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Home / Business Resources / Business Potential / Start Your Business / Guide to starting your own business

Start your business

Are you thinking about starting a business? If so, you’re in good company. More than 500,000 businesses start every year in the UK. We can help you discover your business potential and get your business off to a great start.

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  • Intro
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  • Start a business

    • Guide to starting your own business
    • Top tips for starting your business
      • Starting your own business infographic
      • Will King: My advice about starting a business
      • Recipe for success: business plans
      • How to raise finance for your business
      • Government funding available for small businesses
      • The benefits of non-executive directors
    • Start-up stories
      • Inksville Ltd.
      • Hardy Gibson Ltd.
      • Mojoa Hair & Beauty
  • A guide to starting your own business

    Our guide is written for all those people who want to start their own business and discover their business potential. It's packed with tips and practical advice.

  • Each year in the UK, more than 500,000 people start a business of their own. Some are natural-born entrepreneurs with a fantastic idea they turn into a successful new venture. Many want to earn more money or be their own boss. Some seek greater flexibility or a more favourable work-life balance. Many simply have no alternative, perhaps after losing their job.

    Starting up a business can provide you with a more rewarding life, but there are no guarantees. The start-up survival rate remains low.

    However, the good news is many new businesses do survive and if you take care of key start-up tasks properly and in the right sequence, you can get your new venture off to a great start.

    Our guide covers all the topics you need to start your business, including:

    • Deciding when to launch your new business
    • Boosting your start-up knowledge
    • Deciding who you’ll sell to — and how
    • How to analyse your competitors
    • Creating a brand
    • Writing your business plan
    • Registering your business
    • Managing your business finances

    Start-up guide - front cover

    Download the guide (3.5 MB .pdf)


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    Resources to help you start your business

    If you're ready to take the next step, here are some resources that could help you:

    Top tips for starting your business

    Our tips cover things such as how to finance your business and how to get your business off the ground.

    Recipe for success: How to write a business plan

    Drawing up a business plan is like creating your own recipe - we can help you gather the ingredients together, set out your equipment, assess your working space and create a plan that is tailor-made for you.

    Software to help you start your business

    Sage Planning for Business is designed for people looking to start a business. It makes light work of everything from developing a business plan to forecasting your cash flow and VAT.

     
     
  • Thanks for downloading our guide.

    If you'd like to get more free business advice and information, sign up below.

     

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