Where to get help and advice

Starting your own business can be a daunting prospect. Fortunately, there are many web sites, such as businessvision and other organisations on hand to help you set up your business. Training, books, counselling and practical advice can all help to improve your chances of success and therefore is strongly advised. Below are some suggested sources that we recommend. We also suggest that you check out the links on the right.

Training Courses
The courses that are available vary in content and length. By attending a training course you will not only learn and gain new skills, but also interact and network with other budding entrepreneurs. You can find out about courses and where they are held from the following sources:

Your Local Business Link - Business Link is a government initiative designed to provide information and advice for small businesses. They provide access to workshops and seminars; such as pre-start and post start up awareness courses, business plan preparation, and book-keeping which will help you to improve your chances of succeeding as a new business. To find out what is available in your area contact your local Business Link.

Training & Enterprise Councils (TEC) - Is a national network of Training and Enterprise Councils covering England and Wales, offering a range of services and courses to businesses and individuals. Contact your local office to find out more about the courses in your area.


Local Enterprise Companies (LEC) - Local offices based in Scotland to help with training and counselling. Contact your local LEC office to find out more about the courses in your area.

Local colleges, universities, libraries - Check your local telephone directory to find out about courses held in your area.

Business Counselling & Consultancy
Practical help and advice can be sought from counsellors and consultancies. The help offered ranges from discussing your business idea to helping you secure capital to develop your business. There are a number of organisations that provides counselling and consultancy, which includes Business Link, TECs and LECs. Others include:

Banks - The major high street banks such as Barclays, HSBC, LloydsTSB, National Westminster offer services for small businesses and have a network of business centres and advisers.

Small Business Organisations - There are many organisations which are specifically set up to give information and support to small businesses. The list below is by no means conclusive, but are just some that are online:

www.businessvision.co.uk - Provides useful information and tips about starting and running a successful business written in plain English. This site also provides free membership for business networking.

www.fsb.org.uk - Federation of Small Businesses is the largest small business support and lobby group. The Federation has over 150,000+ members to better business conditions for the self-employed and small businesses. It is a non-profit making organisation supported by members' subscriptions and donations.

www.businessadviceonline.org - The Small Business Service is a new organisation and operates across all Government Departments.

Department of Trade and Industry - For further general information on running your business contact:

Business Link Signpost Line 08457 567 765 - England
Business Connect 08457 96 97 98 - Wales
Scottish Enterprise Area: Scottish Business Shops 0800 78 78 78 Highlands & Islands Enterprise Area Business Information Source 01463 715400. Alternatively you can visit the web site at www.dti.gov.uk or for the Highlands & Islands Enterprise Area at www.bis.uk.com email address bis.enquiries@bis.uk.com

New Employers Helpline

Provides advice and information to new employers on all aspects of payroll management.

Tel: 0845 607 0143

www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk

Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme

Designed to provide loans from banks and other institutions to small businesses that have viable business proposals but have failed to obatin conventional loans because of lack of security.

Tel: 0114 259 7308/9

Email: sflgs@sbs.gov.uk

Smart

SBS iniatative that provides grants to help individuals and small and medium -sized businesses to make better use of technology and to develop technologically innovative products and processes.

Contact: Local Business Link at Goverment Office

Help for Specific Groups

For Young People

Prince's Trust - Helps young people aged between 18-30, unemployed or of limited financial means, to set up or develop their own business.

Princes Youth Business Trust - Offers last resort funding to unemployed people between the ages of 18-30 who have a viable business plan.

Livewire - Helps young people aged 16-25 with free information, advice and ideas for starting a business. People in this age range who have been trading for less than one year can enter a start-up awards competition with cash prizes.

Shell Livewire - Sponsored by Shell UK Ltd, Shell Livewire provides a support service for entrepreneurs between 16 and 30 years old. Initially they give advice and assistance through a free booklet, a fact-sheet and details of the local offices. Their fact sheet has breakdowns of some of the most popular areas of self-employment such as coffee shops and graphic design.

Ethnic Minorities

The Centre of Expertise on Ethnic Minority Businesses - Established by the Business Links in London to co-ordinate consistent and expert support for ethnic minority businesses based in London.. The Centre provides expert knowledge about minority ethnic communities to all of London's Business Links.

European Federation of Black Women Business Owners - Is a non-profit making organisation, set up to provide support network for Black Women Business owners. Address: Suite One, Two Tunstall Road, LONDON, SW9 8DA, Tel 020 7978 9488 Fax 020 7978 9490 Email: asapcoms@dircon.co.uk

BusinessVision.co.uk also has a section for ethnic minorities in business

Women

British Association of Women Entrepreneurs
Enterprising Women
Womens Business

BusinessVision.co.uk also has a section for women in business

Disabled

There is a wide range of VAT reliefs for purchases by people who are disabled. more informatin about these reliefs is available in 'Notice 701/7 VAT Reliefs for people with disabilities. Visit Customs & Excise.

The Media, Books and Exhibitions

Some of the national newspapers have a section for small businesses, such as The Mail On Sunday and The Times. Exhibitions are useful to attend. You can network with other businesses and look at other businesses to give you some ideas. For example the Business Expo is a start up exhibition that has a vast variety of stands offering you all you need to start-up or develop your business idea. For a list of the next Business Expo exhibition and others, visit www.exhibitions.co.uk

Channel 4's Real Deal

The Channel 4's web site has a section dedicated to entrepreneurs called Real Deal. It is a place where people with great ideas can get help. The web site address is: www.channel4.co.uk/realdeal

BusinessVision.co.uk Book Store

There are numerous books on the market that can help you start your business, some are particularly written for helping small businesses. BusinessVision.co.uk has a list of recommended books to help you start and develop your business.

Suggested next reading: Choosing a business idea