NEW BUSINESS STARTS
WORKSHOP
The New Business Starts Workshops have been developed to provide core information for Carmarthenshire entrepreneurs wishing to start a Business.
The information is divided into modules each with clear aims and key points to be covered. The Foothold Enterprise Agency offers these workshops FREE of charge through funding by the Welsh Assembly Government.
Should you require any further information or to book your place on any of these courses please contact Diane Edwards on 01554 779919 or email starts@foothold.org.uk
New Business Starts Workshop Information Sheets
Having the right attitude, setting realistic goals and managing your time are all vital if you want to succeed. This module is designed to help you understand how you can become successful if you follow a few basic rules. There are other keys that will help you to unlock your potential and become even more successful.
Starting your own business will probably be one of the most important decisions you will make, therefore it is important to ensure that it is the right step for you. This module evaluates the self-employment option in terms of advantages and disadvantages and identifies why some businesses fail. It considers your motivation for starting a business, and examines your personal qualities and business skills. This module one will help you describe your business idea in terms of features and benefits, and unique selling points.
How well you market your business, along with a few other considerations, will ultimately determine your degree of success or failure. Understanding your market will help you make informed business decisions. Once you have researched your market place and identified your marketing strategies, you will have the information required to prepare a marketing plan. Just as marketing is the heart of your business, your marketing plan is the heart of your business plan.
Central to the success of any business is an effective marketing strategy. If you have researched the key elements of your market place, you can make informed decisions about your marketing strategy. This module will help you understand the tools and techniques of marketing. It will guide you through the steps involved in setting marketing objectives and deciding on a strategy for each component of the marketing mix.
Efficient management and operational systems are essential to the success of a business. A description of the operations of your business is one of the main components of your business plan. The level of detail you will need to provide will depend on the type of business you are operating. This module provides key information on the operations of a business, including the resources required, systems and procedures, production, health and safety and quality.
Sound financial planning and management is crucial for your business to remain profitable and solvent. To survive, your business must cover all the costs involved in setting up and running the business, generate a profit and provide you with enough money to live on. It is important that the costs are researched thoroughly as they will provide the foundation for financial projections. It is the aim of this module to describe the pricing process.
Modules 6 & 7 Financial Planning (Parts 1 & 2) (PDF) - Business Training section
Financial planning is one of the most important elements of preparing to start a business. Bank managers and funders may request a cash flow forecast of the money coming into and going out of your business in the first year of trading. The aim of these modules is to take you through the process of preparing financial statements and analysing them using financial ratios.
Managing a small business will involve keeping your books properly, dealing with Income Tax and Self Assessment and ensuring that you pay National Insurance Contributions. If you are registered for VAT you will have to meet the requirements of Customs and Excise and complete VAT Returns. If you are employing people you will have to set up a PAYE system. This module will take you through the key issues involved in each of these areas.
A full course timetable which shows the dates and times of the courses that we offer. The published dates go up until the end of December 2007 for now.
A small investment in time can pay rich dividends
Should you require any further information or to book your place on any of these courses please contact Diane Edwards on 01554 779919 or email starts@foothold.org.uk
