Your online masterclass host for this week: A market research expert

Every Tuesday at 12.30pm you can watch an online business masterclass delivered by one of our Adviser members.

This week, Krupa Suthar hosts: How to carry out successful market research for your business

Masterclasses are available at a cost of only £10 each. To register for this week's event at 12.30pm on 26 September, go here.

Members can watch every weekly masterclass for free! To register, log in to your Enterprise Nation account and go to the events page where the discount will be automatically applied.

If you're not yet a member, free masterclasses are one of many benefits. Join from only £3 a month!

Company: Insights That Shine

Twitter: @krupa_ITS

What is your favourite business book and why?

Finding Peace in a frantic World. I know that this is not a conventional business book but going through this book and the daily meditations has helped me immensely.

When I left full-time employment & decided to start my own company, I was completely overwhelmed with how much there was to do. This book helped and reminded me (and still reminds me) to take that time out, even if it's only 10 minutes a day.

Effectively, the book helps me from simply thinking of going from A to B with an idea. Instead, I could go from A - C - B but that's ok; that's where my ideas flow!

Who is your business hero and why?

That's easy. My dad.

Before I was born, my family moved to England in 1972 after exile from Uganda under the Idi Amin regime. They came with only their suitcases and their most a few possessions; effectively, they came with nothing.

However, from a very early age, I watched how hard my father worked. He had his own businesses and worked over 12 hours a day at his workplace and then a couple of hours when he came home. My mum worked with him too and me and my brother helped out every weekend and if needed after school and college.

Once at university, I also went back-and-forth every weekend to help them as there was a major sports stadium close by.

Watching my father for all those years has taught me the meaning of real hard work. I know I could never do what he did but I take his strength, determination and smile forward to my work and my clients!

Describe your business in a tweet.

To help start-ups and larger businesses with cost effective market research.

What has been your biggest challenge?

Believing in myself.

Moving away from full-time employment and overall the security of knowing what my income will be each month has been very hard.

However, for me advising small businesses with their research strategy has been extremely rewarding.

What has been your greatest success?

I have two (sorry!)

1. Landing my first client within weeks of setting up!
2. Representing Enterprise Nation at 10 Downing Street!

What piece of advice do you wish you had known when starting out?

That having a small business is like being on one BIG emotional rollercoaster!!

I think I probably knew this but I didn't realise the extent of it until I truly set-up on my own!

Why do you consider long-term strategic advice important to business success?

Whilst I think having a long-term strategy is very important, I also strongly believe that your business needs to be adaptable to the ever changing market and market needs.

The news about Toys R Us filing for bankruptcy protection last week is a very good example of my point!

It's all well and good having a long-term strategy, but if this isn't the way the market is moving your business could be doomed! So keep an eye on the market, constantly listen to the feedback, adapt and be as agile as you can!

If you had a superpower what would it be and why?

Time travel!

This is so I can meet key influential figures such as Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa and many more!. Just to have a conversation with them would be mind-blowing!

To register for Krupa online masterclass, How to carry out successful market research for your business__, go here or log in to your account and go to the events page to join in for free.

If you're an Adviser member and you'd like to host a masterclass, apply here.