New workshop programme to help local people start up in business (From Watford Observer)

New workshop programme to help local people start up in business

11:35am Friday 18th March 2011 in Business Link

Business Link is offering a full programme of workshops and business briefings from April to November this year, aimed at people who want to set up a business, as well as those who are already established. With the expectation that small businesses will play a key role in securing economic recovery and fill the employment gap when redundancies impact the job market, Business Link’s start-up programme will ensure that the new enterprises are built on firm foundations.

These ‘Start your own business’ workshops are free and are run in a range of local venues at different times and days of the week to make sure that people can find an event at a time and place to suit them. The workshops cover everything from ‘Starting a business - is it for me?’ through ‘Finding and keeping customers’ to ‘Using the web in your business’ – as well as other essential business topics. They are designed to give delegates all the information they need to plan their business effectively and enable them to start up knowing that they have put everything in place to give their business the best chance of success. They also give delegates the chance to meet other like-minded people and share ideas.

Graham Coultas, Head of Business Start-up said: “More than 8,000 people have attended our events over the previous six months, with a satisfaction rate of 95%. The workshops and briefings have been developed with our customers in mind – and there really is something for everyone, whether they’re in the very early stages of planning a business or have been trading for many years and are looking for tips and ideas to re-energise their business.

“In some areas of the East of England the business start-up rate is lagging behind the national average and many rural areas in particular depend on an active business start-up rate to maintain a healthy economy. Our research shows that businesses that receive support from Business Link have a higher chance of success than those that don’t – they have an 84% survival rate beyond three years, compared with a 66% national average for those that choose to go it alone.

“I would encourage anyone who is thinking of becoming self-employed or starting a business and those who want to develop their existing business to look at what we have to offer and book now.”

For full listings, information on workshop content and to book, visit www.bookevents.org or call the events booking team on 0845 601 1000.

ABOUT BUSINESS LINK:

• Business Link in the East of England provides information, practical advice and support to help people to start, run or grow their business
• Our clients fall in to two main categories:

• Those running or working in established small and medium sized businesses
• Those who want to start their own business

• Both client groups can access independent, impartial and, in most instances, free help and support from Business Link in the form of:

• Free one-to-one help from an experienced Adviser (established businesses) or Enterprise Awareness Manager (start-ups)
• Workshops and briefings on a range of business subjects such as business planning, sales and marketing, legislation, developing people
• Telephone and online support through our Regional Information and Intelligence centre

• Business Link supports businesses and entrepreneurs in the 6 counties in the East of England: Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk
• Business Link is a government initiative to promote enterprise, funded in the East of England by the East of England Development Agency the region.
• T 08457 17 16 15 E info@businesslinkeast.org.uk www.businesslink.gov.uk/east