Services and links
Featured employer
Self Employment
Getting started
Business Plans
It is imperative that you write a business plan detailing the idea; its background; the product or service; market research; competitor analysis; pricing; financial summaries; key personnel; business structure; and future developments. This is something which your university Enterprise Centre should be able to help you out with. Also see the following links for more detailed advice.
Business Link business plan advice
High Street banks often offer business planning advice and templates, for example:
Funding
How to fund your business will be a central consideration. Depending on the costs involved and the type business, funds may be any or a mix of the following: your own money, a loan from friends or family, share capital, grants from organisations, bank loans or venture capital from businesss angels in the case of higher sums required. For all of these other funders, it is highly likely that they will request your business plan to ensure they have an understanding of the business and can see where you justify the costs required.
Specific grants are mentioned in the relevant sub-regional/topic link sections below. Certain disadvantaged areas of Bradford, Leeds, Doncaster, Sheffield and North-east Lincolnshire are covered by LEGI-schemes (see below and the relevant sub-sections for more information). These can bring access to funding as well as advice and support if setting up in business there. High street banks all have business departments and you will probably need to investigate their business banking as well.
Networking
Networking is a vital part of ensuring that your business succeeds. This is where you will forge new business relationships and win new business. There are a variety of networking events available - ranging from free events put on by Business link to networking organisations charging a membership fee and requiring weekly commitment. Search the internet to find out more about specific networking groups, but remember that the networking structure or style of these clubs may not be optimal for your business.
The Met Club is an organisation for Directors of businesses, enabling them to meet each other and facilitate networking with the decision makers of each business. They hold monthly meetings across the region. Their Entrepreneurs Club has events meeting at Harrogate, Huddersfield, Leeds, York, Bradford. More details about how to join this entrepreneurs club are here.
Yorkshire & Humber Chambers of Commerce
Representing the interests of 12,500 businesses of all sizes from all sectors across the region, the Chambers of Commerce help businesses to raise their profile, as well as providing advice, discounts and events. Details of your local Chamber are on the site.
Job vacancies in Self Employment
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No vacancies listed at this time.
Useful links:
Yorkshire Association of Business Angels
This unique regional forum brings together the finance and business expertise of Business Angels with entrepreneurs and their new business ideas.
Business link is a government-funded service designed to promote enterprise. They have a wealth of information for new and established businesses on their site. Download or order their ‘No-nonsense Guide to Starting a Business'. Find out more local information about events in the region from their Business Link Yorkshire pages.
Small Business Advice Service (SBAS)
Useful information provided by the National Federation of Enterprise Agencies.
British Association of Entrepreneurs
Has information and networking for entrepreneurs. Further services are available if you subscribe as a member.
Very useful site covering all aspects of setting up in business, with latest relevant news items, blogs from other entrepreneurs and finance document resources.
Provides links to various aspects of starting a small business. However they look as though they may be sponsored links so it is important to get advice before deciding to go with their choice of bank/ accountant/lawyer/ software package etc.
Venture Navigator
A free and impartial online service for businesses and entrepreneurs.
Has more than 800 guides to starting a small business, as well as links to related books on Amazon.
British Library Business Collections
Free online service that holds a huge collection of market research.
Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (BERR)
BERR is instrumental in taking forward the Government Action Plan for Small Business. Their website contains useful research & statistics about small to medium-sized companies (SMEs).