Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in multimedia but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jack Bee, Founder of Hive Creative Media Ltd., located in Leicester, UK.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Hive Creative Media is a creative design and multimedia agency based in the Midlands. We specialise in all forms of graphic design & multimedia production, including branding, web design, video, and photography.

We work with a variety of unique businesses that vary in size/sector, so our customers can be any sole trader or business that is looking for design & media solutions to enhance their visual identity in order to connect with the right audience.

Tell us about yourself

I have loved making things since I was young; I'd always be building or drawing up something - this is what led me into the world of design. After graduating with my degree in 2016, I worked in multiple agencies for six years until, eventually, I decided that I would continue my career in an in-house role so that I could work on my own agency - then Hive Creative Media was born.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I think my biggest accomplishment so far has been just getting started and getting stuck into the world of business. A lot of learning comes from experience, so the sooner you dive in, the faster you learn, and the better you get.

Another thing that I pride myself on is taking time to build relationships with clients and potential customers. This is something that I have always tried to get right since the start of my career - I like to make sure that everyone I work with is completely satisfied with the deliverables, so I always make sure I go above and beyond to get this right.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

I think it's easy to get caught up in comparison when doing anything in life; however, this can definitely be hard to deal with when you're just starting up a business. There will always be bigger, more established competitors out there, but staying true to your vision and keeping focused on your goal is key. We all have to start somewhere, and keeping a focus on your path and not getting distracted by other noise around you is definitely going to help you to succeed.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Get started! There is never a 'perfect' time to start, so get started sooner rather than later. Using agile methodologies, if possible, get your services/product out there in the form of an MVP - you can always iterate over time, utilising feedback and data to guide you. Plus, with emerging technologies popping up all of the time, it's good to be able to pivot in order to accommodate new tools, software, etc... -There's no time like the present.
  2. Have a strategy in mind. What are your goals? What are you looking to achieve? What do you want from the business? What does success look like? Make sure to answer all of the important questions in order to understand and articulate your vision fully. Once you have a goal or set of goals to focus on, the path becomes a lot clearer.
  3. Lean into your network. Whether it's friends, family, or old colleagues, identify gaps in skill or knowledge that you have and may need for your business and connect to experts in these areas. We can't all be experts at everything, so identifying people who may be able to advise on certain topics may give you a new perspective on something you have overlooked. People from your network could also benefit from using your product/services, so reach out!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://hivecreativemedia.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hivecreativeofficial/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hivecreativemedia/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hive-creative-media/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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