Getting the right start up business advice is the key to your success.  Well, that and your determination and talent, but that goes without saying!  Once you have your business model and funding in place it will be time to start researching the location.

One of the main difficulties for the start up business, apart from funding, is finding the right place to open up your shop, with lease terms that are right for them.  Often small businesses find committing to a long term lease a difficult pill to swallow.  That is why the pop up shop phenomenon has become so popular.

The average start up business may not have the experience to know how their new venture will perform, particularly in the current economic climate.  So flexibility is an incredibly important factor in helping a fledgling business succeed.  Using the pop up shop method you have a base for customers to visit, to build up your brand and experience, as well as having the breathing space of knowing you’re not tied into a long term contract.

So if you’re planning your first start up business or even if you’re a seasoned retail expert, we at Popupspace have a solution for you with our expert location sourcing services that can be tailored to your specific business requirements.

Sarah James, Popupspace

We all love to eat out and many of us have favourite restaurants that we visit time and time again.  But it can easily get a little boring and that’s where the pop up restaurant comes in.  Temporary restaurants are not exactly a new phenomenon.  Food stalls and festivals have been around for years.  Some independent restaurateurs even travel around the country or their own town, going where the customers are.

A popular pop up restaurant in Brighton for example is the Trolls Pantry.  They sell gourmet burgers made with locally sourced ingredients and their ethos derives from the street food trend, where it is thought that people should be able to sample great food on the move, wherever they may be.  Their growing popularity means that they have recently taken root in a local pub.

As with the excitement that surrounds pop up and empty shops, you really could take your pop up restaurant anywhere, in doors or out, as long as you have the correct permissions, of course!  A good place to start, once you have your location sorted, would be to speak to your local council about obtaining a food and hygiene safety certificate and trading licence.

If you are in the catering industry or you are planning an event where a pop up restaurant would fit in, we at Popupspace often come across available property with catering facilities.  Alternatively, if it’s an outside space you’re after we can help you negotiate with landlords, owners and local authorities with our planning and pop up location sourcing services.  All in all, these restaurants are a great way to show off your culinary skills to a new audience every day, so why not get started today?

Sarah James, Popupspace

Being retail ready is not always the first thing people think of when they first embark on their new business.  This could be because their adventure all starts out as a hobby or passion and the fact that they could possibly make money from this passion often comes as a pleasant surprise.

With the ever growing, and welcomed, popularity of people taking the initiative and starting their own businesses, advice on being retail ready is being sought on a more frequent basis.

The idea of the start up business is nothing new but with the Pop Up revolution in the forefront of many people’s minds, starting your own business is easier and closer than you think.

Opening your own shop no longer needs to be a distant dream for people wanting to make something of themselves, and it’s not only for those who are already business savvy.  With Pop Up businesses this is even more important because the common ethos is to stay in control, stay independent and not be tied down to one location.  Pop Up has also become a huge learning community not to be reckoned with, producing more and more retail experts and entrepreneurs.

There are many agencies out there, several articles and books you can read on helping you to get started.  In particular the pro active Retail Ready People who are an excellent resource and invaluable network of people made up of experienced retailers and those still learning – all sharing their experiences.

They promote the same important message that anyone can do this.  Anyone with a passion can make themselves retail ready.  It is clear that the future of our high streets is in our hands and we can all make a difference.  So if you are planning your own Pop Up why not check out our website and register your interest and take the first steps to starting your own business.

Sarah James, Popupspace

Standard retail insurance has many similarities to Pop Up insurance and offers a comprehensive package but generally on a long term basis.  This insurance covers things like business contents, including accidental damage and theft, and also public and employer’s liability; which means the wellbeing of your staff and customers will be covered.

The difference between mobile phone insurance for example and Pop Up retail insurance is that it is a legal requirement.  When small business start ups or organisations are starting out they may not necessarily know all there is to know about the world of Pop Ups.  Letting Popupspace help you with this aspect of your new adventure means you don’t have to worry.

With our Pop Up insurance service you can expect terms tailored to your needs from periods as short as one month.  This means you won’t have to pay for more than you actually need.  We offer public and employer’s liability as well as products liability which covers any injury or damage to property caused by the goods that you sell in your shop.

Pop Up insurance also includes accidental damage, business interruption and loss of profits.  So if the worse was to happen and something went wrong in your shop, you could feel safe in the knowledge that you are covered.

So if you are in the planning stages of your pop up shop or you would like to know more about how it all works head over to our Pop Up insurance page and apply for a personally tailored insurance quote.

Sarah James, Popupspace

When many people think of Pop Up Shops the image that immediately springs to mind is one of food stalls, craft sellers, artists and clothing companies – which are all very popular parts of the ever growing industry.  But have you ever thought of running your own Pop Up gardening event like the RHS Flower Show?

The Chelsea Flower show has been hosting a beautiful array of hundreds of show gardens in the grounds of the Chelsea Hospital every year since 1913 – that’s 100 years ago!  But this show is not just an event, it’s also big business.  There are hundreds of exhibitors and stalls sharing the grounds, selling flowers, plants and other gardening must haves.

Perhaps you are a keen gardener or are part of a group that needs a creative outlet.  If you have an idea for a Pop Up event that would capture the imagination of the public this could also be an excellent opportunity to start selling your wares as a business.

The Chelsea Flower Show began as a way for gardeners and landscapers to show what they can do.  Over the years it has grown into an event that we can all gain inspiration from, both in a creative way and an entrepreneurial one.

So if you have ever thought about organising your own Pop Up Shop but have not been able to decide what to do, then why not gain inspiration from other successful events like this one.  Once you have got your plans together head over to the Popupspace List a Requirement page and make your Pop Up event happen.

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show runs from 21 – 25 May 2013.

Sarah James, Popupspace

When choosing the location of your Pop Up there are several factors that should be taken into account.  On a practical note, your shop should be easily accessible to you, especially when travel costs such as fuel or public transport should be included in your budgeting.

An obvious place to look is the high street.  It’s already a destination for shoppers and would, in theory, provide instant passing trade.  Due to the stresses on the economy several retail shops that had previously been occupied for years, have become abruptly vacant.  Many of these spaces have been large in area, like the Woolworth’s locations, and have therefore stayed empty for long periods.

It is many of these empty shops that have become home to temporary occupiers and a popular answer to many pop up location quandaries.  But another location idea that is often overlooked and an alternative to a bricks and mortar store, is to use an outdoor space like a park or pedestrianised street.  Many local councils are keen to discuss these options with Pop Ups and this is where Popupspace come in.

So if you are embarking on your first enterprise or you are a seasoned Temporary Shop keeper, wherever you are in the country, why not take advantage of our pop up location sourcing service where we take all the hard work out of your search.

Sarah James, Popupspace

A photo studio with a twist is being planned by youngsters on the Retail Ready People programme after their intensive three-day residential course.

The pop up space within the terminal is designed to bring small artisan brands into the airport. Cocomaya is the first retailer to launch int he space and will be open until the summer.

The Cathedral Lanes Shopping Centre has been home to the most recent pop up in Coventry – an advice shop to answer questions on debt, money management, energy saving and of course benefits as changes to the current system are likely to leave some out of pocket.

Janet Gurney, Welfare and Benefits Adviser at the Coventry Law Centre, said: “Disabled people are particularly hard-hit by the changes. Despite this, many people are still uninformed about the potential changes to their benefits. Even today, some of the people coming in don’t know anything about the changes and are quite shocked at some of the implications.” She added that a lot of people in low-paid work do not realise that they too could see their benefits cut.

“We know that it’s just going to be dire. Some people will be very seriously affected,” she said. The shop will be open from 10am-3pm until tomorrow.