I recently interviewed Nigel Eccles, CEO and co-founder of FanDuel – Fanduel is an entirely new way of playing fantasy sports, FanDuel.com lets you play and win at fantasy sports in a day instead of waiting the whole season. Players can draft a new team at any time, and pitch it head-to-head against a single opponent – or a league of opponents – for real money. The player whose team has the most fantasy points after the games have completed wins the cash prize.

Before co-founding FanDuel, Nigel spent 4 years with McKinsey & Co, and prior to this ran Flutter.com, a betting exchange company which was acquired by Betfair.

In our interview below, Nigel talks about how the idea for FanDuel came about, how the whole game works, challenges running the business and key advices for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Hi Nigel, How are you doing, great to have you on YHP? Could you quickly give us some background information about yourself?

I’m the CEO and co-founder of FanDuel, which is a daily fantasy sports game. We launched in 2009 and in 2011 we moved our HQ to New York. We have 20 employees split across our New York and Edinburgh offices.

How did you get involved in entrepreneurship? Were you exposed to entrepreneurship as a child?

I grew up on a farm so I guess I was exposed to being part of a small business. One of my older brothers, Alan, was always a lot more entrepreneurial than I was though. He was always starting small businesses like buying logs and then chopping them up and selling them as firewood. I tended to be the employee (unpaid!).

So tell me about FanDuel and how the idea came about?

We launched the company in 2007 as an on-line games development business. Our first game, Hubdub.com, was an on-line news prediction game. It grew really quickly, attracting about 250,000 users at its peak but we could never figure out a good way to turn it into a business. So in early 2009 we decided to launch a new game. I knew our sports fans on Hubdub were the most passionate and we thought fantasy sports was an interesting market so it really grew from that.

What is FanDuel and how does it work?

FanDuel is a daily fantasy sports game. In traditional fantasy sports players pay an entry fee, draft a team for an entire season and then score points based on the performance of their team. The player whose team scores the most points wins a prize. FanDuel is the same only instead of a season the games only last one day. We offer the four major professional US sports, NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL, and college football and basketball.

What is your business model?

Each game has an entry fee and prizes. We structure each game so that the prizes equate to around 90-94% of the entry fees and we take the remainder.

How did you initially attract users to FanDuel, and how do you do it now?

We use a variety of ways to market FanDuel: PPC, print, radio, affiliate and partnerships. Additionally we reach a lot of users through viral and word of mouth marketing. At the very start our main means of customer acquisition was PPC.

What makes FanDuel different from any service out there? What problem does it solve?

Our biggest competitor is traditional fantasy sports which is played by 32 million people in the US and Canada. FanDuel offers three advantages over traditional fantasy sports:

1. Play today, win today – FanDuel games only last one day so you don’t have to commit to an entire season

2. Significant cash prizes – you can play in tournaments starting from $1 and win huge prizes. Our FanDuel Fantasy Football Championship last year saw 12 finalists flown to Las Vegas for an all expenses paid trip and the chance to share in a $250,000 prize pool. All that for a $10 entry fee.

3. Variety – we offer head to head games, 5 player, 10 player and 500 player plus leagues. We offer leagues with 50/50 pay-outs (i.e. finish in the top half of the league to win) and leagues with live finals. Entry fees range from $1 to $500.

What are the most crucial things you have done to grow your business?

Continue to invest in product and marketing. Our product experience is several magnitudes better today than 12 months ago. In 12 months time it needs to improve the same amount. On marketing we have continued to spend on acquisition as we need to convert more of that 32 million traditional fantasy sports players.

What was the most challenging part of starting the business?

Getting product/market fit is the hardest part of growing any consumer tech business. Prior to product/market fit progress feels really slow and painful. Failure to crack product/market fit means you completely fail so it is very binary. The challenges post product/market fit have been around growing the user base quickly enough and financing our growth.

Would you say the business has changed from the first initial idea?

It changed very rapidly in the first six months as we got feedback from users. Since then it has evolved and we have added more variety and depth to the product.

Who are your competitors?

Our major competitors are the traditional fantasy sports operators, CBS Sports, Yahoo and ESPN. Daily fantasy sports is complementary to traditional fantasy sports but we are starting to see more and more users completely switch to only play daily fantasy sports. That is particularly noticeable with younger users.

What were you doing before you founded FanDuel?

Prior to FanDuel I was with McKinsey & Co for 4 years. Prior to that I was a product and project manager for Betfair and Betdaq.

How have you been able to fund the business?

Over the past 3 years we have raised $6 million in venture investment from Pentech Ventures, Piton Capital and the Scottish Investment Bank.

What can we be expecting from your company in 2012?

In 2012 our aim is to take daily fantasy sports to the mass market. To do that will require more refinement of the product, development of mobile and social, and also further investment on the marketing side. We will also have to significantly upgrade our support infrastructure to handle the projected growth.

What three pieces of advice would you offer entrepreneurs starting out today?

There is lots of good advice out there on-line so number one is to read widely. Number two is network and to reach out to more experienced entrepreneurs for help. The third piece of advice is in the early stages focus relentlessly on getting product/market fit and working out your business model. Prior to achieving that nothing else really matters.

I recently had the opportunity of speaking with Paul Aitken, Founder and CEO of Borro – A company launched 3 years ago, Borro is the leading personal asset lender in the UK, and launched in the US earlier this month.

In our interview below, Paul shares his story starting Borro and advices for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Can you give you some background information about yourself, were you the entrepreneurial type growing up?

I live and was brought up in Oxford and I had no idea what I wanted to do until I was one year into my first job after University.

My father has always created new ideas for products, and was involved in the early stages of borro.

Tell me how the idea for borro came about?

In my dreams. I thought it was illogical that people did not use their personal assets as security for a loan, when selling a personal asset if you need liquidity is a well-used option.

What is borro?

borro is the leading personal asset lender in the UK, and launched in the US in February 2012. borro has created a new category of lending by providing loans of £1,000 – £1,000,000 secured against personal assets including jewellery, luxury watches, gold, fine art, antiques, prestige cars, yachts, fine wine and other high value assets.

Talk me through the first few months of running the business? What would you say was the hardest part of starting the business?

The first few months, we of course focused on building trust with the customer as well as customer acquisition- both of which were and still are challenges.

How were you able to fund the business?

The business is backed by investors which include Augmentum Capital, European Founders Fund and Eden Ventures, Octopus Investments. These companies have invested in LinkedIn, We7, Betfair, Egg, Sportingbet, Facebook, and more.

Would you say the initial idea for the company, or that your business model has changed since its launch in 2008?

Yes. The range of assets we lend against has evolved to include fine wine, fine art and prestige and classic cars. We are also serving a higher end clientele than initially envisioned.

How big is your team now?

We currently have over 50 people in the company across London and New York.

What would you say has been some of the most crucial things that you’ve done to build the company to this level now?

Creating a new category of lending. There are plenty of examples of very successful businesses that have legitimised a market that previously had a ‘grey’ reputation – Betfair, eBay, Seatwave, Sportingbet to name a few.

Also, in the last year we have had tremendous success working with IFA’s, Wealth Managers, Tax Advisers and Accountants who refer business to us. To them we are a new form of bridging finance, and through this channel we recently completed our first £1m loan secured against a fine art collection.

What is your business model?

Our centralised business model allows us to provide loans of up to £1,000,000 secured against personal assets. Loans can be completed online or through appointments at our Central London valuation centre, home visits, and various premium collection options including same day couriers. All these services are fully insured and provided for by borro.

Is the business profitable?

Our focus at this stage is on growth both in the UK and internationally.

You’ve been very successful in raising investments, why? What advice could you give to start-ups looking to raise finance for their businesses?

My previous experience in selling my previous company Movota to Bertelsmann certainly helped open doors. But the simple truth is that right from the start we had to show evidence of progress daily. I would advise owners of start-ups to do the same as well as have a well-run business with excellent processes and systems that will allow them to provide a world class service, and effectively manage their risk.

What idea do you regret not starting in your early years as an entrepreneur?

My view is that I should have taken the plunge of starting my own companies earlier than I did. Part of the reason was not having enough confidence to back myself. Likewise, at the time I was looking at doing start-ups in the late 90s, there was far less capital for start-ups than there is now.

I had lots of ideas – in 1999, for example, I had everything fleshed out for a precursor to Facebook, but I never got it off the ground. I spent too much time planning and not enough time doing.

You made a successful exit in 2005 from a mobile phone connectivity company, you could have easily sat back and enjoyed your money, why start another company?

Movota did well and the investors got a good return but I certainly didn’t make enough money to retire! Irrespective I enjoy what I do – creating new things and working with good people.

Do you think other entrepreneurs need to do this for the UK to have a growing ecosystem of successful entrepreneurs and investors?

I learned that, if you’ve got a good idea, you should back your judgement and go for it. Don’t theorise – just get on with it.

What would you say has been some of the key things you’ve learnt so far as an entrepreneur?

I really believe you don’t know how something will work out until you try it. I also think it is important to have the confidence to change the path you are following, if you need to.

What’s been your most memorable moment so far on your entrepreneurial journey?

Starting borro and winning Alternative Lender at the Credit Today awards in 2011, just two years after we started lending.

What pieces of advices could you give to aspiring entrepreneurs out there?

I think it is important to have a broad network of people whose opinion you trust on a variety of different matters. These people evolve over time. Over the years I have talked regularly to my first boss, Rob Sirs the MD of RM plc., a great friend of mine Mike Tilbury a senior partner at Graphite Capital, Yoav Leitersdorf my co-founder at Movota, and my father. With borro I see the non-Executive board members as fulfilling the mentor role also.

What can we be expecting from you and borro in 2012?

We are on plan for borro to be the UK’s largest provider of loans against personal assets by 2014. This year we will continue scaling up our international business.

Where do you want the company to be in five years?

In 5 years we will be the global leading personal asset lender with operations in 10 or more countries.

I caught up with Monique Needham, one of the co-founders of The Startup Crowd – The Startup Crowd is a series of events (Ideation, Build and Pitch) that is focused on bringing together start-ups and entrepreneurs together to solve their business challenges.

In the full interview below, Monique talks me through her journey so far running the company and how the idea for The Startup Crowd came about.

Hi Monique, Thanks for doing this interview with me.

No problem at all!

Can you give you some background information about yourself, were you the entrepreneurial type growing up?

I want to say I wasn’t. I didn’t come from an entrepreneurial background as such. When I was younger the idea of being an entrepreneur was not something I thought I was. I had ideas, self taught myself things I wanted to learn, often challenged the way things were done at school, and as I got older, at work. Something inside me never seem completely satisfied working to create someone else’s dreams come true. I had dreams of my own I wanted to see come to life. Still do! I just thought, I want to do something that I enjoy, do it the way I want, how I want, when I want and work with the people I want. Some called it being spoilt, in hindsight I call it my untapped entrepreneurial spirit.

Tell me how the idea for The Startup Crowd came about?

Tayo (my co-founder) and I were having lunch one summer afternoon after working on a project together. We talked about our own start-ups and the struggles of working alone. We wanted to meet like minded people, other entrepreneurs. The types of conferences and events we had come across that we would love to attend were very expensive, way out of our ‘startup’ budget so we thought well if the type of events we want to go to does not exist lets start up one ourselves.

What is The Startup Crowd?

The Startup Crowd is a series of events (Ideation, Build and Pitch) that is focused on bringing together start-ups and entrepreneurs together to solve their business challenges. We understand first hand the difficulty of starting up and working alone so our goal is to provide 6 hours of rapid incubation and start-up support. Through collaborative problem solving with the start-ups who attend and our superb business mentors The Startup Crowd aims to provide attendees with the mental models needed to help entrepreneurs think differently, develop concepts, build a strong network and propel their business forward. (All the things Tayo and I wanted when we first came up with the idea)

How’s has the first few months of running the business been? What would you say was the hardest part of starting the business?

The first few months has been a HUGE learning curve. Since we are our own target audience we have been able to come up with what we think start-ups would need and within months of coming up with the idea we had already ran the first event, Ideation Camp. We both have invested a great deal of time and our own money into this as we believe in it so much, so the hardest part for me was the fear of will people turn up, especially since we are new company, and will people enjoy it and take something from the day’. (My heart was pounding throughout the whole day of Ideation Camp) That feeling in my chest and that voice in my head saying ‘will this work, I pray this works’ and thankfully the first event was a success.

What is your business model?

Our main aim is to make our events affordable without cutting any corners on quality, so for the short term sponsorship. However we hope to be able to scale the business through a licensing format which will allow others to run The Startup Crowd , hopefully around the world *smiles*

What could you say has been some of the key things you’ve learnt so far as an entrepreneur?

Believe in yourself! Self doubt is something that constantly makes a surprise visit in my mind from time to time and I have moments where I think ‘I can’t do this’. I don’t have anyone telling me how great a job I am doing so I have had to sometimes step out of myself, motivate and praise myself for my efforts.

Also listen to your instincts! I can honestly say I have not gone on my gut feeling this much ever before until now. I have been in situations in the past were things just don’t seem right yet I have chosen to ignore that feeling, lets just say I should have listened.

What pieces of advices could you give to aspiring entrepreneurs out there looking to start their business?

Don’t sit on your idea trying to make it perfect before you tell anyone about it. I know we can be very protective of our ideas due to the fear of someone coming along and stealing it, however how do you even know what you are offering in your business is even something that people want? Not only just that but I found that when I had a new business idea, when I shared elements of it to others it enabled me to develop it in ways I could have never done alone. Being in my own head when trying to grow a concept was not always a great thing, getting different perspectives, using others around me as a sound board was one of the best things I could of done. Give you idea some air, let it breathe as long you hold on to the heart and the core of what it is, no-one will be able recreate it the way you plan to.

What can we be expecting from you and The Startup Crowd in 2012?

Everyone can expect 12 camps over the next 12 months. This year is all about testing the framework of how our days will work. We are very hands on with everything and taking on board every ounce of feedback we get. This year is beta year, so that by 2013 we can scale The Startup Crowd beyond just London and even, we hope, the UK.

Where do you want the company to be in 5 years?

Helping support start-ups globally! Knowing that something we created was helping entrepreneurs all over develop and grow would honestly put a huge smile on my face.

The Startup Crowd will be holding their first event of the year: Build Camp on the 18th of Feb 2012, Click here to book your tickets now with a special discount code (UNLOCKYHP) for the YHP readers.

The Business Boot Camp founded by 20 year old young entrepreneur, Micheal Allen, helps young people aged between 18-25 set up their own businesses. Programme candidates are chosen because they are willing to put their time, money and energy into building their business idea. Critically they must also have an overwhelming passion for their business ideas.

The Business Boot Camp helps provide the resources that will help them get the money and people around them to build a successful, sustainable business.

Ever since Micheal was in school, he has always been interested in finding out the reasons that lead to people  achieving, “not only in school but in the big wide world, why are some poor and some consistently earning well above the average.”

Having networked across the UK speaking to many entrepreneurs, investors and business mentors Micheal noticed one consistency, passion!

“All the information is there, you just need to find the energy” says Micheal. This is what led him to build and invest in his own business.

The Boot Camp based in the UK features lectures and workshops lead by local, national and internationally recognized business leaders, providing insight and inspiration to help the select few who are up to the challenge of starting and sustaining their own business.

The programme is supported by local businesses that are giving back to the community that have made them successful.

The initiative is in line with the Coalition Government’s ‘Big Society’ plan in which communities, businesses and government work in partnership for the common good.

This is a great project that can provide much needed support to individuals in the initial stages of building a business. Good luck to Micheal Allen in his goal to create the biggest business support project in the UK.

Guest Post by: Brad Lauritzen

Brad is a successful author, speaker, and entrepreneur. He has created three profitable and growing businesses. He now teaches his students the process to start their own profitable business through the BEAR Formula.

In this article I will discuss 9 essential parts of a company’s business plan. Understanding and implementing each of these points and how they affect the business plan will be crucial to the success of the business. They are listed in a possible order they might appear in a strong business plan. Following the outline below will allow for a strong business plan that will ensure the company has a greater chance of success and this preparation will have a business plan ready to present to investors.

1) Company values and mission statement – This will clarify why you are going into business and what you hope to accomplish. This can be looked at as the foundation of the business.

2) Research for the business – Identifying your target market as well as your competition is one of the most important factors as to whether your business plan will be effective. The more clearly you can define these items, the more successful your business will be.

3) Financial Plan – What upfront costs will be involved with starting the business? What ongoing costs will there be? How will the business be funded?

4) Marketing Plan – Using the research from number two, it should be defined how the target market will be best reached. A marketing budget should be discussed as well as the plan for online advertising, offline advertising, and image advertising. Define the company’s brand here.

5) Revenue and Profitability Targets – This is the most important section for investors. You must have a logical conclusion as to why you arrived at the numbers you propose. Be optimistic in your outlook, yet be realistic in the potential of your business.

6) SWOT Analysis – This acronym stands for Strengths – Weaknesses – Opportunities – Threats. By reviewing this you can emphasize where your business may excel, where help may be needed, what opportunities for entry or growth exist in the marketplace, and what could potential be an obstacle for your business.

7) Staffing/Outsourcing – Explain what hiring will need to be done to meet the company’s needs, where your core competencies lack to define what you will outsource, and what potential growth in staffing will be needed over time.

8 ) Plan for Growth – How will the company handle the growth as business begins to increase?

9) Plan for Uncertainty – What will happen if things go wrong in the business? Is there an exit strategy? How will you prevent investors from losing their money?

The more you clearly define when starting your business, the more likely you will be to achieve your goals faster and with fewer losses and mistakes along the way.

Are you interested in getting more information about starting your business? Check out Brad Lauritzen’s free report “7 Steps to Creating Your Own Profitable Business” – http://thebearformula.com/take-action-now.html

How to Start Your Own Business for Entrepreneurs

Jason Trost and Hunter Morris got together in 2008 to set up a company, Smarkets which would provide users with the simple and social way to bet on sport, TV shows and politics. The new company which the two wanted to set up would bring new highs to the world of betting allowing its users and fans to set their own odds and bet against each other.

The website allows users to bet on any events that they like including politics, sports matches and even the general elections that were held in Britain earlier this year.

‘Around the time of the General Election we created several political betting markets which really took off. Since then we’ve been discovering that there is a huge appetite for betting on politics and current affairs, which we’ve been quick to capitalize on,’ said Trost.

After graduating from North Western University with a degree in Computer Science, Jason went ahead to become an application developer at UBS’s Global Asset Management based in New York where he focused on innovative web technologies. He founded internet start up Decipher, a consumer medical website which was later sold to a private sector.

Jason next joined UBS in March 2005 to gain corporate banking experience. He worked for two years in Global Asset Management, designing and implementing proprietary software to assist in day-to-day trading operations. His co-founder on the other hand Hunter Morris was born in Northern Texas but is currently residing at London. Hunter was a senior software engineer at Wolverine Trading where he was responsible for developing market making systems and trading infrastructure for the company’s trading desks before he co-founded Smarkets with Jason.

Smarkets have had tremendous success over the years preceding its foundation, online gambling audience gas grown by over 3.2 million people, an increase of 40% compared to 2008 when the website was started. It now makes about £20,000 per day.

Smarkets was unveiled as a finalist at the Start ups Awards 2010 in the ‘Angel/VC-backed Business of the year’ category. The award ceremony held on 2nd December 2010, showcased the best new business in the UK.

Written by Christine Maema

When people think about entrepreneurship, it often the possible lifestyles that people think about. The freedom of working your own hours, control of your business, the money being able to retire at 30 etc… Often the other parts of a career as an entrepreneur can be forgotten. So here is a brief breakdown of the good, bad and ugly sides of entrepreneurship.

The Good

The best part about being an entrepreneur for many people is the lifestyle it brings. The chance to be your own boss, making the decisions and seeing something that you built grow, is highly attractive.

Another great benefit is you can impact on the world, a lot of entrepreneurs find that the most motivating factor rather than money. Just look how Mark Zuckerberg has changed the world with Facebook. What about Google’s founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin?

Obviously with success comes money, a lot of money. Most of the richest people in the world started their own companies. Even if your company isn’t as big as those you still have a good chance of making more money than if you work for someone else.

Another reason why people choose to be an entrepreneur is the excitement it brings. The varying daily challenges that keep you on your toes. You will probably feel more fulfilled than the usual 9-5 job, since your responsibilities are down to you. You will be constantly learning every day which is what we are all about, learning and moving forward.

Also we excel when we are passionate about something and when you have your own business it will feel like your little baby which you can nurture and grow.

The Bad

So sometimes starting your own business works and you become successful and rich, but more often than not this isn’t the case. With about 80% of new businesses failing within the first year there is quite a high failure rate. This is normally due to lack of capital and/or bad management.

The lack of capital is the bad part to entrepreneurship. Not having the security that comes with a regular income is often what puts many people off. At the early stages of starting a business the lack of revenue coming in can represent a problem if you have many bills to pay or family to support. It is easier when you are younger and have fewer commitments but you might have to rough it for a while.

If you’re not careful you can also find yourself in a lot of debt and if your venture then goes belly up, you can find yourself in serious financial troubles. It is paramount to stay within your means and look at the long term future of the business rather than the short.

Watch out for those just looking for a piece of the pie. If your company does start to gain momentum you may start getting people looking to join purely in the hope of a pay off. These are not always the most helpful of people. When looking to hire people it can be difficult to spot these types.

Sometimes working as an entrepreneur you can get carried away only thinking about the potential future success which can sometimes be detrimental. If you enjoy the journey of building a successful start up rather than just the outcome you will be a better leader.

The Ugly

So the ugly side of entrepreneurship. Money can be the factor that leads to the ugly side. Every venture needs capital to be raised, whether it comes from savings, support from family and friends, bank loans or investors.

If you do borrow money from family and friends, it can cause problems when it comes to paying them back. If your start up becomes very successful then those who lent you money may try to claim more than you expect. Dealing with that situation, should you come across it, can be difficult and can ruin relationships.

Looking for investment from investors is a very desperate situation a lot of the time, since there is a lot of competition and this can lead to young entrepreneurs falling into traps. There are many bad investors out there looking to take advantage of inexperienced start up founders, by conning them out of equity with false promises.

Sometimes the lust for control can also become overpowering, leading to distrust and paranoia. Not trusting employees as you feel they may be taking advantage of you is harmful to the business and is something you need to watch out for. Make sure you get the right employees in the first place; it’s worth the extra effort.

Small businesses tend to be a high risk of being victimised by fraudulent activities. This is why entrepreneurs need to have a high regard for the protection of their data. If not, all the hard work you’ve put in could be wasted if you go out of business because of fraud.

Follow me on Twitter here.

David Cameron today announced his vision for a ‘Silicon Valley’ in the East End of London. The high-tech hub to be based at the site of the Olympic village after 2012 has already attracted investment opportunities from top firms including ‘Facebook’, ‘Google’ and ‘Intel’.

Mr Cameron announced the news to entrepreneurs and investors, stating how he wanted London’s East End to rival Silicon Valley in California and evolve into the “world’s greatest technology centres”.

“We’re not just going to back the big businesses of today, we’re going to back the big businesses of tomorrow,” he goes onto say.

“We are firmly on the side of the high-growth, highly innovative companies of the future. Don’t doubt our ambition.”

“Right now, Silicon Valley is the leading place in the world for hi-tech growth and innovation. But there’s no reason why it has to be so predominant. Our ambition is to bring together the creativity and energy of Shoreditch and the incredible possibilities of the Olympic Park to help make East London one of the world’s great technology centres.”

David Cameron is planning to publish a blueprint for technology designed to make Britain “the most attractive place in the world to start and invest in innovative technology companies”.

This comes on the back of Google stating that it could never have set up in Britain due to strict regulations.

Mr Cameron has also announced a US style visa for foreign entrepreneurs looking to start up in the UK. Applicants would be required to have received investment toward their idea from investors, prior to getting it.

This is not the first time that the UK has reportedly found an alternative to the Valley, in the 80’s it was Bristol, Cambridge and the M4 corridor have been touted as possible venues but the latest ‘Silicon Valley’ seems to be naturally being built around Old Street roundabout.

With over a 100 young start ups and technology firms looking to take advantage of lower rent prices, this area has become the closest the UK has got to the valley and on its own right.

As much as I think this is a good idea, it is just theory and whether or not it will develop into something of the level of what they have in America, I am doubtful. At least though entrepreneurs are certainly being thought about and that can only be a good thing.

As well as investing in the area, there is a certainly culture which they have on the west side of America which will be hard to replicate. It is an interesting project and it will be interesting to see how it develops, but whatever happens it will take a quite a few years to establish itself to the level of the ‘Valley’.

So what are your thoughts? Good Idea?

Follow me on Twitter here!

Young entrepreneur Natasha Nelson is the founder of Yogurtini which is a self-serving frozen yogurt (Fro-Yo) company. She and her sister are frozen yogurt fanatics and have been since childhood, they began work on the company in 2007 after being disappointed by the lack of choices in her home town of Arizona.

Living in California at the time Natasha, a self described “True Beach Girl” felt she was in the perfect location for an entrepreneur to flourish with the creative, youthful culture that engulfed the famous south west beaches.

Around the time Natasha was planning the opening of her first shop, she received the sad news that her mother had Parkinson’s disease. Natasha and her sister moved back to Arizona to look after their mother. At times they weren’t sure whether they would be able to cope running a business as well, but their mother had other ideas, “She made us realize life has to go on” Nelson said.

Natasha has made sure that the company always sources good ingredients to ensure customers get a healthy treat.

She is also a real supporter of good causes, and has worked with many philanthropic companies raising thousands of dollars for causes such as Parkinson’s research and rehabilitation for those seriously injured due to the Haiti earthquake.

Yogurtini has grown quickly and Natasha puts this down to having the best Yogurt in town. Not only that, she also has made the Yogurtini a social hub where people can come and relax and enjoy the surroundings. Natasha says “Yogurtini is almost a lifestyle. Our brand reflects the lifestyle of those who want to eat healthy, have fun, and want to create their own treat and enjoy your yogurt and listen to some great tunes. When you find a favourite, you keep coming back.”

Miss Nelson is a great advocate of social networking which I believe is a great way of expanding your brand. Natasha is always studying the future trends and looking for new online marketing tools.

Today, the highly profitable Yogurtini firm is planning huge growth in the next 5 years after recently turning it into a national franchise.

“We’re ecstatic that we’ve done something our mom can be proud of,” said Nelson. “The sky’s the limit at this point.”

I think she is a true inspiration and good luck to her in reaching all her future goals!

Did you like it? For more posts like this, please subscribe to our RSS feed, Become a fan or follow us on Twitter.

These are the five websites that i believe that help any university student get the right information, network, advice, expertise, funding or backing in taking their idea and turning it into becoming a business.

Cmypitch.com (Nacueventures)

Cmypitch gives entrepreneurs the opportunity to connect with investors directly, All you do is upload your own video pitch,and that gets put out to lots of investors(The likes of james caan, Doug Richard) on the network.
Check it out to find more about it.

Smarta

Smarta gives you a platform for resources, advices for starting and running your startup, They have loads of top entrepreneurs on the site that provide support to entrepreneurs, It also gives you the opportunity to showcase your business.

Enterprise UK

Enterprise Uk are connected to almost every entrepreneur in the uk and also connect them to the right people that can help them improve their business, they also have tons of competitions to help startup with business expenses or exposure.

Shell Livewire

Shell livewire have tons of competitions in which they run to give entrepreneurs/startups the required support and exposure, check out their pitching videos section.

FlyingStartonline

They offer a lot of training and workshop to entrepreneur to help them enhance their skills.