What you need to do:
- Research your idea. Is it unique? What is your market and who are the competition. Don’t be afraid to seek advice from family and friends as well as business start-up experts.
- Do you have all of the skills required? Do you require training? Will you need to employ staff with the skills you require?
- Do you have sufficient finance in place? Are there grants available to help?
- Have you written a Business Plan? A good business plan focuses the mind as well as helping to secure finance and support for starting a business.
Where to find help:
Business and Learning offers access to a range of online databases including
COBRA. This database is a complete, online business reference tool which contains business information factsheets, business opportunity profiles and UK market synopses. This can be accessed from home if you hold a current Birmingham Libraries card.
Business and Learning also provide access to further online resources, such as market research reports, company information and credit reports . See our page on
Business and Learning Databases for further information.
Business and Learning also provides 1 to 1 business advice sessions helping you to access the right information in the early stages of your business. We also provide 1 to 1 advice sessions on intellectual property (trademarks, copyright etc.) which you will need to consider when starting a business of your own.
