Every business starts with an idea.
It might be something you’ve been thinking about for years, a problem you’ve experienced yourself, or simply a point where you’ve thought, “I reckon I could do this.”
Taking that first step can be exciting. It can also be a bit terrifying.
Suddenly there are a hundred things to think about. Customers, money, websites, social media, branding, accounts, networking… and somehow you’re expected to know what you’re doing.
The truth is, most people don’t.
This World Entrepreneurship Day, we’re celebrating the people who decide to give it a go. Not just the businesses that have made it big, but the people at the very beginning who are still working things out.
The first 90 days can be an important time, but not because you need to have everything sorted by the end of them. They’re a chance to test your idea, meet people, make mistakes and start working out what direction you want to take.
Days 1-30: Get the Basics Right
When you’re starting a business, it’s easy to get distracted by the fun stuff.
You might spend hours choosing your logo, picking your colours or trying to make your website look perfect.
And while those things are important, there’s probably a bigger question to answer first:
Who are you actually trying to help?
Spend some time getting clear on what you’re offering, who it’s for and what problem you’re solving.
Then there are the less exciting jobs. Getting your finances in order, registering your business, understanding your costs and working out what you actually need to earn.
It might not be the most glamorous part of starting a business, but it gives you something to work from.
And don’t worry if your first version isn’t perfect.
In fact, it probably won’t be.
You might realise your original idea needs changing. You might speak to customers and find out they want something completely different from what you expected.
That’s all part of starting a business.
You don’t need to have the finished version on day one.
Days 31-60: Start Talking to People
At some point, you have to get out from behind the laptop.
Start talking to people.
Talk to potential customers. Talk to other business owners. Talk to people who work in your industry.
You can spend hours researching your market, but sometimes one conversation will tell you more than a week of Googling.
This is also where networking can make a real difference.
And by networking, we don’t mean walking into a room and trying to sell your business to everyone you meet.
Sometimes it’s just having a chat over a coffee. Finding out what someone else does. Hearing how they’ve approached a problem you’ve been struggling with. Or meeting someone who knows someone you should probably speak to.
Not every conversation will turn into a customer, and it doesn’t need to.
Building a business takes relationships, and relationships take time.
You can also start thinking about your online presence during this stage.
You don’t need to be everywhere. You don’t need to post five times a day. You just need to make it easy for the right people to understand who you are, what you do and how you can help them.
Days 61-90: Work Out What’s Actually Working
By this point, you should have started to learn a few things.
Some of them might be things you expected.
Others probably won’t be.
Maybe a particular type of customer is showing more interest than you thought. Maybe something you were convinced would work hasn’t. Maybe you’ve realised that the business you thought you were going to build is starting to look a little different.
That’s okay.
Take some time to look at what’s actually happening.
Where are your enquiries coming from?
What are people responding to?
What’s taking up loads of your time without really moving the business forward?
You don’t need a fancy system to keep track of it all. A spreadsheet, notebook or regular hour in your calendar can be enough.
The important thing is to pay attention.
Your first 90 days aren’t about proving that you’ve built a successful business.
They’re about learning enough to make your next 90 days better.
You Don’t Have to Do It On Your Own
One of the funny things about entrepreneurship is that you’re often told it’s all about being independent.
But building a business doesn’t mean doing everything yourself.
Having the right people around you can make a huge difference.
Sometimes that’s another business owner who has already been through what you’re dealing with. Sometimes it’s a mentor, a friend, a potential collaborator or simply someone who will listen to your latest idea and tell you honestly whether it makes sense.
That’s something we see a lot at Salford Innovation Forum.
Our community is made up of businesses at all sorts of stages. Some people are just getting started. Others have been running their business for years and are now looking at what’s next.
Being around other people who understand the ups, downs and occasional chaos of running a business can be really valuable.
We also offer dedicated business support through our Innovation Director, Artur, who works directly with members to help them think through challenges, refine ideas and plan next steps, alongside our networking and community events that give people the chance to meet, share ideas and build meaningful connections.
Because sometimes you don’t need another business book or another course.
You just need to talk something through with someone who gets it.
Starting a Business in Salford? You Don’t Have to Figure It Out Alone
If you’re starting a business in Salford or somewhere else across Greater Manchester, there are plenty of ways to meet other business owners, find practical support and get involved in the local business community.
GOV.UK: Help setting up and running a small business
For some people, that might mean joining a networking group. For others, it could be finding a coworking space, getting advice from someone who has been there before, or simply finding somewhere to work where you’re not doing it all on your own.
At Salford Innovation Forum, we bring many of those things together.
We’re a business and coworking community supporting startups, freelancers and growing SMEs, with flexible workspace, meeting rooms, networking opportunities and practical business support.
You don’t have to be at a particular stage to get involved. Sometimes it’s as simple as coming along to an event, meeting a few people and seeing where the conversation takes you.
Entrepreneurship Isn’t Always a Straight Line
This World Entrepreneurship Day, we’re celebrating the reality of entrepreneurship.
The first customer.
The first invoice.
The first networking event where you know absolutely nobody.
The idea that doesn’t work.
The unexpected opportunity that takes you in a completely different direction.
The late nights, the small wins and the moments where you wonder whether you’re doing any of it right.
There isn’t one way to build a business, and there certainly isn’t a magic 90-day formula.
If you’re at the beginning of your journey, give yourself some room to figure things out.
Talk to people. Try things. Change your mind when you need to.
And don’t underestimate the small steps.
You might not know exactly where you’re going yet.
But that’s okay.
You just need to work out what the next step is.
And if you’re figuring it out…
If you’re somewhere in those first 90 days, or even a little further along, you’re always welcome to come and see what we’re about at Salford Innovation Forum.
Grab a coffee, meet some of the businesses here, or come along to one of our events and see what the community is like.
You never know who you might meet or where a conversation might lead.
We’re always happy to have a chat.
August 2026
Sarah Taylor
Customer Experience Assistant
