Supporting Businesses in York

We offer start ups, growing, established, and relocating businesses access to a wealth of information, advice and support, including start up and growth, access to finance and funding, skills and training, property search, international trade and much more .

Starting Up

Starting your own business requires careful planning, research and preparation. There are a multitude of websites, organisations and businesses out there to lend a helping hand but navigating them can prove difficult. We can help you identify the help you need and make introductions to the right people to get you started.

Writing a Business Plan

Writing a business plan is an important first step when starting a business.  The business planning process will help you focus on the things that really matter to your business from cash flow, to sales forecasting. It will also help you understand your target market, customers and competitors, and showcase your business to potential investors. You can get plenty of free advice and guidance on how to write a business plan.

Setting up and registering your business

Setting up a new business needn’t be complicated. There is a whole range of information and advice out there from choosing the right legal structure, registering with companies house and HMRC, to where you work and recruiting your first people.

Financing your business

A bank loan is not the only way that you can raise money to fund your business. There are numerous alternatives from equity investment – raising capital through the sale of shares in a business  – to debt finance available via a multitude of alternative finance providers such as start up loans, peer to peer lenders or crowd funding platforms.

Growing Your Business

As your business develops, finding the right place to go for support and advice is key. From finding the right type of finance, to breaking new markets and developing your people there will be times when you need help. We can help you identify the support you need and make introductions to the right people to get you started.

Financing and Planning Business Growth

There are many different types of finance available to a company with ambitions to grow.

Developing new markets through exporting

Whether you are an experienced exporter or looking to break into new overseas markets for the first time there is support out there to help you succeed.  If you are looking to expand your footprint in existing markets, identify and break into new markets, or investing in overseas operations there’s practical support to help you fulfil it.

Grow your business through marketing

Effective sales and marketing will play a key part in the successful growth of your business. It will help building awareness of your product or service and generate new leads and customers.

Grow your business through new ideas and products

A large amount of expert, tailored Intellectual Property (IP) advice is available to small and medium-sized businesses, to help them create new ideas, develop and deliver new products or services.

Getting Online

Close to half of all the small businesses in the UK don’t yet use the internet for their business. Find out how to get your business online.

Skills, Training and Recruitment

Recruiting and Hiring Staff

Recruiting the right people will be critical to your businesses success. Whether you are employing someone for the first time or taking on extra staff, there is practical guidance and advice as well as financial assistance that you can tap into.

Workforce Development

The success of any business relies on having an engaged, motivated and a loyal team. Making sure you have the right people with the right skills to do a great job, and managers who inspire your people to make a difference, are vital for continuous growth.

Accessing Skills Funding

Having sufficient budget to allow for the delivery of staff training and upskilling can be challenging. Help is available via funding streams with the particular purpose of helping employers meet the cost of training and developing their staff.

Apprenticeships

Taking on an Apprentice is both rewarding and good for business. You will be giving an individual a great start in their working life, ensuring they have the skills they need to be successful in work and giving your workforce precisely the skills you need them to have.

Graduate Recruitment and Internships

Bringing into the business a graduate or student intern to deliver short project-based work makes great business sense. You’ll achieve cost effective solutions for your business, gain an enthusiastic new perspective on your business whilst also offering students and graduates valuable experience.

Accessing Training Provision

Finding the right training and training provider for your business can sometimes be difficult. Knowing who will be the right fit for your requirements and whether they have the right experience and understanding of your business and your sector are no doubt essential to the investment you are prepared to put in.

Recruitment

A business needs a mixture of people with different skills and these skills may change as a business grows and develops. Bringing in new people has the added benefit of new ideas on how to do things, often acting as a positive stimulus for existing staff. Additionally, replacing staff who leave with people who not only have the same expertise but fit into the culture of the business is important.