Do you think you would enjoy being your own boss? Do you have a good business idea that’s just waiting to become a reality?

Setting up on your own can be hard, but luckily for you there is lots of good advice around.

First Things First- Business Gateway

Once you have an idea the first port of call is really to get in touch with the Business Gateway.

Through the Business Gateway you will get access to information, advice and training on, for example, marketing skills, developing new products, money management and a whole lot more. The Business Gateway website provides a range of on line tools to help you.

This includes:

•  A self assessment tool to check out if you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur.

•  On-line tutorials and booklets to help you develop your business plan.

Log onto the Business Gateway website to identify your local branch or by calling 0845 609 6611.

Up North

If you live in the Highlands and Islands region, contact Highlands & Islands Enterprise for a Local Enterprise Company near you.

You can write to them at: Highland & Islands Enterprise, Cowan House, Inverness Retail and Business Park, Inverness, IV2 7GF or pop in if you happen to be in the neighbourhood.

Not only that, but you can phone 01463 234 171, visit the Highland & Islands Enterprise website or email them on hie.general@hient.co.uk

Prince’s Scottish Youth Business Trust

The Prince’s Scottish Youth Business Trust (PSYBT) supports young people to set up and continue running a business.

It specialises in loans for anyone between 18 and 25  (up to 30 years old if you have a disability).

It provides: 

• Low interest loans of up to £5,000 for setting up or expanding your business

• The possibility of a grant of up to £1,000

• Test marketing grants of £250

• Advice from a volunteer from your local business community

• Help from a Business Adviser for up to two years

• Book-keeping training and a free book-keeping system

• Networking opportunities with other young businesses.

Visit the Prince’s Scottish Youth Business Trust website to find your local office, or you can email them at firststep@psybt.org.uk

Are You A Live Wire?

Shell LiveWire helps young people, aged 16 - 30, throughout the UK explore their ideas for setting up in business by themselves or with others.

You can get a free business start-up info pack giving you an outline for your idea, and personal one-to-one advice, simply by calling 0845 757 3252.

If you prefer to contact them by post, you can catch them at: Shell LiveWire, Unit 3, Ground Floor, 7-15 Pink Lane, Newcastle, NE1 5DW.

You will be given the details of your local co-ordinator, or you can request a starter-up pack to be sent out. Alternatively, visit the LiveWire website to register online.

You also have the opportunity to gain cash awards and great publicity through the LiveWIRE Business Start Up Awards – an annual competition for entrepreneurs between the ages of 16 - 30 who have been trading from 3-18 months.

It runs from February to June each year, and submitted ‘business plans’ should be entered by the end of January. The most promising entries share cash awards, heightened publicity and spin-off sales.

NESTA Creative Enterprise Toolkit

NESTA is the national, independent organisation that focuses on encouraging and facilitating innovation within Science, Technology and the Arts.

As part of this NESTA has created an easy-to-use enterprise toolkit, which will help you tun your bright idea into a successful business.

The pack will help you consider what you want to do, the best way to do it and how to develop once you are off the ground. Visit NESTA or download the pdf's at the links.

Scottish Institute for Enterprise

 The Scottish Institute for Enterprise (SIE) helps students studying at Scottish Universities discover their entrepreneurial talent and start up their own ventures. Their mission is to help create new student businesses and social enterprises.

SIE provide support to students who are considering start-up or are already trading, whilst studying and after graduating. SIE run different activities and events ranging from the New Ideas Competition and Bootcamp summer programme to The New Ventures competition and The Company Acceleration Programme. Register for more information.

ILA Funding

ILA funding may provide opportunity to learn new skills or brush up on existing skills which may assist you in setting up and running your business. Visit  ILA Scotland.

Social Enterprises

You may wish to consider starting up a social enterprise, which translates as a buisiness that trades for social and environmental purposes. It could be selling bottled water, providing stationary to offices, or delivering professional services but the primary reason is to create profits to create sustainable benefit elsewhere.

Examples of social enterprises include The Big Issue, The Eden Project and Jamie Oliver's Fifteen restaurant.

To find out more about Social Enterprises in Scotland visit the Social Enterprise Coalition website.