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SELF STARTER Magazine
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5.4.3.2.1GO!!! FINDING YOUR WINGS MAKE YOURSELF A HOT CUP OF SOMETHING AND READ ON.
Fearless February
* which business? * what to do when* * Crunchy cracker breads * colouring outside of the lines* * the cream of the crop * Don`t stop until you are proud*
February Stars
EST. 2018
www.selfstarter.com EMAIL selfstartermagazine@gmail.com INSTAGRAM www.instagram.com/selfstartermagazine FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/SelfStarterMagazine TWITTER www.twitter.com/MagSelfStarter PINTEREST www.pinterest.ie/selfstartermagazine
Publisher & Editor-In-Chief Kajsa Kinsella
Danielle Serpico Influential Powerhouse, Author & Martial Arts Expert
Wendy Merrigan Superbly Engaging & Informative Chartered Accountant
Joanne Browne Award-Winning Creator Of Fabulous Fragrances
Created on Canva Arklow County Wicklow Ireland
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"Worry Not That No-One Knows You, Seek To Be Worth Knowing!"
"BE SO GOOD THAT THEY CAN`T IGNORE YOU"
For You This Month
P 9. More often than not we are held back by fears in our lives, preventing us from going after what we really want. Let`s investigate!
P 14. Author, Mind Coach & NLP Trainer Danielle Serpico shows you how to dare to be you and only you.
P 22. Lunchtime! These healthy and nourishing Hoisin-wraps are simply P 20. Find the editor`s favourite picks of Irish products in "The Cream Of The Crop" P4
divine.
For You This Month
P 24. What do colours "say" to people about your business logo and signage? Find out what they make the customers "see".
P 27.Afraid to become a sole trader? No worries, chartered accountant and financial wizard Wendy Merrigan will tell you what to do when. P 31. Keep your energy up with these delicious home-baked cracker breads.
P 39. Jo Browne is the true queen of solid natural perfumes in Ireland and we had a great chat the other day. P5
Thank You!
Editors Welcome
BY KAJSA KINSELLA Hi Everyone & All.
First of all, I am absolutely bursting to shout THANK YOU! to each and every one of you readers who have so lovingly supported me and the magazine, since launching the January issue just a few weeks ago. The feedback and interaction I have received have been incredible and your hunger for more has made me realize that this, in the publishing and writing business, is where I truly belong, and the evidence of this is that I am more than happy to eat, sleep and breathe magazine-writing 24 hours a day. So, in the process of me helping you find your path, you have all helped me find mine, and I truly say; Thank You again! This month, we will learn to listen in to ourselves, to find our wings and Danielle Serpico will make you dare to colour outside the lines. We will tackle the conundrum of Instagram; investigate if our business idea really makes sense; Wendy Merrigan will guide you in what to do when as a sole trader and-last but by no means least, you will all get to meet a delightful award-winning parfumeur, called Jo Browne.
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"If it is to be, it`s up to me"
"Use it like a mantra; a "go to" when you need a boost of confidence in the right direction."
Sometimes we need a helping hand or a little bit of a push for us to find the courage to go forward with our dreams and aspirations, and I wanted to share my "get up and go"-quote with you today, which is "IF IT IS TO BE, IT`S UP TO ME" because ever since the first time I laid eyes on it, it has stuck with me and immediately it became something I wouldn`t want to do without as it gave me such a boost. I use it on a daily basis to set me straight, to force me to focus and to motivate me. If you haven`t found your special quote just yet, it`s high time to go and search for "the one" to inspire you. Have a look through the internet; there are inspirational quotes about nearly any and every topic or life situation that you could think of, and although many of them can be quite non-saying or far too long to be able to remember, I am sure your eyes will land on one that will make your heart do a jolt, and if it rings true to you, your life, your situation and your aspirations; then you have found your very own motivator! "If it is to be, it`s up to me"-these words are my personal "Butt-Kicker" every morning, and I love the assertiveness and drive this saying gives me! Thank you for being here with me and I hope you will enjoy the magazine
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Train Yourself To Think Positively. "Jeepers, never mind barely having the time to go to the loo, now we have to do positivity exercises too!?" YES is the simple answer: Trust me, if you are rushing around like a mad one, trying to squeeze every job and any job into the same minute of the same day and that ALL day, you will burn out much sooner than "before long". Being positive and looking after yourself is a must to survive in business. Take a minute each morning and remind yourself of how strong, intelligent, compassionate and passionate you are. Count your blessings, including you-simply being you!
"Being Positive In An Uncertain Situation Is Not Naivety, It`s Leadership" 1.Be Grateful
2. Stay Mindful
3. Stay Active
4. Eat & Sleep Well 5. Follow Your Passion
In the morning, jot down the three things that make you smile. Remind yourself of those through out the day. Take your eye off the ball for a moment and just breathe nice and slow. Allow your mind to pause a little. If you can, get outside for a walk, but if you are stuck at home then turn the radio up and do a little dance in the kitchen. It`ll get your heart racing and your mouth smiling. Make one healthy choice, then, another. Look after yourself, your business will thank you for it! If you don`t LOVE what you are doing, figure out how to make it differently. Don`t stop until you are proud.
Smile, you are a superstar! P8
Investigating
Does it all make sense? Fears That Keep You From Starting Your Own Business
Do you struggle to find the courage to start your own business? Trust me-I`ve "Been There, Done That" and I have a wardrobe full of T-shirts with the text "UNFINISHED BUSINESS" on them too!
God only know how many hours I have spent, thinking, worrying, making proposals, drafting plans, writing endless lists, forgotten to eat dinner (and even cook any at all), due to spending time making logos, product packaging and websites.... Often all for nothing, because once the initial euphoria of coming up with and starting a new business subsides, the fear of failure sets in and it is not willing to let go of it`s grip unless you make it do so by informing and encouraging yourself. My dear husband truly deserves a medal for putting up with me and listening to me in those times, and another one for knowing when to leave the room and simply letting me be... P9
Granted, there is so much to be said for holding down a steadfast and reliable 9-5 job, where there is a certainty that you will receive your paycheck on time, a place where you are insured and where you are looked after when you get sick or are unable to come to work. The best thing about it is that you have no responsibilities, other than putting in a good day`s work and you have zero financial overheads when employed by another - that's their worry! But for many of us, we can`t but seek that very challenge, the feeling of control and freedom molded into one and the voice of self-employment is forever calling for you from afar. So, what`s stopping you?! First, inform yourself to gain confidence, then make your move.
CONSIDER THIS
Is the market saturated? How can you be different?
"You have to find your niche and fight for it" Put pen to paper and "picture-out" your dream business Let your imagination run wild and "paint the picture" of your absolutely ideal, dream business scenario with all the trimmings you can imagine. Start at the top with the ultimate goal, then work your way down until you come to today, ie. write down what needs to happen for your success to be achievable. Your aim is to figure out: * What needs to be achieved * What needs to change * What needs to be put in motion for you to succeed.
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So, Let`s Beat Those Pesky Business Fears One By One Being Uninformed
Feeling Inadequate
Lack Of Funding
Not Gaining Customers
Being Afraid Of Success
To find out about the sector you want to go in to, research a business owner who has already succeeded, learn from them! And, I think I can promise you that, if you pick up the phone, they will be happy to speak to you too. Instinctively, I bet you know a lot more about the path you want to embark on than you know, especially if you have taken the time to do your research. Life is for learning, and instead of fear knowing less than your peers, ask them questions, it`s a great way to connect! Banks aren`t lending and you simply cannot remortgage your house, so, even though the vision should be large, start your business small and make do with what you have. Use all the free help on the internet you can find, rope in the help of family and friends and be inventive with what you physically "need" to kick it off. It is truly scary to put yourself out there, hoping and praying that people will want what you offer. Arm yourself with market research, to understand who, where and why you will find/create your customer base. Put a solid marketing plan in place and off you go! Now, you wouldn`t wish to be afraid of that, but if you, for example, expand too soon, and you happen to land a larger order than you can handle, you might actually have to decline. Instead, grow slowly and systematically. Get one thing right before you start another. Stay safe until you are certain that you can handle world domination.
"What would you attempt to do, if you knew you couldn`t fail?" P11
FREE ON THE NET Hootsuite is an app & a PC platform, where you create,schedule, & track all your social media content. FAB! www.hootsuite.com
Ripl is an app which lets you create cool slideshow videos incl. images & text in a jiffy. 3 FREE options daily www.ripl.com
Wetransfer lets you move huge files easily, quickly & for FREE across the globe. Very simple to both set up & use. www.wetransfer.com
PicMonkey is FAB for playing around with your photos,creating artwork & cool images with loads of FREE options, layers & deco. www.picmonkey.com
"THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE" Looking after the expenses and outgoings is, of course, a huge responsibility when starting a new business so, use trials or free options wherever you can. P12
BECOME AN
InstaGuru Remember, keep your personal and business accounts separate, to create a more professional look.
Create an account name as close to your business name as possible to avoid confusion.
Beautiful images Hashtags are is key on superbly important, Instagram, you you can useifup to feel unsure, take 30 per post. Anya more course. and your text will be wiped.
Create an informative and positive short bio. Remember to add link to website.
Imagery is King on Instagram; if you feel unsure, take a course and practice!
Post engaging content which reflects or "contain" your business/brand to create a faithful following
Make use of the "Stories" option and post a short video or collage for your audience.
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"COLOURING OUTSIDE OF THE LINES"
Why There Is NO Age-Limit To Start Building Your Dream
By Danielle Serpico
Danielle Serpico is a MindCoach and qualified Master Neuro-Linguistic Practitioner (NLP) and Trainer with the Society of NLP. She has trained directly with Dr. Richard Bandler himself (co-founder of NLP), as well as many other renown hypnosis experts, such as Paul McKenna, Tony Robbins and Justin Tranz. A martial artist, self-defence consultant and European champion, Danielle certainly knows how to help you protect yourself, not only physically but mentally as well. With an entrepreneurial background, 25 years experience running her own businesses, managing large staff, motivating and coaching others, Danielle is the one to have in your corner. Author of the acclaimed Self - Help book 'The BlackBelt MasterMind', she also speaks on the topic of mindset, mental health and overcoming adversity on her weekly Radio show at 103.2 Dublin City FM. She runs regular workshops and motivational seminars, as well as private 1to1 consultations. In her spare time, her other passion is to paint colourful inspirations on large canvases, as well as writing her self-help books, children’s books, and her fantasy fiction novel. She presently lives nestled under the Blackstairs Mountains in Wexford.
NOMADIC
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"Join me on this journey and re-discover your childhood imagination and selfbelief. Start to live by colouring outside the lines! I promise it will be well worth it!" Once upon a time, there was a little girl. She would play, skip and jump with her imaginary friends in the woods and sing and dance for any stranger who crossed her path. Behind her bedroom door was the lift to fairyland and all the magical worlds that she could imagine. Her conviction and belief in the ability to make the world a better place, simply with a smile and a happy tale was admirable. She would sit cross-legged, chatting to her many dolls about all the wonderful things she was going to do when she grew up – And then she did….. It wasn’t obvious at first; the same way as with someone you see every day. It’s hard to see the changes happen - but they did. Life took its toll, and before she knew it, she was 36 and her childhood dreams had long since faded away. She had become a girl like any other. Simply human, just like you or I. That was nearly ten years ago, when my world as I had come to know it fell apart. I had closed my businesses in the recession, handed back my home and faced fear and overwhelm straight in its grinning face. Over the years, I had worked hard, slogging through twelve-hour days all for the happiness, security, and peace of mind that I longed for. But strangely, even when things had been at their best, it never came. I had become numb, brainwashed by society, unaware – whatever term you want to use. I had never really, I mean REALLY analyzed what I wanted. What would make me truly happy? So I did what I thought was expected of me, what I had learnt to expect, to value. I built a good, respectable business that anyone would be proud of. I’m by no means knocking this, but it had never been what I had originally wanted to do. I had always wanted to help make people happy through the medium of creating, writing and art, but then – somehow – I had ended up down a different path, my young dreams fading away, as I tucked them out of sight and mind. After I closed that chapter of my life I felt fear like I had never felt before. The unknown lay before me and I wondered how could one possibly start again? I realized I had to do something quick to change my state of mind. I asked for help and turned to people I knew would guide me. I also started to read everything I could on the subject of mindset and I read all the self-help books I could get my hands on! What I noticed was that a lot of the information and advice was the same - just explained, perceived and packaged differently. I started to note the similarities. Just like with Martial Arts or actual Art and painting, there are always some basic ‘principles to life!
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The important thing is understanding these principles first and then, after that, you can change and play with it as you see fit - in fact .. you can then actually start colouring outside the lines. What we think has a serious impact on how we live our lives and yes, this is the crunch line.. we CAN change how we think, and in so doing – how we feel. When I accepted and took ownership of this fact, I knew immediately that change had already started to happen and I instantly began to feel differently! Now, that ‘little girl’ is back and her dream of changing the world is in full technocolour once again. We are not our past or simply whatever ‘job’ we choose at any one time. We are a cumulation of all of this and a lot more. Instead of living in regret and ‘what if’s’ and denying whom you really are I dare you to acknowledge, no matter at what stage in life you are at, that you have ‘unfinished business’! We can never join the dots going forward. It doesn’t work that way. Life so far is simply our journey, our lessons, and our preparation. We can only ever join the dots going backward. Everything that happened now makes sense. The lessons were all a part of it – part of the growing process – all of them, even the painful ones. This way we can then truly feel joy, appreciation, gratitude, and awareness once again. This time fully. Join me on this journey and re-discover your childhood imagination and self-belief. Start to live by colouring outside the lines! I promise it will be well worth it ;-)
"I learnt that Masterful Attitude Strength and Tenacity Equals Results and so I implemented these principles with a new found purpose and love for life. The results led me to my book The Blackbelt MasterMind and my business as a MindCoach."
2) Attitude = State first!
1) Masterful Awareness 'Awareness is the greatest agent for change. The day you
Generally, we wait for something good to happen before we
decide to start being aware of your thoughts rather than
feel good. In fact we often wake up in the morning and
the actual thoughts itself, is the day you start to notice
basically ‘plan’ for how our day is going to be miserable in
and find different ways to look at things. Ultimately it
ADVANCE! Yes – we do! Be honest. Have you ever woken up,
allows you to 'get out' of your mind and observe. This
looked at the ceiling and thought to yourself … ‘Oh my..
observation is power.
today I gotta do x,y, and z … and before I get back into bed
Anytime you are feeling stressed, overwhelmed or
tonight I know, I just know that I am going to be wrecked!’
fearful, follow the acronym for
Admit it, just between you and I ;-) Well you see, “Disappointment takes adequate planning”. If
A.W.A.R.E Accept the ‘feeling’. Don’t fight it.
we ‘plan’ in advance for our day to be unpleasant, then that’s
Watch it. Just pay attention and when you notice it start
much more likely to be the result, as that is what we will be
to breathe longer on the out-breath.
watching out for. This is due to our natural ‘I told you so’
Act normally. Carry on as normal doing what you’re
nature – psychologically called Confirmation Bias.
doing. This sends a powerful message to your
Instead, we can choose to use it to our advantage by
unconscious mind that its over-dramatic response
planning in advance for things to go well – in fact we can get
is not needed.
excited about this! This is not simply positive thinking but is,
Repeat the above steps in your mind if necessary.
in fact, SMART thinking. Do your Gratitude list in advance.
Expect the best. One of the greatest feelings in life is
Write down 3 things daily that you WILL be grateful for that
when you realize that you can control fear much more
day. I guarantee you will be watching out for them, notice
than you thought and in fact can even change that to a
them, get a rush of feel-good serotonin to your brain and
more beneficial feeling such as excitement!
hence feel better. Remember plan in advance. You get more of what you focus on.
Here are the principles for How to Live Life Fully Outside The Lines! My TOP 6 Tips To MASTER’ing Your Mind! 3) Strength Build your confidence warrior muscle daily! By daily and routinely stepping out of your comfort zone you are strengthening your courage ‘muscle’ and telling your mind that you are not afraid of change or the unknown. If you always do the same and live the same way then this will be your comfort zone. Remember if you don’t step forward you will always be in the same place. Therefore it makes to shake it up and start to stretch it out in advance! If you don’t practice in little tiny ways daily, when something challenging really happens you won't know how to handle it and will simply revert back to what you are used to - sheltering in the familiar. So… Take little ‘risks’ daily to increase your strength. For example; Pick something you have never had before on a Menu. Say yes to an unusual event. Do something you have never done before… Basically stretch yourself daily and soon you will find yourself saying to people that ‘you are someone who always tries new things’. Watch where it takes you! P17
4) Tenacity – How to continue ..
5) Equilibrium Equals Balance
Most of the time we ‘fail’ for one of two reasons. The
For us to live a fulfilled life and to achieve our goals we
first is because we never really started in the first
all need balance - this is simply a state in which
place. We give up before we have begun! Why?
opposing forces and influences are balanced. In martial
Because of overwhelm. We had such a big goal in
arts, we learn how to ‘go with the path of least
mind, which is great (more of that on the next tip) but
resistance.’ How to use someone else's force to our
we didn’t fully plan it out. The easiest way and least
advantage. How does that translate into life? Could you
overwhelming way to do this is….BACKWARDS.
use someone else's strengths to your advantage? Could
Imagine you have reached your goal and now ask
you use some more time out so that you come back
yourself what you did just before that to reach it, and
fighting stronger? In self-defense we learn how to use
just before that and so on. Write down the steps
‘Economy of Motion’ – this is relative to the outside of
backwards and then… just start with one tiny little
the dojo also. Look at who are your experts. Who you are
first step. That is often enough. Action propels action.
surrounded by and who can help you. Take note if you
It’s simply nature. Have a go and you will see how
are around people who build you up or bring you down. If
much easier it is ;-)
the latter is the case then make sure you balance the
Secondly, we ‘fail’ to continue because we planned for
scales and get to surround yourself with a powerful
it all to go so wonderfully that at the first sign of
team.
trouble we give up, thinking we must have got it
Build your tribe!
wrong. As I said before, all this ‘mind-stuff’ is not just positive thinking its SMART thinking. PLAN for when adversity strikes and plan what you will do to overcome it. This is smart - Life and the road to success is never smooth. There will always be bumps. Its HOW we choose in advance to handle these bumps that make the difference.
6) Results – Start with the end in mind!
"I believe you have already started the manifestation of your goals by simply reading this and I trust you enjoy the journey along the way! Remember to dream big, always colour outside the lines and focus on what you want more of in your life." Danielle xx www.theblackbeltmastermind.com
The Zulu tribe use the word Saubona to greet each other. It translates as ‘I see you’. The intention is that by seeing you – I bring you into being. It is the same with manifesting results and your destiny. Look around you at everything that was created by us. It all started with an idea, a seed of thought. It all started first from within. Everything is created twice - first inside your mind and then outside. So if you want your dreams to become reality you have to first SEE it in your mind's eye. You want to visualize it as though you are there. What do you see, feel, hear, taste and smell? When you do this, you will have created an extremely powerful psychological chain of events to start to take place. You will have created momentum, focus, and direction for your unconscious brain to follow. You have now watered the seed – watch it bloom. All these principles are covered more in-depth in "The BlackBelt MasterMind Book’. P18
Fun
boring
Amusing, Pleasurable, Gratifying, Exciting, Entertaining
Tedious, Dull , Unsatisfying, Ungratifying, Monotonous
view Belief, Perspective, Reckoning, Convition, Theory
consider
Examine, Appraise, Review, Contemplate, Deem
Approve
Recommend, Endorse, Support, Favour, Appreciate
Use
Your  Words!Â
We all wish to feel confident in discussions and come across as intelligent and articulate, but it`s easy to feel hesitant and you somehow get "lost for words". Here are a few snazzy synonyms of common words to add to the conversation!
Disappointing
Encouraging
Dispiriting, Discouraging, Regrettable, Unfortunate, Substandard
Uplifting, Motivating, Invigorating, Revitalizing, Fortifying
Outsourcing Professional Accomplished, Skillful, Adept, Proficient, Seasoned
Subcontracting, Externalization, Deploy, Redistribute, Delegate Unprofessional Improper, Unprincipled, Unseemly, Unbecoming, Negligent P19
k c i P s ` r o t i d The Cream Of The E Crop
Brookwood Pottery Brooke & Shoals Alison and her team have created three wonderfully fragrant Eau de Toilettes; Pink Petals is our favourite! € 65.00 www.brookeandshoals.ie
Kiki Moon Snuggle In The Softest Of Baby Blankets By Keelin O`Keeffe. "Moka" € 65.00 www.lovekikimoon.com
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Elaine Fallon is the artist behind an array of lovely ceramic products. "Tree Mug" € 22.50 www.brookwoodpottery.com
Amélie Gagné Studio These post earrings by Amélie are aptly named "After The Storm" and they are simply gorgeous. € 12.00 www.ameliegagnestudio.com
Caulfield Country Boards
The Happy Pear Brothers Dave & Steve Have Put Together A More Than Yummy Gift Hamper € 85.00 www.thehappypear.ie
Top Quality And Beautifully Hand Crafted Wood Ware. "Crumb Catcher"€ 55.00 www.caulfieldcountryboards.ie
Cathy`s Spelt For Health Cathy And Her Daughters Have Turned Their Healthy Spelt Baking Mixes Into A Global Business-Simply Delicious! € 3.50 www.cathysspeltforhealth.ie
Coco Bó Kathryn Davey This Collection Of Hand Dyed Irish Linen & Natural Fibers Is So Rustically Beautiful. "Irish Linen Apron" € 68.00 www.kathryndavey.com
Simply Go Into Their Shop On O`Connell Street And Let Yourself Be Seduced! €-See The Full Range www.cocobo.ie P21
Lunch Time!
QUICK & HEALTY EAT HOT OR COLD, EITHER WAY, IT`S DELICIOUS!
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MOUTH WATERING HOISIN CHICKEN WRAPS
"This lunch is SO quick and easy to make, even the busiest of self-starters will have time to put it together!" God knows I too can be accused of skipping many a meal, just to get more time in front of the laptop! Although I`m sure I found it to be a great idea at the time, it doesn`t do your body any good, and nowadays, I make sure to eat three meals per day which leaves me bursting with energy.
Chop one chicken breast into pieces, add a little salt & pepper, gently fry it in the pan until golden brown and fully cooked through. Wash and cut some cucumber into thin sticks. Peel and grate some carrot. Place one Iceberg lettuce-leaf on a plate, add some hot chicken, the carrot, and cucumber. Sprinkle with a few roasted cashew nuts for added crunch and gorgeous flavour, then drizzle your lunch with yummy Hoisin sauce-mmm! Gently roll the leaf into a wrap and enjoy! P23
BECOME A...
CLEVER COLOURIST Did you know that depending on which colours you pick to represent you and your business it can have both an amazing and/or devastating effect on how the customer perceives your brand, including the understanding of what your business "does"? When contemplating the design of your logo, business cards, social media profiles and materials which you might need such as flyers, brochures, and other printed media, think carefully about what your chosen colours "say" to people. P24
"Have a proper look at a few logos and see what they instinctively tell you." When you look at business logos, there is often something about it that makes you "see" the business before your eyes, if you know what I mean. It lies in the font used, the imagery portrayed, the shape and most of all, the colour. A logo tells you a lot about what you will find if you look closer. Pick out a few logos, dissect them so to speak and see what they tell you. Before long, you will have developed a strong instinct for what your logo should and shouldn`t look like. I mean, even though your absolute favourite colour is hot pink, NO maybe MADIC you| should 24 not pick it for your estate-agent firm...
"Colours speak all languages" Green
black
orange
Olive-Classic, Outdoors Light-Calm, Soothing Dark-Stately, Traditional
Black-Luxurious, Powerful Light Grey-Corporate, Efficient Dark Grey-Steadfast, Resolute
Tangerine-Vital, Energizing Vibrant-Jovial, Spontaneous Golden-Tasty, Comforting
Blue
white
brown
Teal-Cool, Serene Light-Peaceful, Patient Deep-Credible, Classic
Pure White-Innocent, Airy, Clean Ivory-Comforting, Natural
Tan- Rugged, Outdoors Chocolate-Robust, Appetizing Earth-Solid, Supportive
red
pink
silver
Bright-Excited, Assertive Deep-Elegant, Mature Brick-Strong, Established
Light-Romantic, Delicate Powder-Subtle, Composed Hot-Playful, Seductive
yellow
purple
gold
Bright-Joyful, Energetic Light-Sweet, Pleasing Chartreuse-Artsy, Trendy
Lavender-Fanciful, Nostalgic Magenta-Intense, Dramatic Dark- Royal, Prestigious
Sleek, Modern, Stylish, Confident, Cool, Classy
Luxurious, Opulent Radiant, Intuitive
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"THERE ARE GREAT THINGS AHEAD, JUST KEEP WALKING!"
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Getting it right from the start
CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT WENDY MERRIGAN TELLS YOU WHAT TO DO WHEN, WHEN STARTING AS A NEW SOLE-TRADER P27
THE IMPORTANCE OF COMPLIANCE WHEN STARTING TO
WORK FOR YOURSELF By Wendy Merrigan
P28
The most exciting time for someone is when they set up a new business. It starts with a great idea stemming from your passion. With commitment and such a sense of what you want to accomplish, you decide to set out to the world of self-employment. However, shortly thereafter you realize there are compliance obligations, taxes to be paid, forms to be completed, to say the least. It might seem pretty daunting. You may not have realized how much administration and paperwork was involved. The responsibility to pay your taxes and look after your compliance (even if you have engaged a professional to assist you), always rests with you as a business owner. Taking ownership and control of the compliance issues or engaging with the following points, can help guide you on the path as you take the leap into self-employed freedom. There are various types of businesses but for today we are focusing on trading as a self-employed ‘sole-trader’. Many people confuse a sole-trader business with a ‘limited company’. A limited company is a completely separate legal entity operating a business. It is separate to the owners and the owners have the comfort of ‘limited liability’, knowing that if something happens within the business, it potentially will not affect them personally. Operating as a sole-trader is different. It is a person operating a business. The business is not separate to the individual and an individual has a higher risk level should anything negative happen in the business. Many people initially set up as a sole-trader and decide to form a company as their business grows, while others prefer to set up as a company on day one. Arguably, there are higher compliance costs operating through a company but usually, the limited liability is key in making this decision.
What to do & where to start 2. Set up a separate bank account.
1. Register your business name with the Companies Registration Office (CRO). Having a unique name is good if you decide to later become a company. Many can register the same business names. If something negative appeared publicly about a business with a similar name to yours, it might damage your business. It’s something to consider.
Many people trade using their personal bank account. While you don’t have to set up a new account in your name or business name, I would strongly advise you do, as it’s an easier way to know how you are performing financially. Understanding your personal funds and business funds should be kept separate from day one is a good lesson. You may have times initially that you may need to put your personal funds into the .business account to keep it topped up, but this will give you a clear picture of how you are doing financially. I’ll discuss this more in point 6.
3. Register with Revenue. When you become a sole trader, you must register for tax with Revenue. The Revenue’s website has recently been updated and is very helpful. Reading the following link is a good, short guide to get you on your way. https://www.revenue.ie/en/startin g-a-business/registering-fortax/how-to-register-for-tax-as-asole-trader.aspx
6. Business versus personal expenses.
5. VAT - Why you might and when you must, register.
4. What you must have on a sales VAT invoice. If your business is registered for VAT there is certain information your invoices must show. Again the link from revenue is a great one https://www.revenue.ie/en/vat/vat -records-invoices-and-creditnotes/invoices/what-informationis-required-on-a-vat-invoice.aspx Check over this list to ensure your invoices comply.
Whether you decide to register for VAT will depend on the type of business you are starting. You could wait until you reach the threshold revenue have set before you register. Then you must charge VAT and can then claim back VAT on expenses incurred for business purposes. In certain circumstances it might be beneficial to register for VAT from day one, to allow you to claim back the VAT on your business expenses. Discuss which option is best for you with your .advisor early, as you can only reclaim VAT from the date you register with Revenue.
Be very clear on what constitutes a business expense and only put the business expenses through your business bank account. Many make mistakes early on, by considering some costs business costs but revenue would view them as personal costs. This one point can cause a lot of hardship and confusion with new business owners. Having the separate bank account discussed in point 2 above definitely helps keep business and personal expenditure clearly separated in your mind. Keeping it simple though, if you feel what you are doing is more personal than business, then it most likely is a personal expense and vice versa. If you are unsure about what expenditure might be allowed, discuss this with your advisor.
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"Take Ownership & Control" 9 Understanding Preliminary Income Tax. 7 Keeping your invoices and receipts. When engaging an accountant to help do your year-end bookkeeping and tax returns, you may be aware most will charge by the hour. In order to reduce the costs at year end, keep a tidy record of your receipts in a folder or, if you keep more detailed records on excel or a basic accounting package, this should help minimise your compliance costs at the year end. Hopefully then allowing the time spent with your accountant to be more of an advisory role, discussing financial goals and targets to help you achieve your personal financial freedom goals. This will be much more valuable time spent.
8 Paying your Income tax. Your taxes in Ireland are all paid on a ‘self-assessment’ basis. That is, you make returns to revenue and declare you are paying all your taxes. As you make sales during your first year and onwards and pay bills, you may have excess funds (hopefully) in the business bank account. You should always put some money by for your tax bill at the end of the following year. As income tax rates in Ireland are particularly high, you should discuss what percentage of your income you should put aside with your accountant (anything from 30% to 50% depending on the level of profit in your business).
10 Managing invoicing, cash flow and the financial side. Many business owners are so busy doing the work, they don’t priorities doing the admin. Getting invoices out to customers in a timely manner is key to getting paid also in a timely manner. If it’s possible, put in place terms with your customers (the basis on which you expect to be paid), especially if your work takes place over a period of time. If so, try invoice in a piece-meal manner. Look to bill on a monthly basis for work done that month. Don’t put off talking about terms. Having signed terms with clients if things go wrong (should someone refuse to pay you) is the key to getting paid.
In order to discuss the impact of preliminary tax we must first understand the tax deadline. An illustrative example - If you began trading during 2017, your first period of trading is to 31 December 2017. The tax return due to revenue for that year is not due until late 2018. Therefore, you have made profit (hopefully) and have funds in the bank that relate to your tax bill for a long time after your year end. When you pay your Income tax in Ireland (the deadline this year is 16 November 2017 for online filing), you also have to pay what is known as ‘preliminary income tax’. In our illustrative example it is paying tax for the period up to 31 December 2017. I won’t get too detailed on taxes however, be aware that when your profit level increases and you have to pay more tax for a year, as you also have to pay the same amount again in preliminary tax, it can be a surprise for a small business owner when they realise just how much tax is being paid upfront and it can cause cashflow difficulties. In order to avoid this, I’d strongly recommend preparing your income tax very early in the year to enable you to plan for the tax deadline and know early in the year how much will be due at the deadline to ensure enough is put by each month.
This article is not written in a legal format. For full information on your own business or structure of your company and any tax advice, please seek professional advice specific to your own needs. The article above is only a guide note. The writer has no legal responsibility to any reader for specific actions taken on the advice of the above. The tax information above is for guidance purposes only. Always take tax advice in relation to your specific situation. P30
"DON`T STOP UNTIL YOU`RE PROUD"
Jo Browne P31
JO BROWNE`SÂ
SOLID PERFUME EMPORIUM By Kajsa Kinsella
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I have to admit, I was quite nervous the other day, meeting one of my "business-idols", who`s progress I first became intrigued during last year`s "Showcase Ireland" in late January of 2017, when the girl, after having juuuust about started her business, literally cleaned-up as she won the "Best Product Award" in the "Overall Gift Category". This was an award which was to be followed by many many more. Joanne handled it all so professionally and the rest of us stall holders were in great awe. I knew then, that I wanted to get to know this powerhouse and to hear her story. One year later, I have her in front of me and we will together tell her inspiring tale of global success. When she came in the door to where we were to meet, with the glow from her early morning training session still evident on her smiling cheeks, she greeted me with a warm, firm hug and I knew straight away that we would get on really well. There is a definite air of confidence, contentment and inner strength around Jo, which you only see in completely self-made business women. Joanne lives and works in County Carlow with her husband Matt and their three children.
Would you believe, the Irish queen of solid perfume, is actually not a big fan of standard spray-on perfume at all, in fact, she never was! Now, FRAGRANCE, SCENT & BOUQUET are completely different things and they certainly have her full attention. Jo has single-handedly built her very successful business based on common sense, the ability to pace herself, passion and hard, hard work and as of to date, Jo Browne Natural Solid Perfumes are available for smelling and purchasing in 11 countries worldwide! Here in Ireland, she is represented by Irish retail giants such as The Kilkenny Store, Newbridge Silverware, The Titanic Museum, Avoca Handweavers and Kylemore Abbey, to name but a few. It all started, as in fact so many business dreams do, with a defining moment in her childhood, when she was one day gifted a small piece of "faraway dreams and wonder" in the shape of a little pot, filled to the brim with a wonderfully smelling paste from Greece, and in an instant, she was hooked. Jo, through her work as a fully qualified reflexologist and a holistic therapist, treasuring the "Body, Mind, Spirit & Emotions"-combination, developed a fascination for the highest quality essential oils and all things natural when it comes to clean, ecological, and organic skincare. She was still infatuated with solid perfumes and due to lack of availability, had to import her own all the way from a producer in Australia, but once this business closed, there was no more to be found. So, Jo, as resolute and creative as she is, simply had to come up with her own. In 2013, she took a leap of faith and followed her dream, left her job and started out on an adventure of developing her very own natural solid perfume which to date has brought her wonderfully fragrant products all around the globe and she promises that there is so much more to come from the brand Jo Browne.
"Whilst searching for a model to head my men`s collection, my graphics designer sent me a man in a suit and tie which didn`t feel right and I said No, No-THIS is the guy for my fragrances!" After having spent three years of eagerly dissecting similar products, testing formulas, understanding scent combinations, and learning about how all ingredients need to blend and hopefully stay together, Joanne made her very first sample of solid perfume at the kitchen table and she was so pleased with the result, that she plucked up the courage to start sourcing packaging and had her first formula certified and fit for sale. At this time, Joanne had a 6-month-old baby girl on her hip, as only a few days later, a huge box of 3000 solid perfume tubes made from ecological bamboo and sourced from a sustainable source, arrived at the door. - "I said to myself, what in the world are you doing!", she tells me. NOMADIC | 24 P33
As so many things in life, they just fall into place when you most need them to, and Jo`s elegant perfume wrappings were far too beautiful to have a label slapped on to them, so as luck would have it, Jo happened to hear of a lady not far from where she lives herself, who had an engraving machine and so, their collaboration started and a nearly full-time job was created out of only labeling the tubes. The result is as you can see, sleek, simple and luxurious. The tube design eliminates potential mess and risk of spillage. It`s the perfect companion for when traveling. All Jo`s perfumes are handmade, from start to finish and after having initially roped in her husband as "pouring and scraping wax off the table-assistant", Jo was on the 15.th of June 2016, ready to launch her new business. A local chemist took on her first product, "Foral Note" ladies perfume, then the next chemist came on board and then the next. Jo now knew that she was on to something and spent day and night calling and sending emails to potential retailers and evidently, all her hard work paid off. In less than half a year, Jo, a fully self-made entrepreneur, found herself having increased her range with another two lady`s and two men`s fragrances. She gained encouragement from the local enterprise board to attend "Showcase Ireland" and got picked to represent the show. She was in her kitchen, being filmed for the massively popular TV programme "Nationwide" two months before the show, pinching herself.
"Focus on one single product and get it right, first then, move on to the next"
"Remember, YOU are the face of your business, there is an immense buying power in people having a person to relate to" In late January of 2017, Jo Browne was on display at the "Showcase Ireland", and boy, did she clean up! As the winner of the "Overall Gift Category", her business instantaneously reached a height which was so very well deserved, and large orders from retail giants worldwide followed... The same night as Showcase ended, Nationwide aired on national TV and it was a very different Jo Browne driving home, exhausted but oh, so elated, than the one who had nervously set up her stall in the RDS just a few days earlier. Life was never going to be the same and she was more than ready for it. Since then, Jo`s brand and faithful customer base has grown from strength to strength, and although she prides herself in having no waiting time added on orders as she always carries backup stock and "stated by customers" the very best customer service in the business, Jo is not one to sit back and relax. During 2017, Jo added a delightful facial cleansing balm, made with Camelia Oil, which has allowed her to broaden her customer base further. This year will see another three unique products on the shelves, all made with the highest quality and natural ingredients. Since Showcase, Jo has won numerous prestigious awards and her ultimate dream is to see her brand displayed and on sale in every single airport in the world and do you know what, having met her in person, I know for sure that she will get there!
Natural, Ecological, Sustainable-Honest When Jo started out on her journey of fragrances and skin care, she was adamant from the very beginning that all her products would be made, using only the very best of natural products and that they would not contain any nasties like parabens, SLS, artificial colours, lanolin or GMO`s. Jo Browne Natural Solid Perfumes are made from Organic Beeswax, Mango Butter, Jojoba Oil, Vitamin E & Rice Bran Oil Her new Facial Cleansing Balm is made with 6 carrier oils and 8 essential oils, is 80% organic and contains the "miracle oil" Camelia due to it`s many beauty and healing benefits. Find Jo Browne on https://jobrowne.com/ THANK YOU Jo, for giving me so much of your time, I am so thrilled to get to tell your story. All the very best in the future!
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Healthy Snack Break
KAJSA`S HOMEBAKED CRACKER BREADS P35
"You need to plan these 24 hours ahead, but they are so worth it!" You Will Need: 3.5 dl. Oatflakes 1.5 dl. Linseeds 1 dl. Sunflower Seeds 1 dl. Sesame Seeds 0.5 dl. Pumpkin Seeds 1 Teasp. Salt 6 dl. Water 2 Tblsp. Rapeseed Oil DAY 1: Place all the dry ingredients in a large bowl, add first the water, then the oil to the mixture. Stir well so that all the seeds are covered in liquid. Cover the bowl with cling film and then place the blend in the refrigerator over night so that the seeds can swell up and become soft before we bake. DAY 2: Use parchment paper on your baking trays and gently spread the mixture out evenly. You can also cut out specific shapes if you prefer, or break it into pieces later. Bake in 200 Degrees Celsius for 25-35 minutes minutes then remove from the oven, Loosen the bread from the parchment paper and turn upside down. Lower the temperature to 150 degrees and bake for another 25 minutes, opening the oven every now and then to let out steam. Enjoy with a strong cheese, some fresh vegetables and a nice, hot cup of tea.
"Try these once, and you`re hooked!"
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SIMPLY NUTRITIOUS Seeds are sometimes forgotten in our diet, but they are incredibly beneficial to your overall health and digestion. Packed with fats, proteins & nutrients, they will do your body so much good, and baked into delicious cracked bread, you will go and make another batch straight away.
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"BE CAREFUL OF YOURSELF, FOR NOTHING IN NATURE BLOOMS ALL YEAR..." P38
Investigating
Sisu By Kajsa Kinsella
Not only FIND your inner strength, but learn to use it and make it kick butt too!
"What doesn`t kill you makes you stronger" is a well known saying, and I`m sure you have, as well as I have, repeated it to yourself in times of disappointment and low self esteem. It gives us that little bit of push to wipe away the tears and keep going no matter what. The Finnish buzz-word "SISU" means just that; to never give up; to be resilient; to be strong and to persevere in the pursuit of completing the task you set out to do. To fully see it through even though you want to give up. It might sound a little too tough and matter of fact, but I think that constantly scoring a home run your entire life doesn`t help or shape you in the way that letdowns and struggles do. Adversity might not be appreciated at the time of it`s always untimely arrival, but it forces you to develop a courageous and dedicated persona and that`s never bad! P39
Sisu has ben described as the new "Super Power" and , having grown up in Scandinavia myself, I can truly see what they mean by that; you simply had to get on with things, figure out how to make a right out of a wrong and get the task done, or you were "not done", it`s as simple as that and from somewhere inside you came this pushing power which made you continue until you reached the finishing line. The word Sisu could be translated as "guts" and for many Finnish people, there is a near magical element to the word. Understanding Sisu will make you realize that you are a lot stronger than you think!
"Have your oats and a good portion of Sisu for breakfast!"
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Sisu, the new super power BE PROUD OF YOURSELF-Remind yourself when things are tough of all the obstacles you actually HAVE overcome and that YOU were the one to get yourself through it KEEP GOING-Put one foot in front of the other, have faith in yourself and trust that you can achieve the goal you wish to reach.
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LIFE IS TOUGH, MY DARLING, BUT SO ARE YOU P41
Thank You! I hope you have enjoyed the magazine; that it has inspired you and given you a bit of a boost to start on your own path of entrepreneurship.
My most sincere gratitude to this month`s contributors; Danielle Serpico, Wendy Merrigan and Joanne Browne /Kajsa Kinsella