Posted on 07.11.2013, by Rob Warlow
We all like to turn to friends and family to bounce an idea around or to seek feedback but are they really the best source of advice?
According to new research from Bibby Financial Services friends and family are the most trusted sources of business advice for small business owners, even in preference to accountants, financial advisers and solicitors.
The research found that 23% of small and medium sized business owners said they trust friends and family the most when seeking guidance, followed by financial advisers (18%), the internet (14%), accountants (14%) and solicitors (9%).
However, when asked where they search out for advice most often 24% said they turn to online resources, with friends and family coming in at the second most-frequented source at 19%.
Although the internet is the most frequented source of business advice, 52% did admit that they would prefer to receive face-to-face advice, with only 14% saying that browsing the internet was their favoured way of finding information.
Whilst the findings don’t come as a surprise in that it’s easier and less threatening to speak those closest to you than turning professional advisors you need to carefully decide whom you’re asking advice from. Are your friends best placed to pick holes in your plan? Are they willing to step up and challenge your grand ideas for world domination or are you likely to get a simple ‘sounds good to me’ response?
Friends and family advice will get you so far but you’ll travel further with the right advice.
Hi Rob, it was so interesting and entertaining listening to you at the Kevin Green Wealth Coach Workshop in Reading this weekend! I didnt realise you can find Finance proposals such fun!. Brilliant tips! Thanks.
I wanted to thank you for such an insightful, energetic, and entertaining talk at the Kevin Green Wealth event on securing funding and creating a successful plan. It was brilliantly executed and a pleasure to listen to and the ideas I’ve learned are definitely going to help me in going forward.
Rob delivered a series of 3 workshops aimed at understanding how finance houses look at finance propositions with the aim for us as a team to deliver more of a bespoke offering to our customer base. The training was delivered to a mixture of staff who work with new businesses start-ups and existing established businesses across Mid & South West Wales. Rob delivered the training with an abundance of passion and has really helped my team look at financial propositions in a different light, many thanks again Rob and I look forward to work with you in the near future.
Rob kindly agreed to attend the recent Pontypridd RFC sponsors networking evening and delivered what can only be described as an excellent talk on 5 Tactics to Boost Your Business and Your Profits. He kept the audience engaged throughout and the feedback from everyone was excellent. Rob is very knowledgeable on business and finance and on top of that is a genuine nice guy. We hope to have him back at a future event and I have no hesitation in recommending Rob’s services.
Further to your recent presentation at LEAD Wales just wanted to say it was very refreshing to see somebody talk passionately and positively about finance, very insightful!