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Start a
Business
an easy guide
laying the groundwork
could you be an entrepreneur? 5
researching your market 8
pricing your product or service 14
marketing your business 20
setting the whole thing up
financing your business 25
forming your business 31
your legal obligations 37
setting up your first
communications and IT system 44
you’ve got your first customers
effective selling 51
simple book-keeping 58
credit control 63
the essential plan
writing your business plan 69
Content by BHP Information Solutions
Design by Ben Wuersching
Photography by Harrison Photography
Printed by Warwick Printing Ltd
© BHP Information Solutions Ltd 2011. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced or transmitted without the written permission of the publisher. This publication is for
general guidance only. The publisher and expert contributors disclaim all liability for any errors or
omissions. Consult your local business support organisation or professional adviser for help and advice.
Provided by Invest Northern Ireland and part financed by the European Regional Development Fund
under the European Sustainable Competitiveness Programme for Northern Ireland.
we’re here to help
Invest NI has produced Start a Business to encourage and support people like
you. This guide is just one of the services we provide for new businesses.
three pages explaining how to use
Start a Business, telling you more
about us and how we can help you
useful contacts
2
76
Start a
Business
an easy guide
why I wanted to set up
my own business 6
how I researched my
market 10
how I raised finance for
my business 28
how I set up my
firm’s IT 48
how I sold to my first
customers 54
how I wrote my business
plan 72
contents
we’re here to help
If you’re looking to start a business,
you’re looking in the right place. This
guide is just one of the services the
Invest Northern Ireland business-
support network offers to people
like you every day. So if you want to
know how to start up a business or
how to make it grow, get in touch
with us.
2
Call 0800 027 0639 or visit
our website at www.goforitni.com
to find out more about the
Go for it programme.
3
our mission
Invest NI provides businesses
in Northern Ireland with a
single point of contact and with
expert advice and high-quality
programmes of support. Our role
is to grow the economy by helping
new and existing businesses to
compete internationally – and
by attracting new investment to
Northern Ireland.
And our commitment to you
doesn’t end on the last page of
this guide. In fact, it’s only the
beginning. We’re confident the
guide will be useful, but we also
realise it won’t solve all your
problems. That’s where Northern
Ireland’s business-support network
comes in, with specially trained
business advisers who know
how to deal with the issues that
confront start-up businesses.
The business-support network in
Northern Ireland is made up of a
number of partner organisations.
The support available for new
businesses can be broken down
according to the market you intend
to serve:
global: if you have potential
sales of £1 million (including
30 per cent in export markets),
contact our Global Start Team –
global@investni.com
export: if you are planning to
sell outside Northern Ireland,
including into Britain and the
Republic of Ireland, contact
Invest NI 028 9069 8000;
enquiries@investni.com
local: core support and advice
is provided through the Go for
it programme – contact 0800
027 0639; www.goforitni.com
Am I suited to starting and
running a business?
What market research should I
carry out?
What are my legal and tax
obligations?
How much do I need to sell each
month to break even?
What’s the best way to keep my
books?
how to use this
guide
You can use this guide in two
ways. If you’re considering making
the leap and creating your own
business, you can read it through
to get a clear idea of all the areas
you have to cover.
And if you do decide that running
your own business is for you,
the guide’s logical, practical
structure means you can use it
as a reference companion every
step of the way – from identifying
the niche your business will fill to
the best ways of winning your first
customers and writing that all-
important business plan.
starting up?
go for it!
You can join the thousands of
people who are already making
a success of their business in
Northern Ireland, providing goods
and services to both domestic and
international markets.
If you’re planning to start a
business, Invest Northern Ireland
is dedicated to helping you. We
provide advice and support through
the Go for it programme and we’ve
produced this guide because it’s
our job to encourage and support
people like you to start and grow
successful businesses.
We’ve also produced The
No-Nonsense Guide. It sets out the
rules and regulations that apply
when you start up in business, and
how to comply with them.
Starting a business isn’t easy and
you need all the support you can
get. This guide points you in the
right direction with easy-to-read,
no-nonsense advice on a range of
topics essential to starting your
business.
The quality of this advice should
give you a flying start. We’ve made
sure all the major issues you want
guidance on are here, including:
If you require a copy of this
document in an alternative
format (including Braille, disk,
audio cassette or in minority
languages to meet the needs
of those whose language is not
English) then please contact
Invest NI’s Equality Team on
028 9069 8273; Textphone
028 9069 8585 or email
equality@investni.com
4
tailored support
If you’re starting a new business –
or just thinking of it – the Go for it
programme can provide you with a
range of support tailored to your
business needs.
Call the Go for it helpline on
0800 027 0639 or visit
www.goforitni.com
If you're already in business but
want to grow, then contact our
Regional Business Team who may
be able to help.
Call Invest NI on 028 9069 8000
or visit www.investni.com
knowledge is
power
The Business Information Centre
at Invest NI provides access to a
wealth of published and electronic
business information to help
businesses develop and grow
– confident they’re basing their
decisions on sound commercial
intelligence.
Using carefully selected resources
and support from fully trained and
experienced staff, the Business
Information Centre gives you
information on:
Key markets around the world
Company profiles worldwide
Sourcing of key components and
raw materials
Sales leads
Business opportunities
Agents and distributors
Funding information
EU legislation and updates on
EU policies and programmes
EU public tenders information
The Business Information Centre
also holds a contract with the
European Commission to host
Enterprise Europe Northern
Ireland — part of a network of
some 500 centres in Europe and
beyond. Through a dedicated email
system, the network provides vital
local knowledge within a short
timescale.
For more information contact
the Business Information Centre
and Enterprise Europe Northern
Ireland, based at Invest NI's
headquarters:
Bedford Square, Bedford Street,
Belfast – it’s open
Monday 11am-5pm;
Tuesday-Friday 9am-5pm. To
make an appointment to use the
resources at the Information
Centre, or if you have a query,
please call 028 9069 8000 or
email bic@investni.com
our partners
Invest NI works closely with its partners to ensure that services are tailored
to your needs. Among the organisations we work with are:
Enterprise NI/Local Enterprise Agencies
Prince’s Trust NI
Advantage NI
Trading Standards
Local councils
Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD)
NI Chamber of Commerce and Industry
InterTradeIreland
Women’s networks
Association of Northern Ireland Colleges (ANIC)
JobCentre Online
1
all about you and
your team
1.1 You will need determination,
total faith in your business
idea and confidence you
can turn it into reality.
1.2 You must have an
independent spirit.
1.3 You must be determined
and motivated.
1.4 You will need flexibility and
humility.
1.5 You must be responsible and
reliable, paying attention to
detail and applying yourself
to tasks you may not enjoy.
1.6 You must have stamina and
be willing to make sacrifices
and work long hours.
5www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/startingup
At this stage, it’s all about you. There are key qualities that every successful
entrepreneur has. Some might come naturally to you, others you might have to work
at. You’ll need to check you’ve got at least some of these attributes before you start.
You can’t be half hearted. You must be able to show others that you are
confident too.
But as your business grows, you must be ready to share responsibility and to
build and lead a team.
For more information, visit www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/leadershipskills.
Running your own business can be lonely. You’ll need to be a good networker
and find the people out there who can support you.
Have you got the inner resources not only to survive but to thrive?
You will have to keep going when times are tough. Have you got the grit to
make things happen – even when they are not going your way?
You must learn from mistakes and make changes if you discover a better way
of doing things.
Are you happy to ask questions when you're unsure? Are you happy to ask
questions even when you're sure? And are you comfortable taking advice?
Just because you will be boss won’t mean you can put off work or decisions.
Also, you don’t have to act on your own without getting advice, but once
you’ve made important decisions, can you stick with them?
Make sure you understand the effect that starting a business will have on
your personal life. Be prepared for change.
For more information, visit www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/worklifebalance.
could you be an
entrepreneur?
Running a business can be exhilarating, liberating and rewarding. But it
isn't for everyone. There are millions who have done it successfully, but
there are many who have found that it isn't as simple as they thought.
You need to consider seriously whether starting a business is right for
you by honestly appraising your strengths and weaknesses and what
making the move would mean to you, your family and your friends.
This section covers:
The personal qualities needed to run and own a business.
The factors that can make the difference between success and failure.
laying the groundwork
6
make Learning SPACE a reality.
I was constantly talking to people
about starting the business, getting
others’ opinions and ideas. I used
other teachers, therapists and
support organisations like Autism NI
for advice and as sounding boards.
And I had a business mentor to
bounce ideas off and got practical
support from Women in Business.
I’d worked in a toy shop while I was
supply teaching because I wanted to
get some experience of working in a
toy shop. The more research I did,
the less of a gamble it became. I had
to make sure it was a viable business
idea before I started – not least to
persuade the bank manager!
Becoming my own boss was a big
learning curve. At the initial stages,
you have to be absolutely everything
– the accountant, the marketing
person, the sales team. It’s hard,
but exhilarating. And now I’ve got my
sister, Mary, on board as assistant
manager, it’s a lot easier. The
business has grown and I can finally
delegate some of the responsibility
and concentrate on strategy and
business development. I couldn’t do it
alone – and there’s plenty of support
out there from people like Invest NI.
You’ve just got to go and get it.
Starting and running my own
business has made an enormous
difference to my life. It’s incredibly
satisfying to do something that
supports so many people. It really is
something I love doing – it’s fun to
come to work every day. And there’s
not many people who can say that.
Lorraine’s tips
1 Be passionate about your idea
2 Research as much as you can
3 Ask for advice and support
”
I’ve always been aware that some
children need extra support when
they’re growing up. My sister
Emma has Sotos syndrome – a
genetic condition where children
grow too quickly in their first two
to three years which can lead to
physical, communication and learning
difficulties – and I was always trying
to find suitable resources to help her.
While I was teaching in London
for six years, I was aware that
both teachers and parents were
frustrated when looking for products
to meet the needs and interests of
children. I thought there had to be
a quicker more convenient way to
get suitable products. I saw a niche
in the market, was intrigued and
started my research. In the back of
my mind, I’d always known I wanted
to go into business in one way or
another. And I’d always loved working
with children. So creating a business
that involved mixing the two together
was the perfect solution.
I came back home and completed
Invest NI’s Start a Business
programme in 2006. It was great –
it made me really focused. As soon
as I came up with the concept I knew
it was vital to keep the ball rolling to
Sock it to 'em: Lorraine's
educational toys are a business hit
Learning SPACE
11a Fountain Centre
College Street
Belfast BT1 6ET
Tel: 028 9031 9360
www.learningspaceni.co.uk
why I wanted
to set up
my own
business
Lorraine McAleer is owner
of Learning SPACE, an
award-winning retailer of
toys and educational
support aids. She set up
the business to provide
easier access to toys,
games, software and
books that help and
support learning. Now
selling online and through
a retail outlet, she says
that the business has
transformed her life
“
laying the groundwork :: could you be an entrepreneur?
7
1.7 You will need to be
resilient, patient and
realistic. Success isn’t
usually easy or quick.
1.8 If you’ve answered Yes to
most of these questions,
you’re in with an excellent
chance of success – so
read on.
2
the right
circumstances
2.1 Check you have the support
of family and friends.
2.2 Make sure you can afford
any financial risk.
2.3 Be sure you are thinking of
running your own business
for the right reasons.
2.4 Once again, if the answers
are positive, you’re on the
right lines.
3
facing up
to doubts
3.1 You may have a fear of
failure. This is perfectly
natural – it can happen.
3.2 You may be worried about
the implications of business
failure on your career.
3.3 Don’t worry if you don’t
have all the qualities listed
above.
3.4 You shouldn’t be worried if
your knowledge of the finer
details of running a business
is not great – that’s what
this guide is about.
You will need to face obstacles with renewed strength and determination,
have the energy to bounce back and the long-term vision to see setbacks as
isolated incidents.
Are you realistic enough to realise you won’t make millions overnight? Can you
nurture the business over a long period of time to make it work?
If your responses are mainly negative, you have a number of barriers to
surmount. You should talk to a business adviser to help you assess how these
can be overcome.
For more information, visit www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/startingup and
www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/goforit.
You may be the right kind of person to run a business, but this doesn’t
necessarily mean that it’s the right thing for you to do. There are other
factors you should carefully weigh up.
It helps if family and friends have the same faith in you and your business that
you do. Will they support you every step of the way?
You are probably thinking of committing your own money or assets. Can you
afford to lose this investment?
What is more important to you – safeguarding the money and security or
seeing the business grow?
If you place others at risk, have you considered the implications for them?
Are factors other than a determination to ‘go it alone’ affecting you?
It’s not enough to be fed up with your existing job – you have to be actively
prepared to take on the challenge of running your own business.
But if serious questions remain, you’ll need to persevere and do more work
and thinking before creating your own business.
Starting a business may be a challenge and you may understandably be
apprehensive. But it’s worth acknowledging any doubts before you proceed.
You will need to accept that risk is part of starting and developing a business.
If so, you are thinking of failure before you start, which doesn’t bode well.
Besides, your business will be your career. If you’re worrying about this, it
may not be right for you.
It is essential that you recognise your weaknesses and any other obstacles in
your way.
It is likely you will need support in areas where you are lacking.
Once again, don’t be afraid to ask for advice. Family, friends, banks and
business-support organisations such as Invest Northern Ireland, your
Local Enterprise Agency, Prince’s Trust NI and Advantage NI – all will have
experiences and expertise you can draw on.
Few people know everything about running a business when they set out.
Remember: talk to friends, family and people who have been involved in
business to gather information. And read on.
www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/startingup
1
what you need
to know
1.1 Your intended market or
sector.
1.2 Who your potential
customers are.
1.3 What they buy and in what
quantities.
1.4 When they will buy.
It is likely that you have an instinctive idea of who your customers could be.
If you wanted to start a retail business selling children’s hair accessories, the
main targets would be mums or young girls.
If you were setting up an ironing service, single business people or busy
parents would be two possible market sectors.
If you do not have a clear idea of the market for your business, your research
will have to be more broad-ranging to find one. A potential business without a
defined customer base is a failure waiting to happen.
If you will be selling to individuals, you need to know their sex, age, marital
status, occupation, income and lifestyle.
If you will be selling to businesses, you need to know their size, industry type,
product-buying patterns and service requirements.
You also need to know what characteristics are common to all your
customers and who makes or influences the buying decision.
For more information, visit www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/valuablecustomers.
A printing firm should understand whether its customer base will want a
thousand postcards or a million brochures.
A successful sandwich shop will predict its top-selling sandwiches and how
many of each they expect to sell every day.
Customers of a toy manufacturer will buy more towards the end of the year
so that they are fully stocked for the pre-Christmas trading period.
A taxi firm will usually expect more business on Saturday evening than
Monday evening.
For more information, visit www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/seasonalbusiness.
laying the groundwork
researching your
market
When you’re setting up a business, researching your potential market
is essential. Although time-consuming to acquire, a thorough and
reasoned knowledge of the market is invaluable to the future of your
business.
With a true picture of your potential customer base, you can
realistically assess the viability of your venture. Resist the temptation
to rush ahead, analyse your results hurriedly or cut down the amount
of research – it can be the difference between make and break.
This section explains:
How to decide what you need to know.
How to exploit existing information sources.
How to conduct market research.
How to analyse and act on the results.
8 www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/marketresearch
9
1.5 Where customers prefer to
buy.
1.6 Why and how customers
will buy your product or
service.
2
your own
research
2.1 Quantitative research
is the type of survey in
which every participant is
asked an identical set of
questions.
2.2 Qualitative research
explores people’s feelings
and attitudes by letting
them discuss things (eg
‘Why do you like playing
tennis?’).
laying the groundwork :: researching your market
A bookseller will know that while many customers like visiting a shop, some
also buy books over the internet.
Do a hairdresser’s customers want to come to the salon, or would they
rather have their hair done at home?
You also need to make a decision on a specific location – in terms of access,
passing trade or cost, for instance.
For more information, visit www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/saleschannels.
Every new business has to know why customers will buy from them rather
than the competition. This will become your unique selling proposition (see
Marketing your business, p20).
Your research should test how effective this is. If you are starting a sandwich
shop, are you sure your potential customers will prefer the taste of your
sandwiches to those sold in supermarkets? If you are going to manufacture
jewellery, do retail jewellers think the designs will sell to their customers?
If you are going to manufacture office furniture, you need to know how often
your target customers will want to renovate their offices, and how regularly
they need replacement equipment. You also need to know about the health of
the business-property sector – if the economy was shrinking and businesses
giving up property, you might find your customers have no need to buy from you.
You have to understand the needs of your customers and the position of the
market you are going into.
The research technique you use will depend on whether you need numerical
information about people’s attitudes or a deep understanding of their views
and motivation.
The answers provide key statistical
information.
For example, a survey by a tennis
club developer may find that 22
per cent of local adults play tennis,
7 per cent are already members of
a club and 8 per cent would like to
join a club. Using this information,
the developer can decide where to
build a new club and how large it
should be.
The questions can be answered in
a focus group – usually six to eight
people – or in one-to-one interviews.
The tennis club developer might
discover that most people join tennis
clubs to make new friends and so
decide to add a bar or café to the
building plans.
Insights like this can give you
a significant edge over your
competitors.
common
mistakes
Failing to do any market
research.
Carrying out market research
once – and never finding out
how things changed afterwards.
Being unclear about what
you are trying to find out or
asking questions in the wrong
way – and getting the wrong
information.
Cutting costs by using small
samples or just asking a
couple of friends – and getting
misleading results.
Interpreting statistical
information wrongly and failing
to see when one or two
opinions distort the overall
picture.
Drawing optimistic conclusions
from information to support
your preconceptions.
www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/marketresearch
[...]... can advise you on what information is required and how figures should be presented when seeking a loan 3.3 Bank finance costs can vary widely 4 other finance interest rate for overdrafts and The loans is usually set at a margin over the bank base rate, which can vary Margins on loans can differ depending on how risky the bank thinks the loan is arrangement fee is usually levied An when an overdraft... personal guarantees in case the company fails Sole traders (and partners) are already personally liable for all business debts a personal guarantee is supported If by a legal charge over your personal assets, these assets (including your house) can be at risk if the guarantee is called upon 5.2 The Enterprise Finance Guarantee may also provide a source of security your bank manager whether you are eligible... used by another business in a similar line Check the Companies House index of company and limited liability partnership names at www.companieshouse.gov.uk/info or use a company registration agent The fact a name is not in use does not necessarily mean you will be able to use it agent can also check for names An that are already registered as trademarks But unless this is part of a company formation... with You Companies House Unless your earnings are high, total tax and National Insurance payments can be lower than if you formed a limited company Remember that if you are a sole trader with employees, you will have to pay employers’ National Insurance contributions can form a limited company You later and transfer the business to it, though some stamp duty may have A shareholders' agreement helps... to arrange a repayment holiday to allow time for your cashflow to pick up before the first repayment is due Loans are more suitable than overdrafts for longer-term finance www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/finance setting the whole thing up :: financing your business Both you and the bank make a commitment to the business, based on an understanding of your longterm plans and forecast cashflows Your bank can... the bank will want to see a viable business plan See Writing your business plan, p69 6.2 Once your business is operational, provide the bank with regular management information summarising sales, margins and costs Draw up a table of figures comparing what you actually achieved with your budget and with the previous year Add comments to explain any differences and mention key events you are expecting... Withdrawing money What dividends, directors' fees and salaries will be paid? What happens if one person needs to take out extra money? get it in writing 2.2 The disadvantages are relatively few, but could have serious implications 2.3 Setting up as a sole trader is quick and easy 3 partnership 3.1 3.2 A partnership has similar advantages and disadvantages to a sole trader But there are three other factors... or sell a part of the It business There can be tax advantages for high earners through keeping money in the business or making pension payments 4.2 The disadvantages are associated with greater costs and obligations Annual accounts are generally more complicated If your turnover climbs above £6.5 million or your business has a balance sheet total of more than £3.26 million, an independent audit... directors and employees Unlike a sole trader or partnership, it is not the same as the individuals who own or run it For example, it can sue or be sued in its own name limited liability partnership has some of the advantages (and disadvantages) A of both a company and a partnership For example, it is a separate legal entity and can continue despite the resignation or death of some members Other legal... extricate yourself and switch to normal bank finance later It on when this might be more appropriate 4.4 Stock finance, where cash is raised against the value of stock held by a manufacturing company, may also be a possibility www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/finance 27 how I raised finance for my business Peter Rafter runs one of the leading veterinary practices in the Belfast region Peter had more than ten years’ . Mary, on board as assistant
manager, it’s a lot easier. The
business has grown and I can finally
delegate some of the responsibility
and concentrate. Invest NI Business Information
Centre can give you access to
searchable company databases
including Kompass, FAME,
AMADEUS and Dun & Bradstreet's
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