Buckinghamshire Business First has launched a new start-up business support service to help people turn their business dreams into a reality.

Buckinghamshire is known as the Entrepreneurial Heart of Britain in light of its high start-up business rate, and it is these start-ups that will benefit from support including mentoring, training courses and skills workshops via the Be Your Own Boss service.

Be Your Own Boss is a partnership between Buckinghamshire Business First, L&Q Housing Association, Red Kite Housing Association, Thames Valley Housing Association, Vale of Aylesbury Housing Trust, Chiltern District Council, South Bucks District Council and Wycombe District Council.

Do you know anyone who wants to start their own business?

If you know someone who wants to start a business but doesn't know how to turn their idea into a reality, Be Your Own Boss is for them. The service provides all of the information, tools, resources and expert support anyone could need to start a business.

The first step onto the Be Your Own Boss service is attending an Enterprise Day which will highlight everything on offer through the service and enable people to join up, plus give them a broad insight into how and what is needed to get going.

The next Enterprise Day takes place on January 25th 2019. The Enterprise Days cost £25 and then the rest of the service is completely free.

In the meantime, we are hosting a series of start-up networking events to help start-ups make crucial contacts in the formative stages of their venture. See the full list of events on the Be Your Own Boss webpage.

Help us spread the word!

People can find out more about Be Your Own Boss and the support available to start-up businesses by contacting Buckinghamshire Business First: 01494 927130 / BusinessSupport@bbf.uk.com.

How do people sign up to Be Your Own Boss?

Accessing the support on offer is simple. By signing up to Buckinghamshire Business First for free as a start-up member, a world of business support will open up to those wanting to start their own business, including:

• an Enterprise Day to start people on the path to running their own business. The day will highlight everything on offer through the service and enable people to join up, plus give them a broad insight into how and what is needed to get going.
• bespoke business support
• training courses that cover all of the topics relevant to a person wanting to start their own business, including creating a brand, creating a business plan, product or service development, marketing, sales and customer relations
• mentoring and advice sessions provided by people who have set up their own business
• specialist workshops
• networking events
• hot-desking locations throughout the county
• an online business directory

The will to ensure business success

Buckinghamshire’s new firm formation rate of 92.2 businesses for every 10,000 residents is the 3rd highest of all 27 county council areas.

Philippa Batting, Managing Director, Buckinghamshire Business First, said: “We have seen over several years that Buckinghamshire has high start-up business rates bolstered by the spirit and hard work of local entrepreneurs and the help of business support agencies and local authorities in the county.”

Philippa continued: “Ensuring that business growth and survival rates are just as strong is imperative, hence this new start-up business service. There is a great will amongst local housing associations, local authorities and Buckinghamshire Business First to ensure every business that can succeed does so, and that every person with a business dream is able to access the support they need to achieve it.”

Can you offer support to start-up businesses?

We are reaching out to businesses to see what support they can offer pro bono as part of Be Your Own Boss. This support could be in the form of:

• Mentoring. Could you be the sounding board, the shoulder to lean on, for would-be and new start-up business owners?
• Workshops. Could you host workshops for people in the formative stages of running a business to teach them about a specialist topic?
• Presentations. We’re on the lookout for people to speak at networking events for start-ups, in order to inspire the next generation of business leaders.
• Products and services. Can you make a pro bono offer of a specialist service or product?

To find out more about Be Your Own Boss and the support available to start-up businesses, contact Buckinghamshire Business First: 01494 927130 / BusinessSupport@bbf.uk.com.