Start and grow your business

Free start up guides

The British Business Bank provides free downloadable guides with practical tips, and "hot-to" information. The guides range from starting a business. marketing, social media and much more. To download these guides please visit: Free start-up Guides.
 

Business Plan

A business plan is a written document that describes your business. It covers strategies, sales, marketing, objectives and financial forecast.

In short, a business plan can help you:

• Clarify your business rates
• Spot potential problems
• Set out your goals
• Measure your progress

For business plan templates and guidance, both Enterprise Nation and Prince's Trust are great resources.
 

Enterprise Nation

Enterprise Nation is a community of small businesses and entrepreneurs that provides a range of support services to help develop your business and these include:

• Advice and business events: Offer regular online and in-person events featuring expert entrepreneurs on various topics as well as access to a network of business advisors who can provide tailored advice and mentorship
• Resources and tools: General resources are provided for free including business plans, financial templates and marketing guides. In addition, free online courses are available on topics such as marketing, social media, funding and finances, sales and people management
  There are also opportunities for businesses to connect with fellow entrepreneurs and to network in order to foster collaboration, find opportunities as well as sharing know-hows.
• Community and networking:

Overall, Enterprise Nation is a great business community that provides support for people who want to start a business but also for any businesses at any stage of their journey.
 

Federation of Small Businesses (FSB)

Established 50 years ago, the FSB is a member-led organisation with the mission to provide help and advise to small business owners. Members have access to various free tools and resources including:

• Funding platform and loans: Businesses can have access to a platform designed to support you in finding information and get help applying for funds and loans.
• General training: Tailored training available both online and face-to-face with a library of over 700+ online courses including sales, marketing, finance and professional development as well as sector-specific training,
• Essential business advice: Members have access to some features including legal and tax advice with access to helplines and tax support services.
   

Prince's Trust

Prince's Trust is an organisation that support young people aged 16 to 30 getting into education, work or start a business. They deliver various programmes including the Enterprise programme which is specifically designed to support business ideas through training, mentoring as well as funding and resources.
 

The Rebel School

The Rebel School is a project aimed at helping people build a business, with little to no money, through practical business education and support. The project provides regular FREE business courses both online and face-to-face. Furthermore, general business support is provided via Rebel+, including weekly 1-to-1 mentorship, a supportive online community as well as practical notes and tips on: 

• Sales & Marketing
• How to build a website with no money
• Social media
• Finding customers

To find out more about upcoming courses or events, please visit Rebel School Courses and Events.
 

Help to Grow

Designed by entrepreneurs and industry experts from the UK’s leading business schools, the Help to Grow course helps small business leaders and senior managers from every industry to boost leadership skills as well as business performance and resilience. 

Help to Grow: Management is a 12-week course covering the critical components required to develop a resilient business strategy. It includes online and face-to-face sessions, 10 hours of 1-to-1 mentoring, peer networking, and support to develop a Growth Action Plan. 90 per cent funded by UK Government, the course costs just £750 per person. 

This practical leadership course provides time away from the challenges of running a business to invest in your leadership, equipping you with the knowledge and confidence to take your business to the next level: 

• Develop leadership skills across all areas of business including strategic planning, employee engagement, vision and values, finance, and marketing
• Develop strategies for market segmentation, positioning and targeting to streamline the marketing approach
• Gain exclusive access to a regional peer network to share practical challenges, ideas, and experiences
• Work with a mentor to develop a Growth Action Plan tailored to your business and its unique journey
• Learn how to engage your employees on the business journey and plan the future structure of the organisation
• Identify new technologies and digital approaches to enhance innovation and productivity across your business
• Improve operational efficiency to save time and money.
• At the end of the Help to Grow: Management Course, you will be ready to lead the change required to scale your business, even in the most challenging of conditions.

To be eligible for the course, your business must employ between 5 and 249 people, and have been operational for at least a year. SMEs employing 10 or more people can enrol 2 senior managers on the course.

The course is delivered by multiple Small Business Charter accredited business schools in Coventry and Birmingham. More information, including course dates and testimonials from course participants, is available from the website. 

Find out more about the Help to Grow course.
 

Open to Export

Open To Export offers free support and advice for UK companies looking to grow internationally. It brings together experts from across the private sector and government agencies to help small and medium sized businesses successfully enter international markets.

To find out more information, please visit Open To Export.