In my Entrepreneurs Forum on About.com, I found an intriguing post from a U.K. company called In a Fishbowl. They were seeking advice from other forum members to help an entrepreneur solve a typical startup problem. I linked over to their website, which offers three in-depth profiles of early-stage entrepreneurs, each of whom has a great concept that's getting off the ground but also faces challenges. The entrepreneurs agree to go "in the fishbowl" and tell their stories through video and written blog entries while at the same time soliciting feedback from viewers on how they can turn the corner on their businesses and achieve success.
One of the entrepreneurs, Marcela Newburn, runs an authentic Mexican kitchen that is on the cusp of winning contracts to provide products for Harrod's and Selfridges, two of Britain's largest retailers. She has great recipes and knows her way around chili sauces, but she's spending too much time "doing everything" and not enough time on strategy and business development. That will sound familiar to many entrepreneurs.
Another entrepreneur in the fishbowl, Matt Stockman, is developing a new indie music label, while another, a team of two former college buddies who form Head & Griffiths, a clothier that provides bespoke suits at off-the-rack prices, have to cope with getting their web ordering system exactly right -- plus a thousand other details.
In a Fishbowl could easily be a reality TV show, a book, a community. Right now it's in beta and very much worth a look for any entrepreneur who wants to learn from others.
Hi Mitchell,
On finding that you had posted a blog all about In a Fishbowl, I felt I should get in touch to thank you. Certainly shows that our site is appealing to the right audiences.
The basis of the website is that the wish to “have known then what I know now” is common in entrepreneurs, and In a Fishbowl was designed to give budding entrepreneurs the opportunity to learn from the experiences of others before going out and making costly mistakes themselves.
The site also encourages involvement in a variety of forms, including via Twitter where our entrepreneurs post requests and questions. You can follow them at:
@fishbowlhq, @fishbowlone, @fishbowltwo and @fishbowlthree.
Things are certainly getting interesting for all the Fishbowlers, with money issues, website designs, deliveries and meetings just a few of the topics.
As you say, Mitchell, the site is currently in its Beta stage – keep an eye out for further developments in the next couple of months…
Hi, I’ve stayed in touch with inafishbowl for ages and now note they are featuring 3 more businesses from the West Midlands, along with 3 new ones from the East Midlands, sounds to me they are going regional. I’ve found their Experts advice really helpful. Thanks