Start your own Business Programme

Start Your Own Business programme aims:

It is important to plan in advance of setting up a business. The Start Your Own Business Programme focuses on those with a business idea, likely to be coming from full-time employment, unemployment, recently made redundant and women returning to the workforce and unsure as to how to develop the idea into a business plan. The objective is to assist you in assessing your idea, its viability and to decide if you should proceed or take a step back.

Programme Modules:

The following is the typical content and breakdown of a Start your own Business training programme. Please click here to find your Local Enterprise Office and view the suite of training programmes provided.

Workshop 1: The First Steps to Starting a Business

This workshop will provide an overview of the types of business structures and how one goes about setting up a business

• Assessing yourself and your situation – what are your personal financial requirements
• Assessing your business idea – gathering basic information about the idea and the market
• The main types of business structures
• The foundation stones – tax registration, business name registration, insurance etc.

Workshop 2: Market Research

This workshop looks at what research must be carried out and how one goes about getting the information required to make decisions

• Research the customers or target market
• Research the competition
• Understanding outside influences on the business e.g. economy, cost increases etc.

Workshop 3: Business Strategy & Introduction to Marketing

This workshop focuses on using the research gathered to come up with a strategy for the business. Strategy will be based on the business owners’ strengths, the current market situation and what the competition are doing. An introduction to marketing is also provided looking at identifying customers and understanding who the business should be targeting

• Strengths Weaknesses Opportunity and Threats Analysis (SWOT)
• Analysis of External Forces – Political, Environmental, Sociology (Consumer Behaviour), Technology (PEST)
• Competitive Strategies
• Introduction to marketing
• Segmenting the market (looking at various market segments e.g. age, gender, location, business types etc.
• Target Marketing (Identifying who are the business customers)

Workshop 4: Marketing

This workshop covers the basics of marketing and getting the customer to purchase from you. The workshop covers the 4 p’s of marketing:

• The Product – understanding the products benefits and features
• The Price – pricing strategies based on the competition and what the market will pay
• The Place – location and distribution
• Promotion – how will the product be promoted, how will you attract customers? How will you move customers from your competitors? How will you keep your customers?
• Retaining Customers through good customer service
• Networking as a tool to create business
• Online marketing
• Importance of branding and image

Workshop 5: Tax and bookkeeping

This workshop provides an overview of the self assessment tax system for self employed people. It looks at what bookkeeping needs to be done and also takes a practical look at ways of reducing the tax bill.

• Registering for tax
• How to keep proper records
• Basic Bookkeeping
• VAT
• Revenue returns
• Minimising your tax bill

Workshop 6: Financial Management

This workshop focuses on the importance of sound financial management in business. It covers identifying the cost base of the business, proper pricing methods and ways of improving and managing cash-flow.

• Cost analysis
• Detailed Pricing
• Proper Budgeting
• Cash Flow Management
• Improving Cash Flow
• Sources of Finance

Workshop 7: Business Planning

This workshop provides an overview of previous workshops as well as explaining the process of business planning. The workshop will focus on the next steps for the participants, setting goals and developing their business plan.