Ciaran Duffy is a former world light middleweight boxing champion who has established himself Duffy boxesan all abilities boxing gym based at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, east London.
Duffy Boxing is supported by our own CEO: Stubben Edge Founder, Chris Kenning.
Our mission is to help people start and run their businesses better. Now we can live that experience by connecting with a brand new company. This three-part series was created to shed light on what it actually takes to start and run a small business.
In part two of the series, Duffy discusses what worked and what he learned in the early days of running the company.
Word of mouth is still powerful
Of course, there are the everyday things to keep track of, like keeping the apartment clean, but that was far from Duffy’s biggest challenge: “I would say the biggest challenge at this early stage of my business is crunching the numbers,” he says.
We all know the digital platforms that can help you get your business and its message out there. But just as it’s important to use the right social media platform for your audience, it’s also important to know where your audience is — and that could be in the real world. “I find what works best in this area (East London) is when I speak to people face to face, when I have some sort of conversation and build a personal relationship with them. You get to know them,” Duffy said. “People say, ‘I had a good session, let’s come back, I like this place.’ ”
Continuity means a lot to a young small business when it comes to attracting repeat customers. “I may be tired tomorrow, I may not be. But I want to provide quality service. I want the same service we provide every time. If I can do that, people can be guaranteed a certain quality and that’s what I’m aiming for here,” he said. “This gym is small, boutique, with real fighters.”
Top tip: Continuity in service and communication is key.
Keep reminding yourself of the excitement…
Duffy beams as he talks about his boxing gym. “I can’t advise anyone how to keep the energy up because I love it. I love training people — as soon as I get involved with people, I come to life.” But what advice would he give others? “I would say, ‘Why are you doing this?’ If you love it, keep coming back to it. I remember having a lot of hard jobs. Now I’m in the gym every day. Even if I’m a little tired, I’m happy.”
Try to stay positive where you can. “Look at what you’re up to – you have your own business. Times are good. You know, a lot of people don’t have what we have. “You have a chance,” he says.
Top tip: Remember your why.
But don’t forget about the boring things
As we all know, there are elements of business management that we care less about, such as accounting.
“Boring, boring, boring. I’m just kidding!” he laughs. “See, it’s always just one side. Like the boxing ring – One round at a time, one man at a time. Get it done. As simple as that.
“You want to do the fun stuff, you have to do the hard stuff, you have to keep track of things, you have to be consistent. These areas can make or break you. If you don’t stay current, all the fun things disappear.”
Duffy talks about his fear of failure and how it drives him to succeed: “I’m not going to fail because I didn’t keep track,” he adds.
Top tip: Keep showing up.
Avoid unnecessary negativity
Keeping balance in your network keeps you on track, but sometimes you can tell when someone is being overly critical, as Duffy knows: “I try to avoid people who bring me down. I’m hard to bring down, believe it or not. If they are negative people, I try to walk away.”
It’s worth noting who the feedback comes from. “Usually it’s the people who haven’t achieved much who make life difficult, you know? People who are higher than you encourage you,” says Duffy. “You very rarely see a boxer making life difficult for another boxer because he lost the fight because we’ve all been there and it’s the same.
“I think there are some entrepreneurs who had instant success and did brilliant things, but I say most of them had difficulty getting up, so it’s the same thing.”
However, it’s more about realism than being surrounded by yes people. “That doesn’t mean I just want to hear rainbows and blurs. I say I’m a realist,” he adds. “I understand that you have good days and bad days. I am a fighter. I will come back. I have many reasons to fight hard.”
Building trust takes time, but it’s definitely worth it. “When you get to know people over a long period of time, you value their information. You don’t always accept it, you don’t always have to agree. When you surround yourself with people who want the best for you in your company, you tend to get really good advice. And if you understand your industry, you should be able to implement it and see if it works.”
Top tip: Build trust with people over time.
A strong partnership helps
Duffy has his family to support him through the challenging times of running the business. “I have a wonderful wife and two wonderful children. I’m lucky to have my wife who can take control on one side while I try to get (the business) up and running. She has great ideas and is a great help to me. We’re a partnership, so I’m blessed.”
Like many business owners, Duffy leaves certain things aside. “My little boys don’t see their dad that often, but it will be worth it in the end. If I make this business worthwhile for them, hopefully they will benefit from it. And you know, they see that both me and their mother have a strong work ethic,” he says.
Top tip: Lean on your loved ones.
Maintain a boxing mentality
Resilience is an admirable trait in anyone, but it is essential for athletes. “I have a sporting background, so there are more than enough haters. I recently heard a phrase that said, “A winner is just a loser who tries again.” I have failed at many things. I understand that because that’s what I do in my industry. I’ve spent my whole life doing it.
“And I’m not stupid. I can look at the big picture and say, “This area that could work, works, this fits the picture and my heart is in it and I’m going to go for it no matter what people say.” I trust my own opinion, just as I trust other people’s opinions, I listen to them. And I take all of that into account, but I mean, who’s to say anyone knows more than me? Yes, I can follow their advice, but if you don’t believe in anything, it’s very difficult.”
Ultimately, as Duffy acknowledges, it all comes back to yourself: “Be true to yourself. Hopefully good things will come from this if you work hard.
Top tip: Listen to others, but trust your gut.
The Duffy Boxing Elite Training Center is now open. Find out more about training and courses, from beginner to advanced. Here. You can also follow Duffy Boxing on Instagram @duffyboxing_
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Small Business Diary with Duffy Boxing: Learning the Basics — Small Business joins Ciaran Duffy, former professional boxer and founder, for a series on starting a small business
