Business Ideas - Does your business idea pass the ‘Granny Test’?

by Startacus Admin

Self Starter Krisi Smith, co-founder of Bluebird Tea Co. tells us how your Granny is essential to any successful business idea.

I have some very wise, important and never heard before business advice to share with you, so make sure you’re listening carefully: your granny is absolutely key to your business success! 

Sound a bit bizarre? Anyone who knows me, or has tried my banana tea, can surely no longer be surprised by the things that I do or say. For those of you who haven’t yet had the pleasure, please bare with me, I promise this will be useful. It’s all about keeping things simple.

If you are thinking of starting something up, in the beginning, when the idea is brewing (excuse the pun), or even in those first few crucial months when you start to put the wheels in motion, one of the most useful things to do is to clarify your concept by outlining your business idea, your promise and your mission statement (or goals).

But this can often be difficult, especially when all these ideas are swimming around in your head while you carry on your everyday life. You might be at work but all you’re thinking about is your business idea and how you can make it a reality. I know this can be very overwhelming and extremely difficult to get clear in your head, let alone down on paper.

This is where your granny comes in.

Similar to the elevator pitch concept, the granny concept is basically that if you granny can get it anyone can. Keep it short and simple. I always think this is rather rude about grannies actually, especially as the few grannies I’ve met so far have been the most capable and intelligent people I’ve had the pleasure of knowing.
But if you think about it, the granny test means more than just keeping things simple.

When you speak to your granny not only do you need to explain things clearly but you would also never lie to your granny so you must be honest. And you want your granny to be proud of you too, so if your business idea makes her proud you know you’re onto a winner.

So we’ve got three essential points here- It’s about having a simple idea that is honest and worthwhile.

A very wise person, possibly one of my granny acquaintances, told me this when I was first developing Bluebird and it has proven to be invaluable advice. So before I did anything else I sat down (in the pub) and outlined Bluebird’s idea and checked it off against these three things.

Bluebird’s simple idea is to make tea fun and tasty for everyone. The honest and worthwhile part of the idea is encapsulated in our promise to our customers: ‘To give at least one cup of happiness to everyone we meet.’

This tells you that not only is our tea so good that it will make your day and bring you happiness, but that we, as a business, actively seek to make people happy, the tea is just our worthy delivery vehicle.

Your business, you, your brand, it all needs to stand for something worthwhile. I think it is just common sense that businesses that are worthwhile, honest and simple are more likely to succeed because honesty and integrity are the foundations to everything in life. Why anyone would want to build a business that wasn’t worthwhile or didn’t stand for something is beyond me. However, this isn’t just my opinion it also makes great business sense.

If your business doesn’t promise something relevant to your customers why would you expect them to spend their time and money on you? If it isn’t honest, if they don’t trust you to do what you say why would they deal with you? And if you can’t deliver what you promise then why would they ever return?

What are you waiting for? Give your granny a bell and go and tell her all about your business idea over a cuppa. The most important thing... don’t forget the choccy biscuits!

You can read more about Krisi’s business tales on her blog, ThatBluebirdGirl. To find out more about Bluebird Tea Co. visit their website and we thank Krisi for this insightful and well thought article. 

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Published on: 2nd December 2012