A small business transformed: Julie Wright on the benefits of business.connected

We partnered with Vodafone to launch business.connected, helping 800,000 small and medium-sized businesses take their digital skills to the next level over the next three years.

Business owners can take part in e-learning modules, digital workshops delivered by business.connected advisers and Lunch and Learn webinars, and have a free consultation with a Vodafone V-Hub adviser.

The business.connected programme covers a range of core digital topics, from SEO and e-commerce to cyber-security and connectivity.

We're catching up with some of the business owners who have been taking part in the initiative to find out about how it's benefited them so far.

Here, we talk to Julie Wright, founder of London-based WeSleep, a company that works with other organisations to help their employees improve their sleep, through webinars, virtual workshops, events and more.

How have you benefited from the business.connected resources so far?

I've thoroughly enjoyed the business.connected programme. Its practical learning sessions are excellent and have prompted me to re-evaluate my working methods and action plans.

Taking part in the webinar series has been an invaluable experience that's significantly transformed the way I approach my business.

The sessions have broadened my understanding of crucial aspects of digital technology and the digital tools available to me as a business owner, which means I can harness their potential for both my personal and professional growth.

• The 'Social media top tips and tricks' session cut straight through the complexity of social media, and gave me insight into how I can develop my social profile, increase my online visibility and engagement, and make meaningful connections with a wider audience.

• The 'Discover AI tools for your business' webinar opened my eyes to the power of artificial intelligence in making a business more efficient, improving the customer experience, and working more productively.

• The 'How to write content that converts and grows your business' session highlighted how compelling content is significant in driving conversions.

Overall, the business.connected webinar series has allowed me to navigate the digital realm more effectively, expand my social influence, boost sales, and do so with sustainability in mind.

Where did your idea come from and how did you turn it into a business?

I took part in the Escape the City career transformation and start-up development programme, and the idea came up during one of those ideation sessions. And combined with my own personal experience with insomnia, it gave me the idea to help the world achieve better sleep.

Watch this webinar on digital wellbeing and the importance of mental wellbeing when it comes to engaging online:

What are some of the key challenges you've faced on your business journey?

Navigating the realm of entrepreneurship as a solopreneur is not easy! Single-handedly managing all aspects of a business is undeniably demanding. It can lead to burnout.

Balancing tasks ranging from product development and marketing to finances and customer relations is quite the juggling act. The multifaceted nature of entrepreneurship can easily cause you to feel overwhelmed and limit your bandwidth, which can diminish quality in various areas.

So it's essential to recognise the need to prioritise, delegate, make use of excellent digital tools and form a good support network.

Is there a specific part of the business.connected programme that has inspired you the most?

How AI can help optimise my output in all aspects of my business, whether it's business analysis, sales, creating content, and so much more.

What's the best advice you've received while taking part in business.connected?

First takeaway is that entrepreneurs are often afraid to publicise their business idea due to worry that someone else will steal it. However, it's unlikely someone would do that because of the effort needed to actually launch and develop a business.

Second takeaway is that taking part in the business.connected learning events lets me stay on top of the tech and digital tools that are now available to help boost and market my products and services.

Finally, what advice would you give to anyone who's considering starting a business?

Do take advantage of all of the learning opportunities through organisations like Enterprise Nation. There are so many useful and free resources that are only a few clicks away and make a huge difference to your business.

This requires some self-coaching and discipline to build up your knowledge and inspiration but it's well worth it. 

Free video training, exclusive offers and workshops

The business.connected hub is a free online training programme of workshops, webinars and e-learning modules designed to help businesses go digital, adopt new technology, and stay safe online. Take me to the hub now