Session  1      

Wednesday 10th April

Introduction to Starting Your Own Business, Self-Employment & Refining Your Idea

• Entrepreneurship: what is it?
• Personal skills analysis
• Steps to starting a business
• Reasons for success and failure
• The importance of failure as part of the process
• How to generate and develop an idea
• How to make an idea better
• Introduction to the Lean Model Canvas
• Networks of support and advice for start-ups
• Demand and Margin: business fundamentals
• Choosing the correct business model for your start-up business
• Starting with the end in mind: what are you trying to achieve?

Session 2 

Wednesday 17th April

Legal Issues for Start-Ups

• The difference between sole trader, partnership and limited companies, including case studies of each
• Employment law: an introduction
• Contracts
• Insurance
• Registering a business name
• Tax requirements and recent tax changes
• VAT (Covered also in financial sessions)
• PAYE
• PRSI
• Patents, trademarks and copyright
• GDPR
• Opening a business bank account
• Bank reconciliation
• New online offerings

Session 3

Wednesday 24th April

Market Research Using Online & Offline Tools

• Most start-ups fail because of the lack of market research – how to avoid this
• What to research
• Understanding what questions you need answered
• Online and offline tools available to help with research
• The importance of networking
• Market research methods (inc. new online methods)
• Primary and secondary research
• Price in the context of marketing: how to research and set correct prices
• Competitors’ pricing.
• Researching: promotion
• Researching: place/location
• Impact of Brexit/diversification due to COVID market instability

Session 4

Wednesday 1st May

Marketing For The Small Business inc. Technology for Start-Ups

• Introduction to marketing
• The traditional 4 P’s: the practical approach to marketing
• New trends for 2024 and beyond
• Market environment
• Product/Service comparison
• Identifying and meeting customer needs
• Marketing online
• Promotions for start-ups
• Developing your brand essence and message
• Communication channels for start-ups
• Creating a marketing plan
• PR and its importance
• Creativity & marketing
• Online marketing creation tools
• How cloud computing has changed how we do business
• Selling online: retail trends.
• Introduction to social media for business – LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, trends and advertising online
• Social media planning (marketing)
• Creating a website and trading online
• Business planning: online tools
• E- Commerce: selling your product or service online
• Taking payments online

Session 5

Wednesday 8th May

Finance 1: Book-Keeping and Taxation

• What costs will you have in your start-up?
• Introduction to small business finance
• Basic Bookkeeping
• Books of Prime Entry
• VAT
• Online registration with Revenue/ROS
• Accounting options
• Introduction to online accounts: various options
• Taking payments online
• PAYE/USC/PRSI
• Income tax
• Corporation tax

Session 6

Wednesday 15th May

Finance 2: Cashflow, Pricing & Sources of Funding

• Cashflow: how to do a cashflow forecast
• Drawings and personal budgeting
• Business costs
• Profit and Loss
• Basic financial ratios
• Balance sheet & credit control
• Pricing
• Break Even analysis
• Sources of funding and the various supports available: Microfinance, seed capital, priming grants, feasibility studies, Trading Online Voucher, peer lending, etc

Session 7

Wednesday 22nd May 

Sales & Negotiation

• How to sell AND what to sell
• What is involved in the sales process
• Building on market research to identify a list of sales targets
• Identifying the right channels
• Developing a sales plan
• Selling & approach
• Developing a great pitch
• Strategic networking
• Negotiation: the process
• Introduction to customer service and aftercare
• Introduction to exporting: developing new markets overseas

Session 8

Wednesday 29th May

Preparing a Business Plan

• The importance and practical use of a Business Plan to the start-up business
• Main elements of a Business Plan
• Expanding the Lean Model Canvas
• Setting goals and objectives
• Reviewing sample business plans
• Practicing your pitch
• Tips for an excellent Business Plan
• Using online tools to help generate a Business Plan
• The Entrepreneurs Academy Business Planning workbook

Some elements of market research, marketing finance and online activity to get your start-up up and running are included in this session.