Leap Magazine is an online business magazine dedicated to new businesses and startups in Norwich. In this blog we chat with founder Alina Sandu about how the magazine got started, what she would do to help local businesses and “the trousers of time.” If you would like a guest blog or want to be interviewed on the site please email reynardcity@gmail.com (Sponsors get priority)
When did you first get started with Leap Magazine?
Leap Magazine itself, now at its second issue, is only a couple of months old, but in a way I have been working up to it for a while. I’ve been self employed as a designer for the past year and the magazine’s purpose is to encourage others to take the leap of faith towards starting a business.
What kind of businesses are you looking for?
We’re looking for contributors who have learned through their own experience important lessons about running a business and want to share them with others and we’re looking for those who wish to promote their services through our advertorials.
Most of all, we’re looking for those who want to be part of theNorwichsmall business community, either start-ups or established enterprises.
Who would you say the magazine is aimed at?
Start-ups and small businesses based aroundNorwich. The articles in the magazine offer advice on setting up and developing a business, from the planning and research stages through to handling the administrative tasks and keeping yourself healthy and motivated in the process.
What advice would you have for people who want to start their own business?
Find something you really enjoy doing and do that for a living. Make sure you could still enjoy it after doing it for a lot longer than normal working hours.
If you were Prime Minister for the day what would you do to help businesses?
I’d put more money into training people to run their own businesses, and one of the first things they’d learn would be the importance of local markets and communities. I’d also support the Daylight Saving Bill (http://www.lighterlater.org/) which would give businesses an extra hour of daylight on winter afternoons, improving walk-in trade, productivity and safety and lowering energy bills.
Incidentally, I’d also tax outsourcing heavily and make corporate social responsibility mandatory.
If you could have any superpower what would you have?
I’d be able to navigate across the different legs of the trousers of time until I found the best outcome for every action. It’d make for an interesting debate on fate versus free will, up until having to keep track of all the differences between parallel universes drives me insane.
Who would play you in the film of your life?
Emma Stone, there is no second choice.
Who would you have on your superhero super team (anyone you like, you could throw in Darth Vader, Tinkerbell or Sherlock Holmes if you like)?
Anyone, you say? It seems poor form to start with the obvious choice – Batman, but I will anyway. Batman! Ash from the Evil Dead films! Alistair from Dragon Age! Oh, and Hurley, because weaponised bad luck could be useful.
Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?
I try not to, due to the whole trousers of time thing.
