Testing business ideas

To avoid starting a new business that's doomed to fail, you must test your business idea rigorously. Discover how to test your business ideas.

If you make deliveries, your service must be reliable: it can differentiate you from competitors. How can you make your delivery service superior?

Simon Pitkeathley, chief executive of regeneration agency Camden Town Unlimited, explains how to set up a pop-up business

More people than ever are setting up their own business. Rachel Miller investigates some of the most exciting new business opportunities.

Many of us have a 'big idea': the idea that fuels our entrepreneurial dreams. But how can we make the transition from dream to business reality?

Sometimes ideas have seasonal appeal. If you're lucky, you might be able to generate enough profit to carry you through the rest of the year.

Taking an idea from concept to a fully working, product is a massive challenge. Beau Spinks of TiiPii beds tells us how they developed their product.

Adam Butwilowski spotted a gap in the market for a website for web, ecommerce and social media jobs. So how did he turn his idea into a business?

Business inspiration can come from anywhere. Adam Ewart of Send My Bag explains how an unpleasant journey sparked his business idea.

The Work Crowd connects marketing and PR professionals with businesses. Alice Weightman on how she turned a good idea into a great business.

After being made redundant, Allie Astell decided starting a business was preferable to finding another position in an uncertain jobs market.

Bristol-based duo Tom Drummond and Pat Hammett are bringing an age-old musical tradition up to date with beautiful, handmade cigar box guitars.

The soar-away success of Butlers in the Buff has been built upon the fact that there are many women who like to be waited on by toned, semi-clad men.

In this article, Henry Virgin of London-based Green Boar OrganicTea takes a look back to explain how he came up with his idea for a new business.

Gavin Lapidus reveals what he has learned in the past ten years running his successful independent travel agent business, eShores.

Nick Telson and Andrew Webster came up with an idea for a night-life price comparison site. But how did they test it and refine it before launch?

Nick Edmonds is a gardener who knows a lot about "one of the best kept secrets of nature": the awesome pollination activities of the solitary bee.

Sir James Dyson famously overcame many hurdles and rejections to launch his bagless vacuum. What lessons can he pass on to new businesses?

Mother and son team Deborah de Maio and Rem Malloy set up Italy4Real in 1995. They reveal the secrets behind the success of their family business.

Jane Robson's early career was with top high-street brands, but her own business has given her greater flexibility and a better work-life balance.

Helen Beer of QualitySilver explains how her online business balances the demands of motherhood with the need to generate an income.

How do you disrupt a traditional sector like wine-making? João Pedro Montes, of Wine With Spirit, explains how he built an innovative new wine brand.

Ian and Joe Syer of MyArtBroker are business partners - and brothers. They share their insights on managing family relationships at work.