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The challenges faced by small businesses in accessing finance have been well documented. And now the focus has switched to the alternatives to bank credit – such as crowdfunding, asset finance and invoice discounting. But there is another alternative, an option that 13,000 businesses turned to last year. Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFIs) operate [...] So often that moment of inspiration, that great idea for a business venture and the excitement that goes with it drifts away as you start thinking about how you can make it happen At one level starting a business right now is about attitude. It takes courage, determination, self belief and the drive but [...] SupportingU is a specialist environmental engineering company, based in St. Albans, Herts. The company, which was established in 2005 by David Mackay installs, refurbishes and maintains air quality monitoring equipment. The advantages for SupportingU are that they are one of only six suppliers in the UK and their strict internal control procedures and independence [...] When Matt Rump decided to refurbish some old bikes at the end of his garden and sell them for spare parts on eBay he never expected to turn that into a full service cycle shop in Kessingland, Suffolk. His business has since grown from this simple beginning to a shop that sells bikes, [...] For many the daunting task of entering into the unknown world of self employment is fraught with fear and suspicion. With HMRC threatening every move made with dire threats of fines and even worse criminal records, accountants speaking in a strange language and solicitors poised to attack if a mistake is made, it [...] Are there a lot of prospective business men and woman who dream of starting their own business but who never see that dream through to reality? Looking at how many enquiries we receive at Foundation East for funding or business support compared to how many of those businesses are actually started (with or without [...] I, the person who never updates her Sat Nav, have so many times found myself, being directed the wrong way up a one way street, being told to take the second exit at the roundabout – when the roundabout was removed several years ago or simply being told I am in the middle of [...] Last week I joined the Start- Up Britain tour bus when it came to eastern England on Tuesday 23rd October. Every day the bus parked at one or two colleges in order to provide advice, guidance and information to students who were thinking about starting their own business. On board were entrepreneurs, business advisors [...] Budding young entrepreneurs and bright ideas should be a recipe for success but getting a bank loan to start you off is often a stumbling block. You’ve just finished your course or degree at any one of the Colleges or Universities in eastern England, you are confident your idea will work, but and it’s [...] In recent weeks I’ve heard the saying “I would not set up in business now” from a number of people. These people were not the doom mongers whose role in society appears to be to make everyone else feel bad (or sell their newspapers – whichever may apply). No, this was being said by [...] |
Katy Ford, Chief Executive
Peter Jones, Chair, Board of Directors
Peter Wood, Business Loans Manager
Bob Shimmon, Business Loans Manager |
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