Being an entrepreneur is often an independent endeavour initially. However, as your business idea develops into reality you are going to need help along the way. To this end, recruiting a good team to work alongside, as well as connecting with key business contacts through networking are essential tips for building a business.

Thankfully, there are numerous ways to find the perfect people to recruit. To do this, there are three key tips:

#1: Your social network. You'd be surprised by the diverse skill sets that your friends have. Take advantage of these relationships and recruit those you think would benefit the company.

#2: http://www.founder2be.com/ is a brilliant website that connects people wanting to create Startups. You can join with tech co-founders, marketers, developers, and many more to start your company with.

#3: LinkedIn. This popular business networking site is a great way to search for recruits. You can clearly see what experience people have, and then choose someone who is most suited to your organisation.

Networking is also very important. Through LinkedIn, it is easier than ever before to do this. Moreover, it is easy to obtain the email address of many influential contacts - try to let as many people know about your business and what you are trying to achieve. Networking also goes further than the computer screen. You should try to connect with people in person as much as you can. Through this, potential contacts feel more comfortable and likely to help you and your business to succeed.

The last bit of advice for you is: Don't be too proud to accept favours or too secretive to tell anyone about your idea. The 'you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours' sentiment goes a long way when starting a business.

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Below is The Business Model Canvas - an absolute necessity for anyone starting a business. It details clearly every section that one must think about for the creation of a new company; from cost structure to customer relationships. Download the canvas, print out the large canvas, and start planning your future business model now!

Source: http://www.businessmodelgeneration.com/canvas

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At University, the extent of entrepreneurial activity rarely surpasses idealistic conversations at the pub. On numerous occasions I've exclaimed "Why hasn't that been invented yet!" and promised a mate that we'd do it and be rich beyond our wildest dreams. But these dreams never become reality. So how can I move from over excitedly splashing Fosters onto my housemate's shoes to becoming a successful student entrepreneur?
There are four skills you need if you are going to succeed as a student entrepreneur: intelligence, hard work,  innovation and resilience. A healthy dollop of luck always helps too. But let's say you have all of this in abundance, where do you go next? Well, the first thing you have to realise is that you'll be sacrificing a lot in starting a new business. Creating a company is time consuming and will likely mean you'll have to cut down social activities. Once you've accepted this then you can move forward.

So where next? Grab a pen & paper, and begin making a chart with all your ideas (no matter how unrealistic or crazy you think they are) - then just carry on your normal day-to-day routine but at the end of every day try to add another idea to the chart. Once satisfied with the number of ideas on your chart, review each one and pick the three best. Now fill out a Business Model Canvas for each idea. As these business plans develop, one will hopefully stand out as the obvious choice for your new business. Once you have chosen one, work on a more detailed business plan.

Now all you need is the finance to make your business a reality, and also should start thinking about recruiting staff to help your company succeed!

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