Guide To
Starting and
growing a
BuSineSS
2
our BuSineSS iS
HeLPing Your
BuSineSS
welcome to Liverpool Vision’s guide to starting and growing a business in Liverpool.
Over the last decade the city’s business environment has been transformed by private sector investment, creating business confidence and most importantly new jobs. One sure sign of a healthy city economy is its indigenous business base. We work with companies to realise their ambitions to become bigger, better and more competitive.
Some of these businesses are featured in this guide, from sectors representing the city’s key strengths - creative and digital, engineering, wealth management and the visitor economy. Our business growth service is designed to help you take your business to the next level.
With a dedicated team of experienced business growth and start-up managers, we can offer bespoke free advice, from developing your product range to expanding into international markets.
If you’d like to find out more about the services we offer, please contact our Growth team or visit
liverpoolvision.co.uk/businessgrowth
Max Steinberg Chief Executive Joe Anderson
4
“ Success is about
seeing opportunities
and taking them”
ConTenTS
Page
Liverpool vision’s Start-up & Growth Managers 7 - 9
Specialist Advice 10 - 11
useful Contacts and organisations 12 - 13
Finance and Funding 14 - 19
Local Advice Agencies 20 - 25
useful Business numbers 26 - 27
For more information please visit:
liverpoolvision.co.uk/businessgrowth
“ Success is about
seeing opportunities
and taking them”
6
THinKinG oF
STArTinG A
BuSineSS ?
Starting a business can sometimes feel like taking a leap into the unknown, that’s why our team of start up managers are here to help. We provide industry knowledge, expertise, contacts and business experience to help you take that leap.
Have yOu tHOuGHt abOut?
Step 1: Start with an idea, you need come up with a realistic plan that can turn your product or service into reality.
Step 2: research your market, identify potential customers. Step 3: Set up your business, work out which legal
structure is right for you.
Step 4: develop your business plan, covering areas such as marketing, finance, competition and research. Step 5: How will you finance your venture?
We can help and support you with all the above, and that’s just the starting point.
Call One Of tHe Start up team:
ahmed elmi 07805 855 214 or [email protected] Liz Lacey 07805 855 210 or [email protected] nick owen 07805 855 208 or [email protected]
For information on how to apply to the i’m Liverpool, i’m Business programme, go to
www.liverpoolvisionbusinessgrowth.co.uk/support-you-need/im-liverpool-im-business-2/
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ALreAdy in
BuSineSS And
“Business Growth in Liverpool” is a tailor made support programme designed specifically to help Liverpool businesses. We offer funded advice, guidance and support to businesses seeking to increase productivity and / or create or safeguard jobs.
The service is provided by Liverpool vision and delivered by our Growth Managers, who can offer support in areas such as:
• Business planning
• Financial management
• iT strategy
• Sales & marketing
• people (roles, skills, recruitment & training) We have a wealth of skills within the team to really help your business, so just speak to one of our Growth Managers:
• Lisa ashby (City Centre)
07515 999 419 or [email protected] • Sue wood (east Liverpool)
07515 999 402 or [email protected] • Karen tate (north Liverpool)
07515 999 425 or [email protected] • Paul Chapman (South Liverpool)
07515 999 417 or [email protected] • dan ryan (Knowledge-Based Businesses)
07515 999 426 or [email protected] • Hiren gandhi (Business Technology Manager)
07515 999 418 or [email protected]
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need SoMe
Support for High-Growth Businesses Growth Accelerator is a government-funded scheme to provide tailored and intensive support to businesses with high-growth potential. if you think you fit this definition or have ambitious plans for your business, go to
www.growthaccelerator.com
ACME/Creative Industry Network
if you are an existing business in any creative industry – games, garment and fashion, design, graphics, art or literature – you can get assistance from the ACMe programme and by joining the Kin network.
For business advice, contact dave Parrish,
[email protected] To find out more about the support offered by ACMe, go to www.kin2kin.co.uk/acme/
Technology Support
our Business Technology advisor can help you understand the technology that is available to improve your business or processes. An independent review of your current technology, potential technology, your website or iT infrastructure could help stage your business for growth and new markets.
For technology advice contact Hiren gandhi 07515 999 418 [email protected]
Help With Finding Business and Commercial Premises
Liverpool vision’s property Link service helps you search a database of available commercial properties.
Find it here: www.liverpoolvision.co.uk/Business/property. aspx. in addition, if you need specialist advice for more complex property requirements, contact Mike King. 0151 600 2913 [email protected]
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uSeFuL
ConTACTS And
orGAniSATionS
For BuSineSS
STArT-up,
SupporT And
deveLopMenT
The government maintains a site dedicated to helping you start or grow a business, with useful information, contacts and links. To start accessing this information, go to
www.gov.uk/browse/business
Start-Up Britain
www.startupbritain.co or www.businessinyou.bis.gov.uk
National Enterprise Network
www.nationalenterprisenetwork.org
Manufacturing Advisory Service
provides manufacturing business support for companies based in england, helping them to improve and grow. www.mymas.org
Chambers support
you can get help with export documentation and training in export-import from the Chamber of Commerce international Trade initiative.
[email protected] 0151 227 1234 x 2330
UKTI
uK Trade & investment (uKTi) works with uK-based businesses to ensure their success in international markets, and encourage the best overseas companies to look to the uK as their global partner of choice.
020 7215 5000
Intellectual Property Office (Patents) The intellectual property office can help you get the right type of protection for your creation or invention.
0300 300 2000 [email protected]
HM Revenues & Customs
iF you CAn’T GeT
A BAnK LoAn...
Finding Finance A starting point could be the government Business
Finance Support Finder.
www.gov.uk/business-finance-support-finder
Access To Finance Service
Free, impartial advice about funding and financing options
for your business.
www.a2fnw.co.uk
Start-Up Loans
if you are 18-30 and looking for funding to start a business, you could get help from the government Start-up Loans Scheme. www.startuploans.co.uk
New Enterprise Allowance
neA is an interest-free loan with free business advice and support for anyone claiming Job Seekers Allowance who wants to start a business. To apply, ask at your local Job Centre or contact either the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce. [email protected] or Blue orchid: www.theblueorchid.co.uk
Northwest Fund
A range of loan funds and equity finance for start-up and business expansion www.thenorthwestfund.co.uk
Merseyside Special Investment Fund Loans from £3000 to £50,000 and a loan and equity scheme
up to £2m.
“ When you’re passionate
about your business you
can light up the room”
Bayo Jide Director and Founder Belgravia House of Gifts
Community Credit Unions Credit unions are community savings and loan schemes that can now offer affordable loans to people and businesses, based on your ability to repay the loan. They are therefore easier to get and more flexible than bank loans. Three local credit unions are involved, partners Credit union, Lodge Lane Credit union and riverside Credit union, each with its own rules about lending so contact them all to find out if they can help.
partners Credit union:
0151 285 4014
new oxford House, 75 dale Street, Liverpool L2 2HT Lodge Lane Credit union:
0151 734 2561
[email protected] Coop, 81 Lodge Lane, Liverpool L8 0Qe
riverside Credit union:
0151 448 0565
17 penketh drive, Liverpool L24 2WZ
Crowdsource Your Finance/Crowdfund Your Business
Crowdsourcing is a way of using the power of the internet and social media to take your business to the world and ask for help or finance from potentially millions of supporters and investors.
The best known are
Crowdcube: www.crowdcube.com Kickstarter: www.kickstarter.com
There are other crowdsource financing sites like peopleFundit. Find out more at www.crowdsourcing.org/about
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“You will achieve success
if you believe in yourself ”
Small Grants and Lending To Social Enterprises
and Entrepreneurs
unLtd (help for new social entrepreneurs) www.unltd.org.uk
The Social enterprise Loan Fund www.tself.org.uk/northwest
The Key Fund
www.thekeyfund.co.uk
Big issue invest
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LoCAL AdviCe
AGenCieS
City Centre
Blue orchid, 4th Floor, Compton House, L1 3BT
0151 245 0105
www.theblueorchid.co.uk north Liverpool
Stepclever
provides grant funding for start up and established business in north Liverpool and South Sefton
Contact either Carl Flaherty [email protected] or Kevin Hermanson [email protected] for assistance in north Liverpool
aintree, Croxteth and Fazakerley
Centec, Centec Business Centre, Stopgate Lane, L9 6AW 0151 525 1954
[email protected] www.centecltd.com
east and South Liverpool
dream High
[email protected] 07776 188 279
eLeCt
49 ruscombe road, Liverpool L14 4Au [email protected]
www.elect.org.uk
granby toxteth development trust 129d Lodge Lane, Liverpool L8 0151 734 4925
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BME/BEM BUSINESSES
Muslim enterprise development Service (MedS) 350 upper parliament St, L8 7QL Farhad Ahmed 0151 931 4097 [email protected] www.muslimenterprise.co.uk WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS
the women’s organisation
54 St James Street, L1 0AB
0151 706 8111
YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS
Striding out
elaine owen or Tamsin Fielding
0151 267 0248 [email protected] www.stridingout.co.uk Princes trust Jo McKnight 0151 702 4810 or 708 3914 [email protected] www.princes-trust.org.uk
STUdENTS ANd RECENT GRAdUATES
Liverpool Community College
The Learning exchange Centre, roscoe St L1.
vesna Levi
0151 252 3000
0151 252 3364/3350 for startup events and mentoring
www.liv-coll.ac.uk
Liverpool Hope university Hope park, L16 9Jd elizabeth underhill 0151 291 2157 [email protected] or Carol Buckman [email protected]
Liverpool John Moores university
LJMu Centre for entrepreneurship, 70 Mount pleasant, L3 5uX 0151 231 3300
[email protected] or [email protected]
www.ljmu.ac.uk
university of Liverpool
university of Liverpool Management School, Chatham Street L69 7ZH
0151 795 3814
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Pacificstream enterprise Solutions pacificstream offer business advice to all businesses and low cost business space and hot-desking for digital
businesses at:
Basecamp3, 25-31 parliament Street L8 5rn
0151 329 212
www.pacificstreamenterprise.co.uk
SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS
if you are a social or ethical entrepreneur you can get specialist advice from
Social enterprise network 151 dale Street, Liverpool L2 2AH.
www.sen.org.uk
School for Social entrepreneurs
Blackburne House, Blackburne place, Hope Street L8 7pe 0151 709 4356
[email protected] www.blackburnehouse.co.uk
Confederation of Social entrepreneurs
07973 655043
Help For Micro-Businesses & the Self employed Making Business Work is a free support programme aimed at helping the self-employed and those running businesses with only s few employees to survive and grow.
0151 709 4356
BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS ANd NETWORKS Liverpool Chamber of Commerce CiC
0151 227 1234
www.liverpoolchamberofcommerce.co.uk Federation of Small Businesses www.fsb.org.uk
downtown Liverpool in Business
dLiB is a business club providing leadership to the private sector, a voice for business when talking to the public sector and helping to create networking environments to attract entrepreneurs and high growth companies. www.downtownliverpool.com
South Liverpool Business network Liverpool vision supports and works in partnership with the SLBn to support businesses in this part of the city. Find the network here www.slbn.co.uk
L1578
Businesses in the L15, L7 and L8 area of the city have their own on-line network at www.liverpool1578.co.uk
north Liverpool Business Forum
The north Liverpool Business Forum is an informal breakfast meeting for local businesses from all industry sectors providing you with an opportunity to network with other members of the business community.
www.nlbf.co.uk
east Liverpool Business Forum [email protected] Professional Liverpool
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uSeFuL BuSineSS
nuMBerS
HM revenues & Customs vAT Helpline 0845 010 9000
newly Self employed Helpline 0845 915 4515 pAye and employment Helpline 08457 143 143 Planning issues and Building Control Contact Liverpool City Council on 0151 233 3021 or go to the business web pages: www.liverpool.gov.uk and follow planning.
Business rate enquiries
if you have a Business rates query, you can book an appointment to see an advisor at any one Stop Shop www.liverpool.gov.uk or phone 0151 233 3068
Business Licensing Some businesses such as market stalls need to be licensed by the City Council. To enquire about street trader, entertainment or taxi licencing, go to
www.liverpool.gov.uk/business or phone 0151 233 3015 environmental Health & trading Standards
if you have problems with waste management,
environmental health or pollution, go to the City Council environmental Health site: www.liverpool.gov.uk/business you can register a food business online at
www.liverpool.gov.uk or get advice by calling 0151 233 3055
if you want advice about trading standards or wish to register a complaint go to www.liverpool.gov.uk or phone 08454 040506
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For more infomation please visit:
