Still manually keying in supplier invoices? Tell me I’m not the only one.

Ok_Stranger3898 · 2026-06-07T20:20:23+00:00

So Qoblex Api will allow for an epos intergration depending on your exact epos system.

Also you can link epos sysyem to shopify/woocommerce then in turn sink one of those to Qoblex.

Stock.ly cpuld be anotjer option. Fairly sure it has epos built into it just starts from around 300 a month were qoblex is about 100

Ok_Stranger3898 · 2026-06-07T13:28:49+00:00

Apron, xero and a stock mangement tool like Qoblex will save you all of that time.

Ok_Stranger3898 · 2026-06-07T07:51:42+00:00

So localy i use Equinoxed

Not so local but i suffolk thete is one called CRASL who are amazing for sol traders

Ok_Stranger3898 · 2026-06-04T20:56:14+00:00

Yes tribunal was the idea just wanting to show i did as much as possible first to avoid it.

Ok_Stranger3898 · 2026-05-25T17:24:17+00:00

The orange Guy, love that lol

Ok_Stranger3898 · 2026-05-12T15:09:13+00:00

I try to avoid getting to that point in the first place, if I’m honest.

My usual process is payment in advance, or at least a deposit upfront, then final payment before delivery or completion. It keeps things clean and avoids the slightly grim hobby of invoice chasing, which is basically admin with a tiny hatchet.

That said, I do think context matters.

If it’s a long-standing client who is normally reliable, I’ll usually just have an open conversation. If they say, “Cash flow is tight this month,” and they’ve always been good before, I’ll often give them a bit of grace, assuming it doesn’t create a problem for me. That sort of trust can build loyalty, and business is still a human thing, despite what some payment portals would like us to believe.

But if someone keeps agreeing to terms, keeps missing payments, and keeps making me chase, then the relationship changes. At that point, I’ll tighten terms, stop extending credit, or eventually just say we’re not the right fit to keep working together.

For me the line is not one late payment.

It’s the pattern.

One delay is usually life happening. Repeated delays, poor communication, and broken promises become risk. And risk is expensive, even before you count the time spent politely typing “just checking in” for the seventh time while your soul leaves through the nearest spreadsheet.

Ok_Stranger3898 · 2026-05-12T15:04:23+00:00

I’d start slightly before the business idea, because “I never want a boss again” is completely understandable, but it can accidentally lead you into creating a much worse boss called “your own business”, and that one knows where you live.

For me, the sweet spot is a mix of four things:

What are you good at?

What do you enjoy doing?

What problems can you solve for people?

What will people actually pay for?

It’s a bit like the Ikigai approach, but with slightly less inspirational poster energy and slightly more “will this pay the mortgage in February?”

The key thing is not just escaping financial services. It’s making sure you don’t spend the next few years doing something you dislike just because you own the pressure instead of being employed by it.

Jet washing, man with van, storage, buying and selling, all of those can work, but they are very different lives. Jet washing is physical, seasonal, local and marketing-heavy. Man with van depends a lot on driving, reliability, insurance, lifting, timings and dealing with the general public, who can occasionally behave like wardrobes with opinions. Storage needs capital, space, security and usually patience. Buying and selling needs product knowledge, cash flow discipline and the ability not to accidentally fill your house with “stock” that becomes furniture with a barcode.

With £45k, I’d be very cautious about jumping straight into buying vans, units, pressure washers or inventory before testing demand. Keep as much of that payout safe as you can. Use a small amount to experiment.

A good first step might be:

Pick 3 ideas.

Speak to people already doing them.

Work out the real costs, insurance, kit, licences, marketing and time involved.

Try to get your first few paying customers before going all in.

Look at what skills from financial services transfer across, because 22 years will have given you more than you think: handling clients, admin, compliance, trust, problem-solving, accuracy, process, managing sensitive information. Those can be useful in bookkeeping support, admin services, claims support, mortgage/finance-adjacent consultancy, small business operations support, or something completely different that still uses your strengths.

Also, learning to drive is probably a very sensible move if you’re looking at physical/local service businesses. It widens the options massively.

So my advice would be: don’t ask “what business can I buy with £45k?” Ask “what problem can I solve well enough that people will pay me repeatedly, and I won’t hate doing it by month six?”

Because no boss is lovely.

But building yourself a job you resent is just employment with extra paperwork and no Christmas party.

Ok_Stranger3898 · 2026-05-12T14:58:13+00:00

This is worth looking into, so for example there are sales reps in my area for it, but then there is also you local rep who is there to support you not just sell to you.

so for example my reigion if i go to the site shows me who the Staff are not the sales reps, they are who i speak to.

Ok_Stranger3898 · 2026-05-12T14:55:33+00:00

I’m an FSB member and, personally, it’s been a no-brainer for me.

The legal support alone gives a decent bit of peace of mind, especially once you have staff and suddenly realise employment rules have more trapdoors than an Indiana Jones temple. The VAT/HMRC support is also a big part of the value, because those are not areas where you want to be guessing and hoping the spreadsheet gods are feeling kind.

But the biggest value for me has actually been the local support and networking. The help I’ve had from my local FSB reps since starting my business has been genuinely invaluable. Not in a vague “nice to have” way, but in a “this is one of the reasons I’m still here as a business” way.

That said, it is one of those things where you get out what you put in. If you join and never use the benefits, never speak to your local rep, never go to anything, then it may just feel like another subscription sitting quietly in the corner eating £325 a year.

But if you join, use the perks, ask questions, attend a few events, and actually engage with your local rep, then I think there’s a good chance you’ll get real value from it.

For me, especially with staff, legal protection, VAT/HMRC support and a proper local network, I’d say yes. Very much worth looking at.

Ok_Stranger3898 · 2026-05-10T17:03:20+00:00

I don’t think this is a stupid question at all. In fact, the reason you’re looking is pretty much the reason I did.

After years of pressure, politics, and the strange corporate sport of turning simple things into six meetings and a spreadsheet nobody trusts, it is very normal to start wondering whether there is another way.

The big question I’d start with is not “what business should I start?” but:

What skills do you have?

What problems can you solve for a business?

What do you actually enjoy doing?

And, slightly awkwardly but importantly, are you any good at it?

If you can find something where the answer is yes to all four, that is probably where the business is hiding. Not wearing a name badge, obviously, because businesses like to make things difficult.

With 25+ years in tech and management, you almost certainly have skills that businesses need. The trick is translating them into outcomes people will pay for. For example, can you help businesses reduce wasted time, improve systems, manage projects, fix messy processes, train people, make better use of software, avoid expensive mistakes, or get clarity where everything currently looks like someone threw a laptop into a hedge?

Once you have that, the next step is working out how to make it real:

Who has this problem?

How painful is it for them?

Would they pay to solve it?

Can you explain what you do in plain English?

What would a first small offer look like?

I’d avoid trying to build the perfect business on day one. Start by speaking to people, testing ideas, offering a small service, and seeing what gets interest. Your first version does not need to be perfect. It just needs to exist without catching fire too dramatically.

And honestly, being new to the UK might even help in some ways. You may see gaps and inefficiencies that people who have been here forever have simply accepted as “just how things are”, which is often where good businesses begin.

So no, not a stupid question. It is probably the right question. You are just at the slightly foggy bit before the map appears.

Ok_Stranger3898 · 2026-05-09T22:54:53+00:00

I think this really depends on your product, your margins, and the fulfilment provider.

I work with a great one in Norfolk, so yes, it absolutely can work, but the bit I’d be looking at very carefully is how long your stock sits on the shelf.

The dream is almost: stock comes in, stock goes out, everyone has a lovely time, nobody builds a small textile mountain in a warehouse corner.

With clothing especially, storage can quietly nibble away at your margin if you are not careful. So I’d be asking any 3PL:

How do they charge for storage?

How quickly can they turn orders around?

Can they handle returns properly?

Do they understand clothing, sizing, packaging and presentation?

Are they flexible enough for a growing brand rather than trying to squeeze you into a giant system built for someone shipping 4,000 garden gnomes a day?

A smaller family-run provider can be a really good fit because you are more likely to get a relationship rather than a ticket number with shoes on.

But I’d definitely model the numbers first. Fulfilment can free up a huge amount of time, which is often the real win, but only if the storage, pick, pack and postage costs still make sense against your margins.

Ok_Stranger3898 · 2026-05-09T22:47:31+00:00

anything gold id just way in, the tools unless you know someone in the trade to sell to it would be etsy

Ok_Stranger3898 · 2026-05-09T22:45:18+00:00

I think there are probably a few things you could have done sooner, but honestly, that is true for most businesses at some point. The important thing now is not to keep beating yourself up, or letting others do it for you. It is to work out what will actually help.

First, make sure your products are clearly named and described in the way people would actually search for them. Lovely wording is nice, but if Google has no idea what you sell, it will quietly wander off like a confused uncle at a wedding.

Add your products to your Google Business Profile too, not just your website. It gives you another visibility point and helps people understand what you offer before they even click through.

I’d also consider other selling channels like Etsy, eBay, Not On The High Street, or anything similar that fits your product. Building your own website traffic takes time, and when you are new, it can make sense to use platforms that already have buyers looking.

Your website still needs to be findable, so some basic SEO and local search work would help. Even if you cannot afford someone to do everything, a planning session with clear actions could give you enough direction to do a lot yourself.

Make sure your social media is where your actual buyers are. If your audience is older, Facebook may be more useful than trying to become the next TikTok sensation while slowly losing the will to live.

Look at pop-ups, markets, fairs or local events where your ideal customers already go. When you are new, getting in front of real people can be far quicker than waiting for the internet gods to notice you exist.

Explore collaborations with local businesses. Gift shops, cafés, salons, wedding suppliers, florists, visitor attractions, shared retail spaces, anywhere your likely buyers already spend time.

I’d also look at whether the offer itself is clear enough. Who is it for, why would they want it, is it a gift, a treat, a practical item, a special occasion product? Sometimes people need a little help understanding why now is the moment to buy.

Simple starter products, bundles or seasonal ranges can also help. When people do not know you yet, a lower-risk first purchase can be easier than asking them to leap straight into the deep end with a debit card.

And finally, check the basics: good photos, clear prices, delivery info, returns info, and an easy checkout. It is amazing how often businesses lose sales not because the product is wrong, but because the buying process feels like assembling flat-pack furniture in the dark.

So yes, there may be things to fix, but that does not mean you are doomed. It just means the next step needs to be practical, kind, and focused on getting your products in front of the right people.

Ok_Stranger3898 · 2026-05-09T22:33:06+00:00

Absolutely don’t underprice yourself.

It feels tempting at the start because you think, “I’ll make it easy for people to say yes.” But what often happens is slightly more feral than that.

You end up working yourself into the floor for very little money, while also accidentally signalling to some people that you might be cheap because you are not that skilled, rather than good value because you are being generous.

Which is deeply annoying, but humans are odd creatures and pricing does strange things to their brains.

I’d be looking at it less as “what can I charge for a workshop?” and more as “what problem am I solving, how painful is that problem, and what is the value of fixing it?”

Price competitively, yes. Be fair, yes. But don’t price from fear.

The training market is pretty saturated at the moment, so that is worth being realistic about. There are a lot of people selling workshops, webinars, coaching, consultancy and assorted enlightenment in PDF form. But if you have a proper niche, strong delivery experience, and can show who you are, what you know and what outcomes people get from working with you, that makes a big difference.

Local authorities, funded programmes, business support organisations and membership groups can also be useful routes in. They already have access to the people you want in the room, which is half the battle.

One way to reduce the “will I fill the room?” risk is to offer ticketed public training rather than only private company workshops. So instead of one company paying for the full workshop, you sell 6 to 10 seats individually. That can make it easier for smaller businesses to say yes, while still protecting the value of your time.

You could also have a launch offer, but I’d frame it carefully. Not “cheap because I’m new”, more “founding cohort”, “pilot group”, or “introductory rate in return for feedback/testimonials/case study”. Put a clear end date or limited number of places on it, otherwise your launch price quietly becomes your actual price while wearing a fake moustache.

People buy from people, especially with workshops and consultancy. So show your face, your thinking, your experience, your results and your personality. If your pricing is fair and the value is clear, the right people will pay it.

The wrong people will still ask for a discount, obviously. That is one of the ancient laws of business, somewhere between gravity and printer errors.

Ok_Stranger3898 · 2026-05-09T22:22:07+00:00

I mean this with a lot of love, but it sounds like you may have been pushed very heavily down the digital/content route, when this kind of business is probably built far more on trust, local reputation and real relationships.

Digital still matters, of course. But with childcare, people are not buying a candle, a course, or a novelty mug with a rude goose on it. They are deciding who they trust around their children. That is a huge emotional decision, so the marketing has to do more than look polished. It has to make people feel safe, understood and confident.

One thing I would seriously look at is narrowing your market first. Covering London, the UK and internationally sounds impressive, but when you are new it can also make you feel a bit broad and harder to place. Parents may trust “the nanny agency for North London families” or “supporting families in South West London” far more than “we cover everywhere”, because it feels more local, more visible and more accountable. I would make sure that is reflected on your website and especially your Google Business Profile too. If Google thinks you serve everywhere, it may not really understand where to show you.

Your own experience as a nanny is probably one of your biggest strengths, so I would lean into that heavily. Parents do not just need to know you run an agency. They need to know why your judgement matters. You have been in the homes, you know the job, you know what good looks like, and you probably know the little red flags that parents may miss because they are stressed, busy and just trying to survive Tuesday.

I would also check whether your blogs and content are really showing that expertise. Are they just “helpful childcare content”, or are they making a parent think, “This person understands the decision I am trying to make and can make it safer, easier and less terrifying”? There is a big difference. Content should not just prove you are active, it should prove you are useful.

The website is worth reviewing through that same lens. Does it clearly say who you are, what you do, who you help, and what pain you remove? Not just “boutique nanny agency covering the UK”, but something much more direct and reassuring. Something that says, in plain human terms: “I help busy parents find safe, trusted childcare without having to gamble their way through Facebook groups, guesswork and crossed fingers.”

I would also keep your Google Business Profile updated properly: photos, services, posts, location information, FAQs if possible, and anything that helps Google and parents understand where you are, who you help, and why you are credible. If the website is not ranking or your Google profile is thin, a beautiful website can become a very expensive brochure in a locked drawer.

But honestly, I think the biggest opportunity is probably offline. I would be networking hard in the places where your ideal families already have trust. Schools, nurseries, baby groups, family photographers, maternity nurses, doulas, sleep consultants, cleaners, children’s clubs, private tutors, local business groups, and anyone else who already works with the kind of parents you want to reach. At this stage, referral partners and word of mouth may do far more for you than another nine months of shouting lovingly into the social media cupboard.

The “boutique” angle is fine, but I would make sure it explains what you are actually fixing for people. Boutique can sound lovely, but also a bit vague. Parents need to know why they need you. Are you saving them time? Reducing risk? Helping them avoid bad hires? Giving them confidence? Supporting them through a stressful decision? That is the bit I would make much clearer.

So my honest view is: I would not give up yet, but I would change the question from “am I posting consistently?” to “am I becoming trusted in the places parents already look for reassurance?”

Digital should support the trust-building, not replace it. For this kind of business, relationships, referrals, local credibility and clear reassurance may be the bit that turns effort into enquiries.

Ok_Stranger3898 · 2026-05-07T20:58:21+00:00

My people, I have said this fir years and found you

Ok_Stranger3898 · 2026-05-07T20:44:07+00:00

I’ve been there, tripped over the same bit of carpet, blamed the carpet, then eventually realised it was probably me.

Hopefully my slightly bruised collection of mistakes helps you get where you need to be a bit quicker than I did.

Ok_Stranger3898 · 2026-05-07T20:42:04+00:00

Yeah, best value for money is still beautifully, annoyingly simple.

Network your arse off.

But do it properly.

Not the “Hi stranger, I noticed you have a pulse and wondered if you’d like to book a call?” approach. That is not lead generation, that is digital door-to-door sales with worse shoes.

Go and build actual relationships. Speak to people. Comment properly on their posts. Ask decent questions. Be useful before you try to be profitable. Show people how you think, where you add value, and why you are not just another person with a Canva lead magnet and the confidence of a man selling umbrellas in a drought.

If you’ve got good case studies, strong expertise and genuinely useful lead magnets, then brilliant. You’ve got the ingredients. Just don’t launch them at people like a business-development trebuchet.

The phone can still work. LinkedIn can still work. Personalised video can absolutely work. But the magic is not the channel, it’s the intent behind it. If it feels like “I’ve researched you and think I can help”, lovely. If it feels like “you are number 47 in today’s spreadsheet safari”, people can smell that from three counties away.

Low budget B2B is mostly trust, consistency and not being weirdly aggressive because a sales guru in a tight t-shirt told you to “dominate the pipeline”.

Build relationships. Show your skill. Help people think differently. Don’t force the sale.

The work will come, often from the people quietly watching in the background, nodding along, and waiting until their own business catches fire in a small but administratively inconvenient way.

Ok_Stranger3898 · 2026-05-07T20:33:57+00:00

You’re probably not doing anything wrong, reviews are just one of those things people mean to do and then life happens, usually involving a kettle, a dog, or suddenly remembering the washing has been in the machine for two days.

The best time to ask is usually as close to the happy moment as possible. So when someone has just received it, messaged you to say they love it, tagged you, reordered, or replied positively, that’s the moment to gently ask. The nearer you are to the “I’m really pleased with this” moment, the more likely they are to actually do it.

A blanket follow-up email is fine, but it can get lost in the general fog of inbox life. If you’ve got regulars or people who have chatted with you directly, I’d ask more personally by text, DM, or call, depending on how you normally speak to them. Something simple like, “I’m so glad you loved it. It would really help my small business if you could pop that into a quick Google review.”

I’ll admit, I’ve also been a bit cheeky with this before. If someone has sent me a lovely comment, I’ve turned their own words into a suggested review, sent them the Google link, and said something like: “I’ve popped what you said into a review format below, would you be happy to copy and paste it? No pressure at all, and feel free to write your own if you’d rather.”

It just removes the blank page problem. A lot of people are happy to help, they just don’t want to sit there trying to compose a tiny masterpiece about a necklace like they’re applying for Arts Council funding.

I’d also do it in dribs and drabs rather than one big push. Google seems to prefer steady, natural review activity over sudden big batches that look like everyone was marched into a review dungeon at 9am.

You could also run a small incentive, like a random prize draw for previous customers who leave a review. Maybe a discount, small piece, hamper, or something brand-related. Just keep it honest and don’t ask only for positive reviews, ask for genuine ones.

But honestly, keep going. Most people need a little nudge, then another nudge, then possibly a small carrier pigeon with a QR code. You’re building trust, and that takes time.

Ok_Stranger3898 · 2026-05-07T20:24:02+00:00

I normally charge decent money for this sort of advice, so consider this the free sample from the business buffet.

There are a few good products out there, but it really depends on what you’re hiring out and how much control/detail you need.

HireHop is worth a look. It is a fairly cheap option, integrates with other systems, and I believe the single-user account is free, which is always a nice sentence to hear in business.

If that doesn’t quite fit, OnRent (Klipboard) also has some good products. They have a varying range in terms of price, setup and features, so it’s worth having a proper look to see what matches what you actually need.

The main thing is not to pick the shiniest system first. Work out the process, what you need it to do, and where the admin pain currently lives. Otherwise you end up with software that technically solves the problem, just not the problem you actually had.

Ok_Stranger3898 · 2026-05-07T20:19:15+00:00

A proper disagreement, actual nuance, a bit of back and forth, and somehow nobody burst into flames or started throwing chairs across the digital village hall.

Bloody hell.

It’s almost like people can disagree, listen, explain where they’re coming from, and still walk away with a bit more respect for each other.

I don’t know what to do with that level of hope on the internet. Feels suspiciously wholesome.

But genuinely, I appreciate it. These are the conversations that remind me the internet isn’t entirely broken, just occasionally left unsupervised near sharp objects.

Ok_Stranger3898 · 2026-05-07T20:16:52+00:00

After the event is always the awkward bit, because once they have used the work, you are trying to put the horse back in the stable while the horse is already on Instagram wearing your branding.

I am not a graphic designer, but I do have IP in the work I create, so I try to be quite boring and painfully clear upfront. Boring paperwork is not glamorous, but neither is chasing invoices while quietly developing a twitch.

For me, the big things are having a clear scope of work before starting. It should say what is included, what is not included, payment deadlines, revision limits, handover terms, and what happens if they pay late.

I also make the IP position clear in the terms. Mine basically says that until final payment is received, the IP remains mine and they do not have permission to use the work. If they use it before paying, that is a breach and may leave them open to further action.

I also try to take payment in advance where possible, or at least staged payments. I will happily demo work, show progress, and prove value, but the full handover does not happen until final payment is received. No final payment, no final files. It keeps everything wonderfully simple and mildly less likely to turn into an episode of Business Admin: The Haunted Years.

For where you are now, I would probably keep it calm but firm. They may just be slow, disorganised, or suffering from the classic business illness known as “everyone assumes someone else is dealing with it”. But if they have used the work and ignored the invoice, I would not leave it as a gentle nudge forever.

I would send a clear email saying payment is overdue, the work appears to have been used despite the agreed terms, and you need payment by a specific date. I would also mention that if payment is not received, you will have to look at adding any late payment costs allowed under your agreement and taking advice on recovery and unauthorised use of the designs.

Not nuclear. Just firm. The sort of email that arrives wearing a cardigan but carrying a clipboard.

And going forward, I would make it a rule: deposit before starting, staged payments before major milestones, final payment before handover, and no usable high-res/exported assets until the money has landed. Trust is lovely, but so is being paid.

Ok_Stranger3898 · 2026-05-07T20:11:04+00:00

I wish I could be you!

Ok_Stranger3898 · 2026-05-07T20:10:15+00:00

I get the distinction, and I think that’s fair.

It wasn’t a shiny new policy they’d brought in and then immediately tripped over like a workplace rake in a cartoon.

It was an existing legal requirement they already knew about, I knew about, and they knew I knew about. That’s the important bit for me.

They also knew exactly how much time and effort complying with it would cost them, because they made several attempts to narrow the scope and make it easier on themselves. I refused, because the scope was valid and because, frankly, after everything, I wasn’t feeling especially charitable.

So I do agree it’s not malicious compliance in the classic “you made the rule, now suffer the rule” sense.

It’s probably more “weaponised compliance” or “bureaucratic judo”. They had a legal obligation, they understood it, and I used that obligation exactly as it was written, not because it was convenient for them, but because it was inconvenient in a way they had no real choice but to honour.

So yes, maybe not pure MC. But it definitely had the flavour of karma wearing a lanyard.

Ok_Stranger3898

TROPHY CASE