Recession beater: Martin Warner
Oct 14 2008
Martin Warner, Talkbiznow
Martin Warner is chief executive and co-founder of business networking site Talkbiznow. Despite the tough economic climate, the company successfully got funding and launched in August and is already making a profit
How did you get the idea?
Because I’m an entrepreneur, I’m always having ideas. I’d thought of doing it for a while and realised that if we didn’t move quickly we wouldn’t be able to turn it into a business because someone would beat us to it. It took about 18 months of planning before we launched.
Where did you get funding?
We started with angel funding and then got venture investment. The key is having a good business plan and to have something which makes the company unique – both of which we have. So far we’ve managed to raise several million.
How have you marketed the company?
Our goal is to be a major player, so we’ve used a lot of PR and marketing. We had an exclusive interview with Forbes magazine and have advertised ourselves in the nationals on our launch.
Has your previous business experience helped?
I have had a few businesses before, and have built up some contacts though my career – which has helped. Prior to this, I ran the European Technology practice for Bearing Point and spent nine years in investment banking at JP Morgan.
Where do you see the company going?
Over the next two to three years, we are confident that our company will do well in the current market because our services are free. In the next six months we are on target to reach three million users.
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