Resources to develop and improve your individual and business performance
If you're involved in running a business, or thinking about starting one, we have some great resources for you. From interactive guides and videos, to top tips we hope you enjoy exploring ways in which you can improve your individual and business performance to achieve the success you desire.
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Starting your business - resources and support If you're thinking about starting a new business or have recently begun trading, we have some resources to help you on your way. From a free guide to what to think about before you start to valuable fact sheets, we'll have you whizzing along before you know it. Many of our registered coaches and mentors are also experienced in supporting new businesses, so remember to take a look and contact them for a free initial discussion. |
10 things to think about when starting a new business - free guide
Becoming an Employer: things to consider - free fact sheet
Business Coaching and Mentoring for start-ups
Fund101 - launched by Enterprise Nation, if you're looking for funding from £50-£500 apply here - the money doen't have to be paid back, you just need votes for your idea. Currently closed.
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Equity Finance If you are considering Private Equity as a way of raising funds for your business, take a look at our Equity Finance pages. Covering Seedfunding, Business Angels, Venture Capitalists and Crowdfunding, you can start to explore whether this is the right option for you and your business. We also have two interactive guides to help you explore what kind of equity finance may be right for you and looking at how investment ready your business is. |
Equity finance information including Seed funding, Business angels, Venture capital, and Crowdfunding
Is your business investment ready? - Interactive guide
What kind of investment is right for your business? - Interactive guide
Annual Access to Finance guide produced by NEA2F
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Why have a business mentor or coach? Many successful, well known people in business understand and have benefited from the advantages of having a good mentor or coach through different stages of their careers or businesses. Increasingly a mentor or coach is seen as essential rather than desirable for anyone in business, whether starting up, growing a business or thinking about exit strategies. We profile some of the best professional coaches and mentors in the UK, most of whom will be happy to have a free initial discussion with you. |
What are the benefits of having a good mentor or coach?
What is meant by good coaching and mentoring?
How can a business mentor help you and your business?
Find a professional business mentor or coach
Evaluate the impact of your enterprise activity if you're involved in funding or delivering enterprise support programmes, find out how we can help you benchmark and evaluate the impact of your activities.
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Entering Business Competitions Take a look at our top ten reasons for entering a business competition and our top tips for making the right impression. We also have a list of popular business competitions you might want to considering entering. |
Why enter a business competition?
Popular UK business competitions
Top tips for making the right impression with your application
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Developing your business pitch If you want to learn the skill of a great pitch, whether for a networking event, to secure new clients or impress potential investors, take a look at these pages packed with tips and advice from experts who know what they're talking about and some practical videos to watch and learn from. Includes information on how to develop an Elevator pitch. |
What not to say when you're pitching - top tips from Permjot Valia, early stage investor
The Pitch Doctor video - Paul Boross is guaranteed to make you smile as you learn
Developing your Elevator Pitch - great video how to (and how not to!) develop a successful elevator pitch
NEA2F video Your guide to developing a successful elevator pitch (recently shortlisted in the top 3 online promotion category of the Royal Television Awards)
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Business Metrics - your measure of success We look at what they are, why they should matter to your business, and offer some great tools to get to grips with them easily and effectively, helping you make better decisions and leading to improvement in business performance and growth. Rob Whitwood, expert in the field of the Balanced Scorecard, talks about the tangible bottom-line results he has seen in companies using metrics in this way.
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Benefits and examples of implementing metrics
How the Balanced Scorecard can help increase profits and business growth
Passion, Performance, and People - measuring learning and growth
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