If you had to start a business from scratch tomorrow, knowing everything you know today, what would you do differently?

Would you employ people immediately? Invest in premises? Borrow money? Chase every customer? Or would you approach things completely differently?

In this solo episode of Not Finished Yet, Mark Kennedy draws on more than 35 years of experience building, managing and leading businesses to explore how he would start a company today — and why many traditional approaches to entrepreneurship may no longer make sense.

This isn't another textbook guide to starting a business. It's a practical discussion about the decisions entrepreneurs face, the mistakes worth avoiding and how experience changes your approach to building something profitable and sustainable.

Mark explores ten key decisions involved in starting and growing a successful business:

• Choosing the right business idea: Solve a genuine customer problem rather than falling in love with your own idea.

• Testing demand: Establish whether customers will actually pay before investing heavily.

• Starting lean: Why expensive offices, large teams and unnecessary overheads can wait.

• Understanding your finances: Cash flow, working capital, profitability and knowing your numbers from day one.

• Pricing for profit: Why winning customers at any price isn't sustainable.

• Using AI and technology: How artificial intelligence, automation and digital tools can transform how small businesses operate.

• Recruitment and outsourcing: When to employ people, when to outsource and how to control costs.

• Building systems: Creating processes that allow a business to operate without depending entirely on its founder.

• Finding the right customers: Building profitable, long-term relationships rather than chasing turnover.

• Creating future value: Why growth, profitability and eventual exit opportunities should influence decisions from the beginning.

Technology has changed what's possible.

Tasks that once required employees, expensive software or external agencies can increasingly be handled through AI, automation and affordable digital systems.

But technology doesn't replace the fundamentals.

You still need customers, sensible pricing, financial discipline and a compelling reason for people to choose your business.

Mark explores how he would approach these challenges today, including what he would prioritise during the first 90 days.

It's possible to build a company with impressive turnover, employees and customers while remaining responsible for every decision.

But what happens when you want to step back, take a holiday or eventually sell?

A successful business should create value beyond the person who started it.

Mark discusses why building a company that can operate independently should be part of your thinking from day one.

Whether you're starting your first business, launching another venture or running an established company, this episode offers practical insights, real-world experience and questions worth asking yourself.

Because starting a business isn't just about having a great idea.

It's about building something that works commercially, financially and operationally.

And after 35 years in business, Mark Kennedy is still learning, still building and still looking for new opportunities.

That's why we're Not Finished Yet.

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💬 YOUR TURN: If you started a business tomorrow, what's the ONE thing you'd do differently?

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WHAT YOU'LL LEARNSTARTING A BUSINESS IN 2026 IS DIFFERENTARE YOU BUILDING A BUSINESS OR CREATING YOURSELF ANOTHER JOB?THE NOT FINISHED YET TEST