Starting Your Small Business in Staffordshire Moorlands?

Sep 14
2 min read

Starting any small business can be tough, lonely, and make you poorer in the process, yet it can also be glorious, fulfilling, profitable, and valuable to the world. The world wants to see your best you - how can you make that happen in your business? One place to go for succour and nourishment is Staffordshire County Council, who have a wealth of information on their website to help you transform your ideas into reality and reality into success.

Starting Your Small Business in Staffordshire Moorlands

Small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy. Staffordshire has more small businesses than ever, and more businesses are surviving the first two years, more than in many other places in the UK. This is in part due to the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Growth Hub. Led by the county council, on behalf of the Local Enterprise Partnership, over 4,000 businesses have been signposted over 10,000 times to advice and support, with the same number again receiving more in-depth, one-to-one support.

Here is how to access some of the important things on offer:

The Business Directory has links to business support providers and networking opportunities.

Starting up and general business advice

The Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Business Helpline 0300 111 8002 - a single point of contact for expert business advice and signposting to a wide range of business support. If you're unemployed and aged between 18 and 30 or if you're over 50 and hoping to progress your business ideas, the Kings's Trust may be able to help you.

Accommodation

SCC has a range of land and accommodation including office units and workshops available on flexible terms which are ideal for start-up businesses.

Think2

Free childcare is good for business and on offer is up to 15 hours per week free childcare places for two-year-olds from any Staffordshire family on Working Tax Credit whose household income is less than £16,190. It's called Think2.

Business loans

SCC work in partnership to provide business loans from £10,000 to £50,000 to businesses which are unable to access finance from banks. Visit BCRS or call 0345 3138410 to find out if you are eligible.

British Business Start-up Loans could help you to start or grow your own business. Currently on offer is: Borrow up to £25,000. Fixed interest rate of 6% per year. Repay the loan over a term of 1 – 5 years. 12 months of free mentoring. Government backed.

Selling products and services abroad

SCC work with UKTI and various partners to support businesses interested in exploring their opportunities to trade overseas. Open To Export may also be able to provide additional help and support with your exporting plans.

Environmental management

Find out how you can improve your environmental management by visiting the Staffordshire Business and Environment Network ( SBEN) or call 01785 277379

Promoting your business to visitors

Destination Staffordshire work in partnership with tourism businesses and public sector organisations to grow the tourism economy to make Staffordshire a better place to live, work and visit!

Learning and skills for businesses

Staffordshire Community Learning offers a wide programme of courses, covering a variety of skills - including marketing, accounting, languages, computing, presentation skills, maths, English and more.