Steve Christian realised that there was no single market place that brought buyers and suppliers together, this is why he hopes his business the Resource Broker could be set for success.

Name: Steve Christian
Age: 34
Business: The Resource Broker
Type of business: Online business services marketplace
Start date: Launched May 2005

When did you first decide you wanted to start your own business?
Running a business has always been my ultimate aim. But I also understood very early on the importance of gaining direct industry experience first, which I could then apply to my own ideas.

Tell us about your business
The Resource Broker is a business services marketplace bringing buyers and suppliers together. It is designed to save businesses time and costs when buying services and outsourcing projects, jobs and tasks. It also provides suppliers with free business leads. Membership and use of the site is free and available to businesses of all sizes and in all industry sectors.

Was it your first business idea and where did it come from?
No, I've had thousands of ideas over the years, but most of them were terrible. The idea for The Resource Broker is based on experiences I had while working within a blue chip, two smaller businesses (one of which was a start-up), and as a contractor. In all cases I found there was no existing marketplace where buyers and suppliers could meet and trade. It was the simplicity of the idea that appealed.

What makes you think there’s a market for your business?
All businesses need to buy services and therefore the idea of a business services marketplace that brought buyers and suppliers together seemed to be a great idea from the outset. I sought feedback from relevant organisations and people in industry and the feedback I received was very positive.

Once you’d decided to start a business, what did you do first?
I realised I needed to increase my skills and experience. I enrolled in an MBA and then worked for three years in IT. I think you need both the theory and the practice. Although my role now is not IT focussed, my business is internet based, and I believe you need to understand how your business works from the ground up in order to really make it a success. I then waited for a good business idea to come along.

What research did you do?
In the first instance I researched the companies that would be most likely to find The Resource Broker's services useful - companies that buy and outsource many services. Then I contacted the managing directors and technical directors to gauge their response to my initial idea. The feedback was great, with around seventy percent being very positive.

What advice did you seek?
The best advice I received came from people already running successful enterprises, as they could guide me towards the methods that work and steer me away from those that don't. I also did a brief business planning course organised by the Prince's Trust and I spoke with the local Business Link advisor.

What other help did you get?
I received some useful advice from business advisors at Lancaster University and Lancashire Business School.

Does the government need to provide more help to people trying to start a business? If so, what should they do?
Ultimately, however much help or guidance the government provides the question of whether a business succeeds or fails comes down to the perseverance of the individuals concerned.

Talk us through the process of writing your business plan.
I learnt the fundamentals from reading books, on business courses and I sought advice from business advisors.