A New Year is often a time for reflection and planning. Many of you might even have considered the brave step of starting a business? If this is you then you might be looking for some help to get it going so here are a few things to consider before making the leap.

• How will you fund the business? Research business loans, grants and start-up funds, you might be surprised to find you qualify for one.
• Will the business satisfy a market need or want?
• Who are your competitors and what have they got going for them that makes them special, do you have anything to make you stand out from them?
• What is the best legal structure? Have you thought about whether you’ll be a sole trader, partnership, limited company, etc. There are different regulations and financial responsibilities for each so make sure you know the differences.

Get advice – you will almost certainly need good legal and financial guidance. But by far the best place to start your research is with Business Gateway. They offer lots of FREE expert advice and you can chat through your options with an advisor.
Or if you want to speak to someone who’s been there and done that then don’t be shy about getting in touch to ask me any questions.