If you are thinking about starting a business in Cumbria or would like to grow your existing business, we would love to help you.
Start Your Own Business in Cumbria 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
Download the 2025 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.
Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur or already running a business in the area, this web page is designed to provide you with valuable information and resources to support your journey to success. Cumbria, located in the North West of England, offers a unique business environment with stunning landscapes, a thriving tourism industry, and diverse economic opportunities.
Cumbria is a county known for its breathtaking natural beauty, including the Lake District National Park and its UNESCO World Heritage Sites. As of the latest available data, the estimated population of Cumbria is around 500,000 residents. The county encompasses several major towns and cities that contribute to its economic growth and cultural heritage.
To navigate the business landscape effectively, it's essential to be familiar with the local authorities that govern different aspects of running a business in Cumbria. Here are the key authorities in the county along with their website links for further information:
Cumbria provides a range of resources and support networks for businesses at every stage of their journey. Whether you need assistance with funding, advice, networking, or general guidance, these organisations can be instrumental in your success. Here are a few noteworthy organisations dedicated to supporting businesses in Cumbria, along with their website links:
We hope this guide provides you with a solid foundation for starting or running a business in Cumbria. Explore the rest of our website for more detailed information, guides, and additional resources that will help you on your entrepreneurial journey in this stunning county. Good luck!
If so, your logo, company details and link to your site could be here!
If you are based in in Cumbria or offer a product or service which could help existing local businesses and start-ups, we would love you to help you reach them. Our aim is to increase the chances of every new business's success by highlighting the help that is available in the area.
You are able to add a free listing or act as our recommended local partner for only £10 per year!
We are happy to promote anyone who is prepared to offer friendly support to local start-ups.
Our local partners have been kind enough to help us and are keen to help you too.
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!
There is plenty of help for startups in Cumbria but where can it be found?
Select classification:
You don't know what you don't know!
The prospect of starting a new business can be incredibly exciting but should be approached with care. You have probably heard scary stories about how many start-ups fail in the early stages. You can make sure that you are not one of them by learning as much as possible before you launch. Over the years, we have collected lots of articles which will show you what has worked well for other start-ups and the putfalls to avoid.
'You don't know what you don't know' is a phrase that is so applicable to starting a new business.
Cumbria 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
Web design
Networking
Advice
Networking
Networking
Advice
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
Being self-employed or running a business does not suit everyone.
Will my business idea work? That is the million dollar question!
Finding where to start is sometimes the hardest part.
So you’ve got an idea, it seems foolproof.
Options if you need to raise money to start your business.
How to find, win, and keep paying customers - the key to business success!
How to make the most of the web. Websites, SEO, and Social Media.
Learn from and avoid the pitfalls that other start-ups have encountered.
All of our useful FREE resources for new business start-ups in one place.
This FREE start-up pack contains everything that you need to get you started.
Our FREE downloadable guides are packed with the information that you need to start and grow a your business.
