This programme will run over 6 weeks Wednesday 24th March, Wednesday 31st March, Wednesday 7th April, Wednesday 14th April, Wednesday 21st April & Wednesday 28th  April, 2021.

Course Content:-

Night 1

Business Plan preparation and how to structure a business plan

• Preparing a personal budget to establish how much money the new business has to generate monthly in order for you to live!
• General advice about business planning Leases, Insurance, planning permission
• Advantages & Disadvantages of self employment
• Business Plan format - template provided - enables establishment of running costs of the business and start up costs Business Planning

Night 2

Different types of financial assistance which are available to the SME. 

• How to prepare budgets for the business. 
• Templates are provided for this.
• Preparing Profit& Loss accounts
• Sample cash-flow showing how to layout your idea they way the bank wants to see it!
• Types of assistance offered to start-up business
• Monthly budget - the importance of them, templates provided Figures required for Business Plan, i.e. Projected Profit & Loss and matching cashflow

Night 3

Marketing

• Looking at competition
• Pricing the product or service:- Developing a strategy
• Competitiveness
• Marketing: Competitors, Product, Price, Place, Promotion, Advertising Personal selling Public Relations Customer Service
• The importance of Social Media as a means of advertising & for market research
• Why the new business should have a website/web presence
• Researching competition - is there a gap in the market for your business idea

Night 4

Introduction to Bookkeeping and the Tax System for the Self Employed. 

• Records that must be maintained for tax purposes and preparation of purchases book, cashbook, cheques journal and VAT returns.
• Preparation of books, records & completion of government forms.
• Registering for Income Tax Key dates for Self Employed people
• How to calculate tax as a self employed person, templates provided
• Explaining a business expense
• Purchase book not registered for VAT & registered for VAT
• Cash book for Retailers & Service business Sales Book VAT return
• Cheques Journal

Night 5

Legal aspects of Business

• Sole Trader, Partnership & Limited Company are explained. 
• Registration of Business Name and opening the business bank account.
• Legal ways of trading Legal obligations of Directors Employment Contracts
• Legal entitlements of employees
• Online and internet banking for business and its importance
• How to register your business name online with the CRO Registration of business name
• Completion of sample form for registration of business name.

Night 6

The correct procedure for employing staff. 

• True cost of employees is explained.
• Sample employment contract provided.
• Procedures for employing people for the first time Employers liability insurance
• Health& Safety statement Register with Revenue as an employer
• Employment contracts, samples provided and explained
• The true cost of employing staff - gross pay, employers PRSI, cost of holidays, holiday pay entitlements, minimum pay rates, minimum notice and unfair dismissal.