. Have also worked in financial services with Schroders, Abbey life Natwest and Cornhill and been main board director of one of the world's largest PR companies. My own business developed marketing strategies particularly in channels, carried out every type of research, especially mystery calling and customer sat and had a large telemarketing call centre creating sales leads for top corporates in a dozen or more languages across Europe and beyond. Nowadays I mentor companies in every type of sector including a West End theater producer, an estate agent, a hosting business, an ecommerce product company and a training organisation. I find what the company does almost irrelevant once one has understood the business model, as the main challenges of creating business, delivering business and getting paid remain the same.

Thanks for your interest

Chris

Thats all very well,But whats your proper job

 

[Chris Kaday]

Proper job? Not sure what you mean or maybe I am lacking a sense of humour after a very long day?

 

[DuaneJackson]

That's just sirearl being funny. Just smile and nod, it's what the rest of us do with him : )

I've posted this in response to your intro on another forum, but I thought I'd post it here too....

If you're in search of businesses that might be interesting to you and that could greatly benefit from your experience then you mght want to come along to a networking event I have in 2 weeks at Moorgate. It's mainly Princes Trust start ups, so a lot of passion there but sometimes a bit of guidance is needed. Details are at www.trustnetworkers.com if you are interested

 

[little_stork]

Hi Chris
Welcome to ukbf. will look forward to reading and learning from your posts.
Tracey

 

[Chris Kaday]

Thank you for the event notification Duane. I am certainly interested in this as it looks like a great opportunity to add value and I love to be around passionate people who just need a little guidance. I have popped it in the diary and will do my very best to attend. Chris Kaday Business Mentor

 

[Cred-X]

Welcome aboard Chris and thanks for contributing

 

[Forensic Analyst]

Chris
Welcome, I could do with you up here to get my Computer Forensics up and running.

And ive still got my 64 somewhere !!!!

 

[Chris Kaday]

Thank you Simon. Ah yes the Commodore 64. We then launched a computer which was twice as good as that - the 128! he he Those were the days. Chris

 

[lupton]

Welcome Chris to what I can only say is one of the best websites I have found in a long time, look forward to talking to you.
Wendy

 

[Chris Kaday]

You are very kind Wendy. Actually I am not trying to build a large client business as have already been there. I am only looking for the few really good client or investment opportunities which will really excite and stimulate me in my old age. However, I realize that to get them I have to add value even where there is no immediate gain other than of course seeing my input get a positive result - that has a value beyond any grubby fee or investment return.

 

[eddie@ohiget]

Hi Chris,

I admire what you have achieved and really looking forward for your guidance.

I was a practising lawyer and now have given up my job to learn more about e-commerce as I am so passionate about internet business.

I have just launched a site ohiget.com (Oh-I-Get) with my IT partner. Hope you could give me some comments on this site.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Your student,
Eddie Law

 

[Chris Kaday]

Had a look at your site Eddie. It looks a bit quirky in design – actually no problem with quirky as long as people identify with it. Oddbins is quirky but behind it is a massive commercial organisation. Very brave territory to try to enter. Very chicken and egg. People won’t search until there is something to search and advertisers won’t advertise until there are people searching. Might build in time as it is free but getting up the listings could take ages unless you were prepared to fund this which I guess you are not. One way of establishing a site like this would be to focus on one market segment only and get a reputation of being the place to search and advertise just for that. You can easily search for people in that market and invite them to subscribe. Would help you get up the listings in that category too. Hope this is helpful. Chris Kaday

 

[DanMartin]

Chris, I just wanted to say welcome to UKBF. I think your experience and knowledge will prove useful to our members.

 

[eddie@ohiget]

Dear Chris,

Thank you so much for your swift reply.

In fact, I am looking for investor to fund this site, would you be interested? or do you know anyone who may be interested?

On another note, I really appreciate your comment on building my site by focusing on one market segment initially. Perhaps, I will start with Beauty or health care segmant since my 1st partner is the No.1 Beauty Group in the country.

In fact, my core concept in building this site is to be a "reversed e-bay" site (Buyers looking for Sellers), when there are Buyers posting Buyer Ads (or traditoinally known as Wanted ad) then it is not difficult to attract Sellers to subsribe to Buyers' Contact as Sellers are only paying penny to get a prospective buyer's contact. Do you think this concept will work?

Your student,
Eddie Law

 

[Ozzy]

Hi Chris,
Perhaps a little late hello to the forums and it is great to have someone of your calibre on here helpiung others, which is the primary aim of these forums.
I've susbcribed to your blog and hope to keep up to date with what you have to say, having just started my own I hope to learn something from yours.

Reading your biography on your site brought back memories of my very first computer being a Commodore64 , oh they were the days when computers Just Worked(tm)!

 

[Chris Kaday]

Dear Chris,
Thank you so much for your swift reply.

In fact, I am looking for investor to fund this site, would you be interested? or do you know anyone who may be interested?

Sorry Eddie the site is just too 'me too' with nothing distinctive to invest in. That is the trouble with the internet now. It is relatively easy to build sites but not easy to be truly different enough to build a business. Chris Kaday

 

[Chris Kaday]

Hi Chris,


Reading your biography on your site brought back memories of my very first computer being a Commodore64 , oh they were the days when computers Just Worked(tm)!

Many thanks Ozzy I am really enjoying contributing to the site and the quality of the questions and answers.

Well some of them worked but we used to joke that 64 was the percentage failure rate in the field. Now the Amiga that was a mighty machine. Pity there was no software for it! Regards Chris

 

[eddie@ohiget]

No problem. Thanks for your reply, Chris.

 

[FancyFang]

Hi everyone. Let me introduce myself. I am a business mentor author and entrepreneur living in London overlooking the beautiful river Thames. I have built and sold a multi million pound business and am willing to share insights and thoughts which might help you to be as successful and as fortunate in business as I have been. Nowadays I spend half of my time working in companies and with people who are focused, energetic and really excite me. The other half is spent travelling, going to the opera, theatre, restaurants etc. and generally living a full and fulfilling lifestyle. I have an opinion and can add value on most business issues which I will give for free – what not try me?

Chris Kaday
Business mentor

Hello, Chris, I find that the UK market is more difficult to enter into than other countries. In Eaurope continent, there are still many countries trade with China very often. But i find that:

(1) Everytimes in Trade Fair, there are many customers around the worid but a few UK's.

(2) The trade annual between China and UK is small. Could you tell me mostly who( precisely which countries) the UK deal with?

Thank you!
Fancy

 

[Ozzy]

Hello, Chris, I find that the UK market is more difficult to enter into than other countries. In Eaurope continent, there are still many countries trade with China very often. But i find that:

(1) Everytimes in Trade Fair, there are many customers around the worid but a few UK's.

(2) The trade annual between China and UK is small. Could you tell me mostly who( precisely which countries) the UK deal with?

Thank you!
Fancy

Hello Fancy,
I hope you dont mind me jumping in to answer this as I do a lot of trade in China. I can also say that the UK does actively trade with almost every other country in the world in some way or another.

The problem with trading with far east countries is that people have to be very careful who they do trade with. They is a huge amount of fraud and counterfiet goods being manufactured and shipped from far eastern countries including China, which can lead to people in the UK getting ripped off (or worse still arrested in the UK!). This means that any people in the UK who wish to trade with people in China need to be very careful, and my advice to them would be to only deal with people that are known to them, or have been introduced to them by someone they already know.

I would never deal with someone from any other country who just contacted me through the Internet without knowing some good background on them. The risks are simply just too high for losing money or ending up on the wrong side of the law.

 

[Chris Kaday]

Sorry Fancy but the big man is right. There are enough people trying to rip you off in this country let alone beyond these shores and small businesses just do not have the band width to do the diligence. You ask about UK trade in other countries. Any response on this site would be pure conjecture and you cant run a business on that. Try our DTI or embassy for the facts. Chris Kaday Business Mentor

 

[FancyFang]

Hello Fancy,
I hope you dont mind me jumping in to answer this as I do a lot of trade in China. I can also say that the UK does actively trade with almost every other country in the world in some way or another.

The problem with trading with far east countries is that people have to be very careful who they do trade with. They is a huge amount of fraud and counterfiet goods being manufactured and shipped from far eastern countries including China, which can lead to people in the UK getting ripped off (or worse still arrested in the UK!). This means that any people in the UK who wish to trade with people in China need to be very careful, and my advice to them would be to only deal with people that are known to them, or have been introduced to them by someone they already know.

I would never deal with someone from any other country who just contacted me through the Internet without knowing some good background on them. The risks are simply just too high for losing money or ending up on the wrong side of the law.

Hello Ozzy,

Thank you very much for your quick and full reply!

In fact, i have known this reason before i sent my question to here. But unexpectly, what a great influence on UK(exactly not only UK but many other countries) our Chinese sellers' deed!

I have entered into this industry(international trade) for 2 years. And i confuse in the forward question i have enquired. I have learned that many buyers are afraid of trading with Chinese because of so many fraud and counterfiet goods in China. Yeah, i agree with this. But i find that there are few now because international competiveness. And to most of manufacturers, they will do their best to keep the business relationship, so they will pay more attention to quality control.

The former influence is very deep! But we hope taht will be canceled soon.

Fancy