MJWARD UK LTD

One of the main goals for Tidy Design this year is to create an affordable website package for start-up companies.

Unlike a bespoke website design, this start-up company package will be a sellable product (not a service), the kind of product we could sell to 10, 100 or 1000 new companies without working a seven day week to keep up with the work load!

For me, business is all about organisation, putting systems in place, accurate planning and thinking outside the box… The idea behind our affordable start-up package is simple; we want to offer ALL new businesses something that is too good to ignore! A stylish website, awesome assistance / advice with SEO, brand development, social media and backlinks… Surely this will grab the attention of start-up companies?

Over the last year I have been blogging a lot, setting up websites such as Business Networking Link with the future in mind… to help promote business services to start-ups. Also, to offer our own products a different kind of USP (Unique Selling Points), I mean Tidy Design is not just about making websites, we can add your business to a variety of sites we not only own but actively market!

So to conclude, our Start-up Company Website (version 2) should be completed by the end of October this year… Yes, the last site was kind of rushed and it does not currently have a WOW factor! Version 2 on the other hand will be a mixture of eye-candy and real value for money, helping start-ups achieve their full potential online.

And on that note, it is back to work I go… Please stay tuned to http://www.tidydesign.com/startup-company-website/ for more info on our start-up company website… Until next time, enjoy and be good!

Yesterday was one of those busy days, 101 things to do and only so many hours to do them all! Most of my day was spent in a long in-depth meeting with Alan, the dude who works with me on Hotel Booking Reservation System, this soon followed by curry night with the wife and 6 other pregnant women (plus partners) from our antenatal group! One word, hectic!

Following on from my last blog post, which briefly touched base on the topic of identifying the more important tasks in your life and filtering out the crap, yesterdays meeting Re our hotel booking system was pretty high up on my own ‘important’ list! It was cool Alan came down from London, and it was even cooler to set some solid goals and targets for the future of this software.

Ok, I am not going to make public all our plans, ideas, visions and ambitions for the Hotel Booking Reservation System just yet, however I am going to tell you it is going to be awesome!

I personally believe this system has so much potential, however with Alan in full-time work and me developing the Tidy Design brand 24/7 it has (along with a few other ideas) taken a back seat… Now, a new chapter is coming in both our lives that I believe it will allow us to develop and push forwards, a new website, improved software and one awesome USP! … Stay tuned!

Like all new fathers to be, I guess the reality of what is happening soon hits home! I mean come on; my wife and I are expecting our first baby next month, life will never be the same again!!! Also, amongst a mass of mid-wife appointments, antenatal classes and more in recent weeks… Tidy Design (our core business) has been CRAZY busy with new enquiries, SEO work and web design projects!

With lots whirling around my head 24/7, last weekend I decided to scrap the idea of creating a bespoke “Personal Development Area” for business minds on this website… To be honest, the time needed to create something awesome (and worth paying membership for) was just not on my side! Instead, the personal development area above has been re-vamped to offer a free online test! A total of X15 personal development / self help questions have been designed to make you think and act now!

When you don’t have much free time, I think it is important to identify to-do’s that are not really as important as others… For example, time spent developing new SEO tools for Tidy Design, writing blog posts, working on Montgomery Moon etc would be time better spent at this point in my life!

Before writing these questions I thought long and hard about my own mind-set, experiences, life and business. I am not sure how much time you really need to spend on a personal development plan, I guess everyone is different, however I hope answering these questions will get you acting sooner rather than later.

Please visit the Personal Development tab above or click here to take the test… Once you have received your score (I hope it’s a high one!), why not share your thoughts / feedback below, it would be cool to hear from you!

At silly o’clock this morning when I should have been in bed sleeping, I was actually behind my desk with a strong coffee… The main to-do was finish off this ‘FREE Backlink Checker’ on Tidy Design and also re-word and re-organise the Tidy Design SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) page… I am happy to announce that this has been done, along with several other small text and CSS edits to our Tidy Design website.

To be honest, if I didn’t get up early on weekends and work on these kind of to-do’s, then I’m not sure when (if) they would ever get done! The fact is; you do need to work extremely hard to grow and develop a business in today’s economic climate! This ‘FREE Backlink Checker’ will definitely benefit our business, brand, clients and future SERPs (Search Engine Result Pages) so it was well worth getting up for!

The main reason for developing this ‘FREE Backlink Checker’ is to attract backlinks AKA link baiting for Tidy Design… I wrote a blog post about this a couple of weeks ago titled ‘Link bait definition’ and it got me thinking lots about my own business / websites… I have also pointed this out to our Tidy Design clients and emailed those investing in SEO with suggestions and ideas for link bait!

In a competitive world of business, I feel it is important to offer quality and value to your customers… Giving things away, such as a product, service or free advice, will build trust and stronger relationships! However, the hard thing is finding a balance that works for you, I mean if you regularly give things away, allow discounts, and don’t charge for your time, people tend to expect it! I am not saying we all need to be ruthless to be in business, however if you identify an issue (as a business owner) then you need to address it!

In terms of Tidy Design, I am now working hard to create more tools such as the ‘FREE Backlink Checker’ as our way of helping companies / clients better understand and achieve success in SEO.

As a small and growing business, giving away my time is not ideal, a lesson I have been learning throughout this year! If you compare an hour on the phone to a client against a product such as the ‘FREE Backlink Checker’ that can be used 24/7 without me, there’s really no competition!

So, to conclude… Is it good business to give things away? I think it is, as long as you are giving away what you can afford to give, and not what people want or expect to receive for free!

To be honest I cannot believe another week is over! I hear myself saying this a lot at the moment, my head often feels like it could explode with the amount of things I want to accomplish and achieve in life, but time is going so fast!

Be it family matter, such as the arrival of our little boy now only weeks away and lots of prep / planning for this… Business related tasks, such as a serious amount of web design / SEO enquiries this month via Tidy Design and a need to recruit and expand the company before the little one arrives… Yes, the days are long, the weeks feel short, and some ideas / projects such as Montgomery Moon are yet again taking a back seat because I am working for the business, not making my business work for me!

Although this kind of mad existence is hard and it is not for everyone, the bigger picture AKA my finish line in both life and business is not going to be reached without some serious effort and hard work! Fact!

Remember, it is important to work hard and not give up on your dreams; we each need to push harder, stick at it, and do what ever it takes to succeed! That is as long as we don’t hurt others along the way, neglect loved ones or burnout! Try not to base your definition of success on someone else’s or expect it to happen overnight; you will only be successful if you can determine what success means to you… Get this clear in your head are you are half way there!

In this blog post I thought I would quickly list my thoughts and opinions on why you should invest in land… Are you looking to build physical assets or invest for the future? Land investment fascinates me, and owning a plot of land (big or small) is very rewarding. Remember, land is a tangible asset (unlike stocks or shares) and it will increase in value over time.

So, why should you invest in land? First of all land is a safe investment, as long as you research the area (making sure it offers what you want) and find sound legal advice to ensure that both the sale and asking price is above board. Secondly, land prices have historically always gone up over the years, mainly because there is a limited amount of land for sale in the UK… With this in mind, point three on why you should invest (and hold on) to land is ROI, your return on investment! Like property prices, land prices have rocketed over the decades, enough said!

Who knows, a decade or two from now, future investors may look back and say “I wish I had bought some land back in 2011!” One final advantage of investing in land is you can negotiate a price with the land seller… Remember, we live in tough economic times and each plot of land is different, great investments may simply depend on how quick a person wants to sell!

Good luck with your hunt for land, please post your thoughts and experiences below on land investment, I would love to hear them! Find out more on our land investment website http://plotoflandforsale.org

This week has been a busy one, lots of emails to catch-up with, a small backlog of website updates via Tidy Design, a few blog posts for personal sites, SEO work, the list goes on… I have also been pushing myself to work hard on Montgomery Moon, keeping the momentum going so to speak, after all this book is for my little boy! This weeks long hours and hard work, the result of taking two weeks away… Was it worth it?? YES! A small price to pay in the grand scheme of things!

It has taken me a few years to realise that taking time off in business is so important, following on from my last blog post that talked briefly about holidays and not finding excuses to work 12 months of the year. I thought I would continue with this topic…

Taking time away can be good for business, however the important thing is to plan and prepare for it the best you can… So don’t take on 20+ new projects, tell each client they will be completed in two weeks time, jet off on holiday and expect to finish all the day you get back! Also, holidays are not always possible, I mean if you sold Christmas cards and decided to shut up shop for two weeks in December… You just wouldn’t do it!

Lets face it, if you setup or own a business then there’s no such thing as a 40 hour week! Business owners and entrepreneurs tend to be very driven and motivated people that work long hours and do the things they ENJOY! So you could argue, is this really a day job for them? The downside is that most entrepreneurs and business owners find it hard (often impossible) to switch off from work, and even harder to take a holiday!

Taking time away can be good for business because it gives us time to reflect and assess various situations, projects and goals much better! For example, if I had not gone to Italy then what three things would I be without right now? Well…

These three points confirm to me that taking time away from your business can be very rewarding! After all, you cannot put a price on feeling re-charged, relaxed and spending time with family! I believe that for a business to succeed during tough economic times, they need clear direction and lots of energy to develop ideas and grow… The 80 / 20 rule for example got me thinking lots about how best to direct my own energy and business, if you get 5 minutes then please take a look at this blog post on Business Networking Link.

A wise man once said, ‘if I had 25K hanging around what would I do with it?’ … My initial reaction was ‘another house in Bulgaria or put it towards an Italian ruin to develop’… But then he went on to say ‘you should invest it in your own business! A business is an asset and if you don’t re-invest in it, then who will?’ Some sound advice if you ask me!

To get a truer perspective in life and business we all need to re-charge those entrepreneurial batteries from time to time… I now think of taking time away as both an investment in my own business / health and a reward for hard work… As long as you plan ahead and first consider the needs of your clients and business then a holiday should not be impossible! And, if a client is not happy with you taking one or two weeks off a year with family then ask yourself this; Do you really want them as a client?

I hope you found this blog post an interesting read? Please post your thoughts and comments below on ‘Taking time away can be good for business’ … If you are looking for a place go on holiday then the hills of Tolentino, le Marche get two big thumbs up from me!

Last weekend I returned home from an amazing two weeks in Tolentino, Italy… The converted farm house we stayed at was in the heart of Italian hills and mountains, limited internet and mobile signal meant I was temporarily cut off from the world and able to work (un-interrupted) on projects such as writing and illustrating a children’s story book, mapping out plans for the future and new ideas for my business.

I believe a ‘work hard play hard’ mentality is a must for all business owners, because getting consumed by your own company is so easy! I mean 9 times out of 10, the reason people start-up a business is to create a unique and fun kind of lifestyle they wish to live!

However, it is easy to become a slave to your own business because its needs are far greater than you first think… Like a new-born, a business needs 24/7 care and total commitment for it to grow and develop! So your personal and family life can often be tested or even suffer because of the business YOU created!

With this in mind, remember that holidays are VERY important for everyone, so don’t feel guilty or find excuses to work 12 months of the year! Often if you step back, reflect, catch up on some Zzz etc then life can look much different!

So… Who is Montgomery Moon?

Well, this has been on my to-do list for many years now… To create a versatile and fun character that can be used to educate and entertain both young and old!

Whilst in Italy I started to write and illustrate a storybook for children, the main character being Montgomery Moon… The book was awesome fun to write, in just two weeks it was written along with 80% of the illustrations completed! My task now is to finish off the illustrations, scan and print, paint each by hand, re-scan, add text then away we go! My first children’s storybook!

Once completed I aim to pull a few strings with the owner of a large printing company we used to supply with work, request the assistance of a published author I know through Tidy Design and work real hard to get this illustrated story book into every good book shop!

Ok, this may sound like I am mad! Especially as I have 101 other business ventures on the go all at once! However, I feel life should be challenging and push you to the limit! Plus my wife and I are expecting a little boy in September, and as I cannot knit a jumper or blanket like she can, this is my gift / project dedicated to him from me! Who knows, maybe it will generate some book royalties and pay for driving lessons (or a car) in 17 years time!

We truly live in exciting times when it comes to promoting new products and innovative ideas to the masses. Self-publishing for example is another option, sites such as amazon have opened many doors for selling products, I could create and market my own Montgomery Moon website, sell online, focus on SEO, use social media sites such as twitter to promote the idea etc… The list goes on!

So, that is what I have been doing over the last two weeks whilst on holiday in Italia… To find out more about Montgomery Moon please visit http://montgomerymoon.com or follow him on twitter @montgomerymoon

Lots of cool things are in the pipeline Re this project so please stay tuned! If you would like to find out more or post your thought / feedback below on this blog or blog post then please do.

Evening all, just a quick blog post to say I have spent a few hours today on this websites Personal Development Area. Lots of ideas, wireframes and brainstorming completed, the topic being how best to offer value for money and inspiration to its members?

Lets face it, the self-help or personal development sector is worth big bucks if you can get one foot in the door! I did some research on Google today and found several sites estimating its value at over 60 billion per year!

Because of this, the personal development industry has no shortage of new self-help authors, bespoke courses, audio books, coaching websites and more… What I am looking to create and market throughout 2011 is more an internet-based personal development system, a membership site, allowing people to sign up (for a small one off fee) and learn from the comfort of their homes!

Anyway, I will keep you posted on its progress over the next few months. If you have any thoughts / suggestions for the Personal Development Area then please feel free to send these over! I would also like to hear from people in the self-help industry, maybe you would like to showcase some of your written work, promote a course or add a banner to your site from our members area?

Morning my beloved blog readers, so I have been up since 6am looking over old to-do lists and mapping out work for the weekend and new week ahead… Being in business means you will need to plan and manage your time well, and for me the perfect time to do this is early o’clock! The phone is quiet, inbox usually empty (or containing 90% spam!) and the world is silent, giving you ample time to think, set your goals, targets and plan for the day (or week) ahead.

So… this weekend has been dedicated to the development of our small business mobile app, a project that got started a few of months ago but sadly took a back seat due to work and the parties involved being extremely busy! Today however, time has been set aside to get this new sellable product created, tested and ready for market! For me this is the best part of any new business venture, its about creating something new, exciting and not knowing exactly how good (or bad) it will take off!

That said I have planned ahead. Several of our Tidy Design clients have expressed an interest in the small business mobile app so I am confident we will see a return on investment… So, planning ahead in business is important, however some things in life and business you simply cant plan for! It is how you adapt and deal with these events, re-plan and take steps forward after being knocked back that matter… Running a business comes with certain risks attached, however you can minimise these risks if you work extremely hard and plan ahead, taking into account every possible outcome!

Ok, this to-do can be ticked off my list for today! “Write a short blog post for my personal blog on planning ahead in business” … It is time to get ready for some Xcode, brand development and the creation of an awesome, affordable and tidy mobile app for small businesses! Stay tuned…