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How to Start a Business in Northern Ireland

If you are thinking about starting a business in Northern Ireland or would like to grow your existing business, you have come to the right place.

Start Your Own Business in Northern Ireland 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.

Free workshop | 1-2-1 advice | Free guide | Key contacts | Free startup pack

Local help for startups

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

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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.

The next workshop is on Thursday 22nd June 9.30am to 12.30pm

1-2-1 startup advice and support

Would you like some personal business advice and support? Whether you are starting a business, already trading, or just exploring the possibility, we would love to help.

Andy Pringle has been advising startups and small business owners for the past 20+ years and will be happy to work with you on a 1-2-1 basis. Please get in touch to find out more.

Free workshops

1-2-1 support

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 guide

Download the 2023 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.

Key Contacts in Northern Ireland

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

Northern Ireland 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.

Advice

Enterprise Northern Ireland

If you are at start-up stage - which can extend from having a busines idea right through to £50k turnover and/or trading for less than 2 years - we have a range of suppport and advice services to get you started or helped into the growth and acceleration stage. Enterprise Northern Ireland manages the Exploring Enterprise 3 Programme, and are delivering the business start-up programme in many Council areas. Both programmes help those with a business idea take the first step - you can find further information on them in this section. We are also the representative body for the network of Local Enterprise Agencies, all of which offer quality business accommodation and advice services. So if you're not sure where or how to start, or you want to connect locally with your nearest Local Enterprise Agency, either click here or visit the blue navigation above to find out what's happening in your local council area ... and then we'd advise you make an appointment, pop by and have a look for yourself!

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Networking

FSB Northern Ireland

FSB Northern Ireland is the local branch of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). It was formed in 1974 as the National Federation of Self Employed and represents the interests of small and medium-sized businesses locally and nationally. They offer a great package tailored to your needs if you are thinking about starting a business in the area. Contact: Mairaid McMahon Development Manager Mairaid.McMahon@fsb.org.uk

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Networking

Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce & Industry

Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NI Chamber) is an award winning, quality assured, customer focused membership organisation with over 230 years commitment to the Northern Ireland economy. It is a well-known network for business with a membership of 1,200 businesses representing over 100,000 employees. Address: 4-5 Donegall Square South , Belfast , BT1 5JA

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Advice

NI Business Info

nibusinessinfo.co.uk is the official online channel for business advice and guidance in Northern Ireland. nibusinessinfo.co.uk, a free service offered by Invest Northern Ireland, is the official online channel for business advice and guidance in Northern Ireland. It contains essential information, support and services for you and your business

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Advice

Causeway Enterprise Agency

Causeway Enterprise Agency Limited (CEA) is an independent, business support organisation dedicated to building a strong and sustainable local economy by helping both new and established small businesses in the Coleraine area to maximise their potential.

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How to start a business

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