What is the 'Start Your Own Business' course?

The Start Your Own Business course is delivered LIVE VIA ZOOM over 8 evening or morning 2.5 hour workshops, with each workshop covering different aspects of starting and managing a successful business. The course is delivered through practical and interactive training and at the end of the course, participants will have completed a draft Business Plan. Participants will also avail of telephone and email support from the trainers.

Who the course is for:

• Anyone with a business idea they want to develop
• Anyone looking at self-employment as a realistic career option
• Anyone who has recently started a business
• People who are committed to focusing on their business development
• People who want to produce a business plan

What you can expect from the course:

• Access to experienced business trainers who have successfully started their own businesses
• Access to experienced trainers across marketing, business development and finance
• Practical case studies and presentations from local people who have started their own businesses
• Key advice on the steps to starting a business
• Easy to understand, practical information and guidance with comprehensive notes for future reference
• A clear set of targets for your business success and income requirements
• A reasonable idea of whether the business will be feasible or not
• An action plan to develop your business and a business plan to guide you through the start up phase

What we expect from you:

• Commitment to attending all workshops
• Commitment to researching the idea and taking direction from the trainers
• Commitment to producing a draft of a business plan by the end of the programme

Programme Outline

Getting Started

• Setting achievable goals
• The Business Plan and introduction to the Business Model
• The elements that make a business successful
• Gauging if your business idea is viable
• Information and how to get it
• Planning and organising the business
• Step by step guide to getting started

Tax and the Law

• Choosing the right legal structure
• Basics of Irish Tax system: Income tax, Universal Social Charge, PRSI
• Your obligations
• Calculating the cut-off point, Tax credits and reliefs
• Calculating expenses 

Researching the market

• Creating a profile of customers and competitors
• Methods and sources of Market research
• SWOT analysis
• Creating a market research plan

 Marketing- product, price, promotion, place

• Positioning
• Making the most of press, social networks and media
• Advertising, packaging and branding
• Creating a Marketing Plan 

Financial Management

• Cashflow management
• Sources of finance
• Variable, Fixed and Capital costs
• Break Even Point
• Pricing 

Sales and Communication

• Creating leads
• Communicating effectively with your customers
• Customer Care strategies 

VAT and Book keeping

• Responsibilities, records and completing the books
• Designing a simple book-keeping system that works

The Business Plan

• Drawing all the elements together
• Presentation
• Time management
• Action planning
• The future