Being self-employed

Here’s a video from a young entrepreneur with some tips about starting a business.

This is a big step and not something that many people do at the end of Year 11. 

What skills do I need?

Until you are 18, you’ll have barriers to setting up a business bank account, getting credit, raising money and signing contracts.

Whatever your age, to be successful, you will need

• a good business idea
• enterprise skills
• advice from experts
• be prepared to work hard 

Although you don’t have a boss telling you what to do, you will have to be good at multi-tasking as you are the accountant, marketing department, operations manager, designer and business administrator.

There is a lot of help and advice available and possibly some financial help too.

Check out the following useful links:

Princes Trust Enterprise Programme – support for starting a business for 18-30 year olds. You can also download lots of useful information and guides to help with setting up your own business.

New Anglia provides free support to anyone wishing to start their own business across Suffolk and Norfolk.

NWES is an enterprise agency that advises and helps start up businesses in the East of England.

MENTA offers advice, support and training to aspiring business owners in Suffolk and Norfolk.

Shell LiveWIRE is the UK’s biggest online community for young entrepreneurs (aged 16-30) offering free online business advice and start-up awards.

Virgin StartUp  helps entrepreneurs in England with the funding, resources and advice to make their business idea a reality. Their main focus is to help you get the support you need to turn your idea into a successful and sustainable business.

Youth Employment Youth Employment UK is an independent, not for profit social enterprise founded in 2012 to tackle youth unemployment.

Start Up Donut Provides information on all aspects of setting up and running a business.

Gov.UK Finance and support for your business.