Start Your Own Business in 2023
Are you looking to Start Your Own Business but are unsure of how and where to begin?
We've developed an 8 week evening programme for you. Under the guidance of a specialist training company, you will learn how to research your business idea, assess its commercial viability, pick an appropriate business structure, identify sources of funding and explore effective sales and marketing strategies. All course content has been carefully chosen to support any new product or service-led business. Class sizes are limited to 15 people to maximise learning outcomes for participants. The course is limited to individuals who are based or whose business is/will be based in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown area.
This course runs from Tuesday 28th February to Monday 17th April 2023.
The course will take place primarily online. The first and last sessions will take place in-person.
The in-person sessions will take place in The Royal Marine Hotel. The address is Royal Marine Hotel, Marine Rd, Dún Laoghaire, Dublin, A96 K063.
Session 1 | Tuesday 28th February | 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?
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Session 2 | Tuesday 7th March | Validation & Customer Discovery
- What to concentrate on to validate your idea
- Customer discovery
- Emerging trends your product/service may benefit from
- Running the numbers quickly
- Validating the business model and structure
- How to start researching
- Who to research and how much research to do
- Sources of information (including new tools on the market)
- LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook for business research
- Use of CSO and others for facts and figures
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Session 3 | Tuesday 14th March | 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
- Social and environmental impact considerations: SDGs, Circular Economy, etc.
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Session 4 | Tuesday 21st March | 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
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Session 5 | Tuesday 28th March | 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 2023 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, 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
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Session 6 | Tuesday 4th April | Finance 1 and Legal Considerations
- A guide to legal structures
- 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/PAYE/PRSI/USC
- Patents, trademarks, and copyright
- GDPR
- Opening a business bank account
- Bank reconciliation
- New online offerings
- Costs: the costs you can expect to have in your start-up
- Introduction to small business finance
- Basic bookkeeping
- Books of prime entry
- Online registration with Revenue/ROS
- Accounting options
- Introduction to online accounts: various options
- Taking payments online
- Income tax
- Corporation tax
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Session 7 | Tuesday 11th April | 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
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Session 8 | Monday 17th April | 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
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* Please note that changes to the running order of these sessions may be made.
The training company running this course is The Entrepreneurs Academy
'Start Your Own Business' Course - How it is Delivered
This course features group work, individual tasks, presentations, Q&A and exercises. The priority is to equip participants with knowledge and skills which they can implement into their new businesses.
Book Your Place & Get Your Business Started...
The Course Fee is €150 per person and is payable prior to course commencement. To Book & Pay for your place now, simply follow the 'Book Now' link at the top of this page. If you need any assistance, please contact (01) 204 7083 or leo@dlrcoco.ie
