Startup Masterclass: Validating Your Idea & Finding Customers

Topic

OK, you have a great idea, the best the world has ever seen! But is there a business opportunity there and – most of all – how will you find your customers?

The Masterclass will deal with the following aspects

• I have a great idea but can it be a business?
• How do I identify market size for my product / services?
• How to improve my idea to be more commercial?
• How do I get customers?
• How do I make money from my idea?
• How much should I charge?
• How to deal with international markets?

Agenda

6:00pm: Registration & Networking
6:30pm: Introductions
6:45pm: Validating Your Business Ideas – Scott Russell (Paddy & Scotts)
7:10pm: Open discussion, Q&A
7:30pm: Comfort Break
7:35pm: Finding Customers – Steve Flory (Hudson Signs, Suffolk Offset)
8:00pm: Open discussion, Q&A
8:20pm: Pizza, Beer & Networking
9:00pm: Finish

Speakers

Steve Flory (Managing Director of Hudson Signs)
Steve is well known in Suffolk as the Managing Director of Suffolk Offset and Hudson Signs. Steve started working life started at Willis where he spent happy times developing and managing IT projects and latterly running their Marine insurance Group. In 1990, he set up the Ansaback call centre service in Ipswich, quickly expanding to Ireland and India and subsequently selling to a PLC in Surrey. Steve acquired Hudson nearly 4 years ago since then the team have expanded the business to include clothing and the new digital media products you see on the website today. He is always looking for investment and development opportunities, both locally and nationally, to strengthen the Group of companies currently under his management or to develop new initiatives. Steve specialises in mergers and acquisition, branding and identity, franchising and business rescue planning.

Scott Russell (Co-founder of Paddy & Scotts)
Scott Russell is the Co-founder of Paddy and Scotts, a Suffolk born business now one of the UK’s fastest growing coffee brands with a trendy and loyal following suppling over 600 outlets throughout the UK including some of the finest restaurants, hotels and trendy cafes and in such far flung places such as Hong Kong and Shanghai. Scott is an extremely motivated, forward thinking sales and marketing professional with over twenty years experience of running SME’s. He has built companies, bought companies and sold companies. He has been listed in the Sunday Times Top 100 Tech Track three years running (2007/8/9), nominated for young businessman of the year in 2000 (Telecoms Industry) and won the EADT East Anglian business person of the year 2011.

Format

As usual, there will also be plenty of time for Q&A so please bring your own burning questions to put to our speaker.

Join us from 6pm for nibbles and refreshments. Then stay around after the talk for more networking until 9pm. There will be pizza and beer too!

Directions

This time the masterclass will be in the main big shiny UCS Waterfront building. You can park in the car park on the opposite side of the road which is free in the evenings. If you make your way into the main UCS entrance there will be someone to direct you to the boardroom on the 6th floor where the event will be held. More details on finding UCS here.