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How to Start a Business in South-Yorkshire

Free start-up resources and useful local contacts.

Improve your chances of success!

How to Start a Business in South-Yorkshire

Starting a business in South-Yorkshire

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

Start Your Own Business in South-Yorkshire 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 South-Yorkshire

Local help for startups

There is plenty of help for startups in South-Yorkshire but where can it be found?

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If you're considering starting a business or already running one in South Yorkshire, this section is designed to provide you with valuable information and resources to support your entrepreneurial journey.

South Yorkshire, located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, is known for its industrial heritage, vibrant cities, and beautiful countryside.

Demographics of South Yorkshire

South Yorkshire has a diverse population of approximately 1.4 million residents, offering a mix of urban and rural communities. The region is home to several major towns and cities, each with its unique characteristics and business opportunities.

Major Towns and Cities in South Yorkshire
  • Sheffield : Sheffield is the largest city in South Yorkshire, with a population of over 580,000 residents. Known for its steel industry heritage, Sheffield has transformed into a vibrant cultural and economic hub, offering opportunities in sectors such as advanced manufacturing, creative industries, and technology.
  • Rotherham : Rotherham is a town in South Yorkshire with a population of approximately 260,000 residents. The town has a rich industrial heritage and is experiencing significant regeneration, making it an attractive location for businesses in sectors such as advanced manufacturing, logistics, and renewable energy.
  • Doncaster : Doncaster is a market town in South Yorkshire with a population of around 310,000 residents. The town has excellent transport links and is known for its logistics and distribution sector. It also offers opportunities in sectors such as aerospace, advanced engineering, and digital industries.
  • Barnsley : Barnsley is a town in South Yorkshire with a population of approximately 250,000 residents. The town has a strong manufacturing heritage and offers opportunities in sectors such as advanced manufacturing, healthcare, and digital technologies.
Local Authorities in South Yorkshire

Local authorities can help you understand the business landscape and provide access to useful resources. They are responsible for numerous business related subjects such as health & safety, planning, business rates, and often have a department dedicated to economic development.

  • Sheffield City Council : Sheffield City Council is the local authority responsible for a range of services in Sheffield. Their website provides information on business rates, planning and development, licensing, and community initiatives.
  • Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council : Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council covers the Rotherham area. Visit their website for local business support, planning permission, and community services.
  • Doncaster Council : Doncaster Council serves the Doncaster area. Their website provides information on business rates, licensing, planning, and economic development.
  • Barnsley Council : Barnsley Council is the local authority responsible for Barnsley. Visit their website for information on business support, planning and development, licensing, and community services.
Business Support Organisations in South Yorkshire

South Yorkshire offers access to various business support organisations that can provide valuable guidance and resources. Consider exploring the following organisations:

  • Enterprising Barnsley : Enterprising Barnsley is a business support service that offers advice, workshops, and funding opportunities for businesses in Barnsley. Their website provides information on available support programs and events.
  • Sheffield City Region Growth Hub : The Sheffield City Region Growth Hub provides support for businesses across Sheffield and the wider region. Their website offers information on funding, training, networking, and business advisory services.
  • Business Doncaster : Business Doncaster is a business support service that offers guidance, networking events, and access to funding opportunities. Visit their website for information on business support programs and initiatives.
  • RiDO Business Growth : RiDO (Rotherham Investment and Development Office) offers business support services, including access to office spaces, networking events, and funding opportunities. Their website provides details on available support programs.

We hope this comprehensive guide serves as a valuable resource for starting or running a business in South Yorkshire. Exploring the websites of Sheffield City Council, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, Doncaster Council, Barnsley Council, Enterprising Barnsley, Sheffield City Region Growth Hub, Business Doncaster, and RiDO Business Growth will provide you with further information, guidance, and assistance. Best of luck with your entrepreneurial endeavours in South Yorkshire!

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 Your Own Business in 2021

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 South-Yorkshire

Key Contacts in South-Yorkshire

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

South-Yorkshire 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.

Funding

Commercial Finance Partnership
Access to Business Finance: Secured Loans, Unsecured Loans, Commercial Mortgage, Revolving Credit, Invoice Discounting, Recovery Loan Scheme. Asset finance: Hire Purchase, Leasing, New Purchase, Refinance, Capital Raising, Recovery Loan Scheme. With over 130 years of COMBINED EXPERIENCE, we have the know-how you need.
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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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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