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How to Start a Business in Barking

Free start-up resources and useful local contacts.

Improve your chances of success!

How to Start a Business in Barking

Starting a business in Barking

If you are thinking about starting a business in Barking or would like to grow your existing business, we would love to help you.

Start Your Own Business in Barking contains resources and the information that will help give your venture the best chance of success. It also highlights organisations who offer friendly advice and the services that you are likely to need as a new startup or local business owner.

Grants | Networking groups | Business advice | Mentoring | Co-working spaces

Starting a business in Barking

Free Startup Resources

Getting it right from the start can help to prevent problems later.

To help you with this we have created a vast selection of resources and they are all completely free!

Starting a Business in in Barking

Business advice and support

"Two heads are better than one."

Whether you have been trading for some time, are new to the market or are just thinking about starting a business of your own, it has been proven that your chances of success are considerably improved if you seek support from an experienced business advisor or mentor. You can find out more about both options at Business Advice in Barking and Business Mentors in Barking.

Funding and grants

Running out of money is one the most common reasons why businesses fail. This risk of this happening to can be avoided (or minimised) by careful planning and cashflow forecasting. If you need additional funds to start or keep your business going, you can learn more about your options and download our free funding factsheet at: Barking Business Grants and Business Funding

Business networking

Does the idea of business networking fill you with delight or dread? Either way, it can be beneficial for both your business and you as an entrepreneur. See Business Networking in Barking for details of local groups and our free Networking Factsheet.

Business premises

Working from home is appealing to many new business owners but not practical for many others. Even if you are running a business by yourself, you might like to consider the option of 'hot desking' or co-working in one of the many flexi-workspaces that have emerged in recent years. Find out more at: Barking Co-Working and Business Premises.

Finding new customers

Paying customers are the lifeblood of any business. Knowing how to find, satisfy and retain them is vitally important and best achieved with the help of experts in the field.

Accountancy, tax and law

While starting a new business is very exciting, this should not disguide the fact that there are some very important legal responsibilities that must be considered. See: Bookkeeping, Accountancy, Financial Planning and Law

FREE startup workshops

If you are thinking about starting a business, our FREE three-hour ONLINE workshop is definitely for you!

Open to everyone, our sole aim is to increase your chances of success. We do that by explaining:

The reality of running a business; the most common pitfalls and how to avoid them; which legal status is likely to be most suitable; funding, grants and managing your money; business planning and cashflow forecasting; finding and keeping customers.

Free startup guide

Start Your Own Business in Barking & Dagenham

Download the 2024 edition of our Free Start Your Own Business guide

An interactive step-by-step guide which also includes all of the most important subjects covered in an easy-to-read way with links to useful online articles and relevant contacts.

The idea of starting your own business can be incredibly exciting and who can blame you for being tempted?

However, the sad truth is that far too many new enterprises fail in the early stages. Our aim is to make sure that you don’t become one of them.

This guide explains the key start-up subjects in simple English.

There is also plenty of help available in the area and much of it is free - please do make the most of it.

Read more about what our Free guide contains and how you can download it.
Starting a business in Barking

Key Contacts in Barking

'You don't know what you don't know' is a phrase that is so applicable to starting a new business.

Barking is a great place for start-ups but your chances of success are dramatically improved if you make the most of the support that is available locally. Click on logos to visit their websites.

Accountancy

Keith Malcolm and Company
We are Keith Malcolm and Company. We are a small, long-established accountancy practice that genuinely puts the interests of clients first. Our business is to understand and help your business. - We prepare accounts for every type of activity, from sole traders and partnerships to limited companies. - We prepare every sort of tax return for businesses and private individuals. - We also offer a payroll service and arrange tax refunds for subcontractors. Most of our clients come to us from recommendations of other clients. Many clients have been with us for over ten years
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Property

Able Surveyors Limited
Able Surveyors provides an exhaustive number of services in property and land management in commercial and private property to clients across London. Our team of RICS approved chartered surveyors understand that your property is a massive investment, therefore we ensure our expert advice is honest and fully informative. Visit our website today for a full list of services.
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Networking

The Lonely Middle Club - From Startup Hive
Starting a business is exciting, and succeeding is rewarding, but what about the bit between? You know, that bit that’s full of self-doubt, endless repetition and feelings of being out of your comfort zone? We call it ‘The Lonely Middle’ and it’s one of the hardest parts of creating a successful business. We know, we’ve been there. So, we created The Lonely Middle Club to help you through it. Each month you get exclusive content to help give you the knowledge and inspiration to succeed. Plus, you get access to a private members-only Facebook group where you can get advice and network with small business owners who are going through similar challenges to you. If you want even more, you can download our 51 worksheets, guides, and journals all designed to do one thing, and one thing only… help you get through ‘The Lonely Middle’ and achieve your business goals. Visit our website today to join the club and benefit from our members price lock and full no questions asked money-back guarantee.
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Advice

Starting Point
Starting Point is a unique, purpose built-facility that helps local community groups and organisations to flourish and deliver benefits to the local area. We are located in an area of major regeneration in Barking town centre, close to Tanner Street, an East Thames housing development completed in 2006. Starting Point supports community groups, social enterprises and voluntary organisations by providing office, meeting and storage space, business training and a wide range of support services.
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Advice

University of East London
With our Start-Up series of workshops we will help you learn all the fundamentals of business start-up. On completion of the programme you should have the first draft of your business plan and a better understanding of where you would like to take things next! No experience necessary.
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Property

Barking Enterprise Centres
At the BEC we offer the following: * Clean & modern office space just 15 minutes from Central London, including: * Hot desks * Competitively priced, small, medium, large, extra large offices * Premier Business Lounge (available from September 2016) * Meeting rooms & large conference room * Fully functional, soundproof photographic studio * Excellent bus & rail links: * We are on the District Line, C2C & TFL Overground plus many bus routes * Our offices are just 5 minutes walk from Barking Station * Access to your office between 06:00-00:00 Monday to Friday and 08:00 – 20:00 Saturday and Sunday. * Qualified business advice from our in-house Counsellor * Associate business counselling programme (ABC Programme) * Digital Marketing expertise from our in-house IT expert * Friendly, professional Reception Team operating between 08:00-18:00 Monday to Friday offering the following service: * Greet visitors & advise you that they have arrived * Receive, sort & advise you of post or deliveries * Book meetingconference rooms for you * Arrange appointments with our business CounsellorIT expert * Look after your printing, photocopying & facsimile requirements * Accept payment for rent * Point of contact for enquiries * Professional reception services
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Property

Barking Enterprise Centres
Barking Enterprise Centres provide vibrant business hubs for organisations around London. We link people, ideas and opportunities to stimulate business growth. Our services support startups and SME’s. There are currently over 80 businesses operating from workspace provided by the BEC. There are regular networking events which you gives you the opportunity to grow your business.
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Start-up articles

100's of free startup articles

We have created a collection of 100s of startup articles to help anyone with whatever stage they are on with their business journey. Hundreds of thousands of people have gone before you and we can learn from what they got right and avoid the things that have been proved not to work so well.

You can see the full list of 'articles' at: How to start a business