Business Support

We know how hard it can be to get started in life. Whatever challenges you’re facing, if you’re aged 16 to 30, The Prince’s Trust is here for you.

You’ve got what it takes to gain the confidence and skills to get a job. But sometimes it takes that first step, and we’re here to help. We’ve got your back through even the most difficult of times. 

A million young people have started something with The Prince’s Trust – becoming health workers, sports coaches, youth workers, fashion designers, builders and business owners. Could you be next?

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Business Planning & Strategy Development  | Programme & Project Delivery | Programme Planning & PMOs | Coaching, Mentoring & Advisory.

Our flagship offering is the Intelligent Project Prediction (IPP) tool, which uses advanced AI algorithms to provide executives with valuable insights and predictions about the outcomes of both ongoing and new projects. This powerful tool helps our customers make informed decisions, minimize risks and costs, and avoid costly delays.

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The free to access national Business Support Helpline can help small businesses of all stages to find the right support and impartial advice, whether you are just starting out or growing your venture.

The website offers an A to Z of links to help start and support your business, including applying for a Start Up Loan for your business, finance and support for your business, finding software for filing company documents, getting help and support for your business and writing a business plan

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a-n the Artists Information Company is widely acknowledged to be the leading UK agency for supporting artists’ practice.

Insurance

Working with specialist brokers Hencilla Canworth GI Ltd, a-n has developed a range of insurances including professional indemnity and public liability for Artist and Arts organiser members based in UK.

a-n Membership includes a range of professional development benefits for artists, arts organisers and students – find out more and Join

Outset Bristol is a fully funded programme that launched in November 2010 with the aim of supporting people from under-represented enterprise groups from Bristol to start their own businesses. They pride themselves on offering flexible, high quality and practical support in a really supportive environment, and delivered in the community.

Outset Bristol is a fully funded programme offering free business advice workshops, training and support to people living within Bristol City Council’s boundaries:

– If there’s too much happening in your life to know whether enterprise is right for you, why not go along to one of the relaxed information sessions;

– If you’ve got a seed of an idea, but not sure if it will work, or whether you can do it, the introduction to enterprise sessions are for you.

– If you’ve got a business idea, are keen to get going, and just want to learn how to do it properly, you need the start-up programme.

– If you’ve already started up your business but could do with some help, call for some 1:1 advice or choose one of the business growth workshops

The Outset programme is a really flexible, tailor-made support programme designed to suit your needs – they never take a generic, one-size-fits-all approach! There will be the potential for women-only groups in all parts of the programme, as they know that works really well and is what women prefer, especially at the early stages. They’ll also be bringing all the experience and resources of Enterprising Women to help women in Bristol start up and grow sustainable businesses.

Outset Bristol is now also able to offer Start Up Loans for entrepreneurs aged over 30. These low interest loans are funded by the government and available to people starting up and new businesses trading for less than one year. Alongside Outset Bristol’s comprehensive pre-start support you will be offered your own post-funding mentor to help keep you on track.

For more information visit www.outsetbristol.co.uk

NESTA is the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts – an independent body with a mission to make the UK more innovative.  They invest in early-stage companies, inform policy, and deliver practical programmes that inspire others to solve the big challanges of the future.  They run a number of programmes and currently you can download a free Creative Enterprise Toolkit which contains tried and tested methods for teaching enterprise skills to creative individuals who are thinking about setting up a business.

Starting a business with no experience can be daunting. That’s why NESTA have developed the Creative Enterprise Toolkit to help creative individuals take their bright ideas and turn them into successful businesses. Building on their experience of running Starter for 6, the toolkit provides guidance, activities, downloadable worksheets and case studies to challenge individuals to draw on their creative and personal strengths. The toolkit is accompanied by tutor notes – supportive information aimed at university professionals and enterprise organisations that support creative individuals in the early stages of their enterprise career.

Fredericks Foundation will consider you for a loan and business support if you can demonstrate that you have made a genuine application for funds to your bank or a mainstream lender – and that you have been turned down.

Your business can be at any stage: you may require money to start-up; capital to expand your business; or funds to bridge a gap. Whether you are a sole trader, in a partnership or have a limited company you may be eligible for a loan.

For start-up businesses we offer up to a maximum of £10,000, though our average loan is less than £5,000. For established businesses with a financial track record of at least 3 years the maximum loan is £20,000.

Please see the Fredericks Foundation website for more details – www.fredericksfoundation.org

The Business and Intellectual Property Centre (BIPC) supports entrepreneurs, start-ups and small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to start, protect and grow a small business.

Consistently, over half of those who use a BIPC nationally to set up a business are women and a third are from under-represented ethnic backgrounds, more than triple the national averages for business ownership in the UK.

In just three years BIPC has:

Supported the creation of over 12,000 new businesses
Led to the creation of over 7,800 new jobs
Created businesses twice as likely to succeed beyond three years

BIPC Bristol have expanded their range of events and help sessions. Topics now covered include business planning, intellectual property support, market research advice, marketing and PR. 

Visit the Bristol BPIC Eventbrite page for details of the upcoming events.

Visit the council website for information on the Business and Intellectual Property Centre (BIPC) Bristol.