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How to Start a Business in Hackney

Free start-up resources and useful local contacts.

Improve your chances of success!

How to Start a Business in Hackney

Starting a business in Hackney

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

Start Your Own Business in Hackney 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 Hackney

Local help for startups

There is plenty of help for startups in Hackney but where can it be found?

Select classification:

Local partners

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.

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!

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.

Latest articles

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.

Free Startup Guide

Start & Grow Your Business in Hackney

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 Hackney

Key Contacts in Hackney

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

Hackney 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.

Marketing

Lou Ellison
I am a Marketing Manager with 18 years of experience across a variety of sectors including automotive, engineering, FMCG, retail and non-profit. I bring to the table a diverse skillset, having worked in-agency, in-house and in my own business. I can help start-ups as a sounding board for the marketing segment of their business plan, channelling their ideas into a tangible strategy, defining clear objectives and deliverables. Providing advice on identifying their ideal audience, websites, social media and advertising.
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Advice

London Borough of Hackney Business Advice
Our mission is to make Hackney fairer, building a more inclusive and resilient economy, one that nurtures start-up businesses, provides continuity for established businesses, and supports growing and scaling up enterprises. We have produced a toolkit which sets out our offer to businesses operating in the borough and how you can work with us to make Hackney a fairer place for all.
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Advice

HCD (Hackney Co-operative Developments)
Hackney Co-operative Developments (HCD) is a local community economic development agency with a membership open to all those who subscribe to its co-operative goals and values. HCD works within our local community to explore ideas and opportunities to create a sustainable environment for Hackney's communities to flourish. We support the creation and growth of co-operatives and social enterprises through programmes such as our Pioneering Social Enterprise in Hackney initiative, and use our agency role to network and connect organisations so that the movement can work together to grow the locally-owned social economy in our borough. We provide affordable workspace to a range of social and ethical organisations, local start-ups, cultural entrepreneurs and creative professionals, playing an important role in Hackney's business ecosystem and ongoing urban regeneration.
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Networking

Hackney Business Network
The Hackney Business Network is a council-run initiative to support our local business community. Hackney has a thriving community of businesses, ranging from small independent enterprises to UK headquarters of some of the largest corporations in the world. Our mission is to make Hackney fairer, building a more inclusive and resilient economy, one that nurtures start up businesses, provides continuity for established businesses, and supports growing up and scaling enterprises. This council wants to work in partnership with businesses in Hackney to enable them to grow and prosper and build a relationship of investment and opportunity with Hackney residents and businesses.
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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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Accountancy

MDP Accountancy Services LLP
MDP Accountancy Services, based in Liverpool St. provide specialist accounting services to New Start-ups, Freelance contractors, Medical professionals and SMEs. With our vast experience in accounting we understand that one size does not fit all. With fixed rate packages for those new to contracting and bespoke services to businesses and individuals with more complex needs, MDP Accountancy Services will take the worry out of your accounting responsibilities. Address: 12th Floor, Broadgate Tower, 20 Primrose Street, London EC2A 2EW E-Mail: info@mdpaccountancy.co.uk
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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