ADVICE, be it start-up, financial, positive or negative is central to the core of any successful business. We asked three successful small business owners from the Entrepreneurs’ Forum where and from whom they sourced their advice to help their business.

David Frame, founder of Boldon- based DEF Software and DEF Apps.

“When I started out by myself, I think being naive actually helped a lot because it outweighed my fear and preconceptions. I was quite happy to call anybody and ask if I could meet them and ask for guidance and advice.

“I remember asking a senior partner from Ernst & Young out to lunch about 10 years ago. I knew he was well networked so I wanted to get my offering in front of him.

“He was also good enough to give me the benefit of his advice and pointed me towards a few people, who pointed me towards a few more people and I was eventually advised that my business model would not work. I thought about it for a short while, agreed, closed shop and looked to the next thing.

“It was a massively positive experience for me in that I learned that every now and then, bad news is the right news.

“I think one of the biggest things I’ve learned from other entrepreneurs is that I need to go it alone.

“I have no real problem with business partners, but when the final decision wasn’t mine it just didn’t feel right.”

Ian Smith, managing director of Durham-based Surreal Creative.

“I realised very quickly that I would need a lot of help during the early stages although my vision for the business was very clear.

“It was recommended that I speak to Fred Bamber from FSB Consultants. I also approached Tony Wright from PWA Unlimited, from whom I had received some NLP training. Both of them gave me some invaluable advice and guidance.

“Business Link came forward with grants for training within the business for both myself and the initial team, which were very useful to a fledgling business.

“My advice to others is, don’t think you know everything. Seek out advice; speak to other people who have done it and then trust to your gut reaction.”

Phil Cambers, commercial director of SITS Group.

“We observed how other start-up entrepreneurs had been successful and decided to establish a specialist business in a niche area of IT – it would have been much harder to try to break into a very small market against heavy competition.

“The biggest lesson I learned from others during the years before we set up the company was how not to do things, such as how not to deliver great customer service the way they did. The spin-off benefit was that I also learned the benefits of under-promising and over-delivering.

“I also picked up tips on thinking strategically and working on the business rather than in it.

“It doesn’t sound like a big thing but it actually requires a real mindshift, especially in the early days as an entrepreneur.

“One of the hardest things to learn was that it was OK to try something and fail, for instance spending money on buying in a database that didn’t deliver any leads. It’s not the end of the world if you fail at something, as long as you learn from it. “

:: For more How I....tips go to www.ifwecanyoucan.co.uk  which is inspired by the Entrepreneurs' Forum.