Lamia Walker
Many of us travel regularly for work and leisure. But who’s going to look after the pets, mind the house and water the plants? The solution? An exchange of services organised online. Home and pet owners welcome checked sitters to stay in their home and care for pets, while the sitters enjoy a place to stay in return. No nightly fees, no expensive kennels - just a small annual membership. And peace of mind. I launched Housesitmatch.com from home, connecting first with local friends and relatives. They told their contacts further afield and so we grew.
My top tips
1. Crystallise your idea in a one-page business plan.
2. Buy the domain name for your company to secure online presence for when you need it.
3. Trade locally at first, to test your idea, and secure good testimonials from happy clients.
4. Create a social media presence to share your concept, reviews and testimonials.
5. Then build a website to nail that online presence; start small eg a Wix or Shopify site.
Gemma Shinh
CareTailor is an app that connects self-employed carers and home helps with families that need elderly care. I was an ‘accidental tech founder’ - someone who experienced a problem and decided to solve it using technology but with no tech experience. One of my biggest tips is to test your idea before spending anything. Creating a simple waitlist is one of the quickest and cheapest ways to see whether your business has potential. If people sign up, engage and share your idea, that is powerful validation before investing time or money. Founding a start-up is not easy but High Wycombe has huge opportunity because there is a genuine willingness among local people and businesses to support new ideas, collaborate and open doors. Just get out and ask. Be persistent and resourceful. I have been fortunate to build an impressive advisory board comprising local talent, with support from The Hairoun Day Centre, Wycombe Preparatory School, Kingshills Estate Agents, BNU, Wycombe Sound, Atomic Bee, Eden, Globalize Me, Cerub PR and Business Buzz. For more information, visit Caretailor.co.uk.
