Our latest guest blog comes from John Webb, Cloud Director at Rackspace, talking about their forthcoming ‘Boost Your Startup‘ event…

Starting your own business is tough. Taking a new business model to market and making a success of it on an international and/or transatlantic level is even tougher. Once we realise the truth and weight of this statement we can perhaps start to embark more confidently on the road to business success and profit.

Startup businesses can often gain the supporting boost they need by engaging with fellow entrepreneurs and innovators in like-minded discussion to support the pursuit of their new business ambitions.

At the same time, the advice of business leaders who have already made an international success of their market proposition is equally important. Bringing these two streams into harmony this November is the ‘Boost Your Start Up’ discussion panel held on 20th November at Campus London.

A dichotomy of differences

In what often appears to be a very globally connected world, we still find that firms face a dichotomy of differences when trying to extend their business model to the US market. Separated (now even less) by an increasingly common language and traversable ocean, startup firms need new levels of operational flexibility and agility if they are to succeed in transatlantic business in the Internet age.

The (perhaps convenient) truth is that the challenges facing a startup firm are a natural fit for the cloud model. Business expansion can be brought about more quickly when IT resources are at their most flexible. Equally, new sales channels can be targeted in a more nimble and agile way when new commercial opportunities are identified. When business change is easiest, a firm can capitalise upon a wider spectrum of any market.

A rich bank of knowledge

This month’s ‘Boost Your Start Up’ session will feature Chairman and Co-founder of Rackspace Graham Weston who through his innovation has grown Rackspace from a small startup to over a billion dollar company.

Also bringing his expansive IT industry knowledge to this event is Robert Scoble. As a technology blogger, technical evangelist and author, Scoble is perhaps best known for his Scobleizer blog.

Also adding entrepreneurial insight and enthusiasm will be young business innovator and Mayor of San Antonio, Texas Julián Castro.

Entrepreneurs and dragons

Last but not least the panel will welcome TCIO’s Deputy CEO Benjamin Southworth and Founder of Entrepreneur Country Julie Meyer.

Julie Meyer, MBE is one of the leading champions for entrepreneurship in Europe and the UK as a force for growth and inclusiveness. Her achievements have led to massive recognition — she sits on government panels, has been a ‘Dragon’ on Dragon’s Den online and was awarded the MBE this year for her ‘services to entrepreneurship’.

We hope to see you at the Boost Your Start-up event. Click here to secure your spot: http://www.rackspace.co.uk/boost-your-startup/