Business Advice, Mentoring and Coaching

The programme will help you to:

• Explore and clarify your business idea
• Research your target market and understand your competitors
• Develop your business model and kick-start your business plan
• Help you to understand the numbers, create projections and explore funding options
• Start shaping your marketing strategy incl. online and social media presence
• Set your business goals
• Overview of business types, tax and insurance, accounting software, bank accounts
• Tools to help with taking the next step
• Gain peer support from like-minded people
• The programme also includes a 1-2-1 session our Start-Up Coach to refine your business plan or discuss your business on a deeper level.

Please apply by Wednesday 8th November to be considered – Her Biz: Free Women’s Startup Programme Tickets, Fri 17 Nov 2023 at 10:00 | Eventbrite

Did you know that the Ashford Borough is home to around 400 hospitality businesses and food and drink producers? And this includes an ever-increasing number of vineyards! With the growing popularity in English wine and the strength of the locally grown produce, there is an opportunity for us to capitalise on the visitor demand for authentic food and drink experiences.

Ashford Borough Council has teamed up with Visit Kent to deliver a programme designed to support the development of new visitor experiences that showcase the incredible local produce available in the Ashford and Tenterden area. The aim is to create exciting new products and experiences by linking together different types of visitor economy businesses, such as accommodation providers, attractions and experiences.

The Ashford on the Map programme is open to both existing businesses, as well as entrepreneurs who have an idea for starting a new business with a connection to local food and drink. Businesses who participate in the programme will have access to a package of support as well as featuring in a dedicated marketing campaign and a new wine trail map.

Whether looking to diversify your existing business or start a new enterprise, if you have an idea for a new visitor experience that showcases and tells the story of our local produce, then this project can help you!

This programme is for New or Established businesses.  However, there are different applications for each.  Please click on the appropriate link:

For all those who have an existing business – On the Map – Ashford & Tenterden Visitor Economy Programme

For all those who would like to set up a new business – On the Map – Ashford & Tenterden Visitor Economy Programme

If you’ve started your journey in business, or are thinking about starting-up in Maidstone, our workshop can give you the tools and knowledge to kickstart your venture! Join us for FREE sessions all from Maidstone Experts!

Sessions include:

– Business Planning – Led by Chris Lyle, Let’s Do Business Group

– Accountancy/Tax – Led by Gemma Pryor, Trinity Accounting

– Journey of a Startup – Led by Lauren Hampshire, The Milky Tee Co.

– Digital – Led by Karl Cowell, Cork Digital

– Social Media – Led by Joe Bennett, Box Crab Digital

This is a FREE workshop for Maidstone Start-ups only. To be eligible for our workshop you must be a pre-start up or a business in its early stages (no more than 18 months old). Businesses that attended any previous MBB Start-up workshop are unable to join this event.

Lunch is included for all attendees (please provide dietary requirement info when booking)

This is a FREE workshop for Maidstone Start-ups only.  To join this workshop click here: Start-up September Workshop Tickets, Thu 28 Sep 2023 at 10:00 | Eventbrite

Please register with WestKentBusiness.com

About the competition

The application process

The Enterprise Nation Fund | Apply to win a small business grant

Kick Off in Business is a free, fully funded, short online business start-up and self-employment programme that can be enjoyed from the comfort of your own home.

The courses are designed to give you an insight and understanding of business start-up and self-employment to provide you with the foundational skills should you wish to take this path now or some time in the future.

We can also support you if you have already started your business. 

To register your interest, please click the following link: Free online business & self-employment courses | Eventbrite

The programme is provided by Canterbury District Council, delivered by Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce and is designed for owner-managers and social enterprises to explore and develop high growth approaches.

By the end of the programme you will have:

• A high growth plan for your business
• Enhanced your management and strategic growth skills
• Improved business resilience and
• Explored innovation and how it can help growth

Businesses in Kent who have engaged with this type of programme previously have seen:

• Turnover increases in excess of 28%
• Significantly enhanced profits
• Improved access to funding
• Increased employment and the scale of their business

Our offer

Commencing from August 2023 and delivered online, you will receive in excess of 36 hours of support over a 12 month period from expert business advisors who have a track record of improving performance and building growth in the businesses they work with made up of:

• High Growth Workshops
• Monthly 2 hour peer networking sessions
• Monthly individual 1 hour 1-2-1 support working with an experienced advisor to work on your business challenges and growth strategies

The programme is 80% funded and delivers more than £4,500 of support. The cost to you is £50 per month for 12 months of support, payable quarterly in advance.

Who is eligible?

Businesses who have an appetite for growth in the Canterbury area and have been:

• Established 2 years with 5 employees and a turnover in excess of £500,000; or
• Established less than 2 years with funding in place and ambitious to grow

Complete the expression of interest form, then we will be in touch to go through the details and to enrol you on the programme – Expression Of Interest

Our programme is funded by the Department for Culture, Media & Sport until March 2025.

So, if you’re a social entrepreneur or social enterprise in Thanet, there’s never been a better time to sign up to the Thanet Social Enterprise Boost programme. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take your enterprise to the next level, we’re here to help you achieve your goals. Sign up today and let’s start building a better future together!

Eligibility criteria:

For the purpose of this programme, social enterprise is defined as either:

• an entrepreneur or unregistered organisation who is driven by a social or environmental purpose and can demonstrate a plan to work towards registration within the government definition below or;
• a registered social enterprise organisation within the government definition below;

“a social enterprise is a business with primarily social objectives whose surpluses are principally reinvested for that purpose in the business or in the community, rather than being driven by the need to maximise profit for shareholders and owners”.

A start-up is considered to be an organisation:

• Less than 5 years old and;
• Turnover of less than £250,000 in their last financial year.

Support will be available to social enterprises delivering activities or services that provide social or environmental benefit within the local authority area – Thanet; however, it is acceptable for projects to also deliver to a wider geographical area of beneficiaries as appropriate.

If you have any questions, email boost@sekgroup.org.uk

To register, please complete the Enquiry Form or telephone 01843 210005

Israel is home to a dynamic community of renewable energy innovators. The renewable energy industry in Israel is growing rapidly and is attracting international players to establish research partnerships. The Israeli energy market is changing at a pace and poses opportunities for innovative solutions that have applicability worldwide.

Who is this GBIP best suited for?

If you are an innovative UK business looking to explore international partnership opportunities to help bring your ideas to commercialisation or may have a new technology, service, process or supply chain model which could be of interest to Renewable Energy in Israel to help achieve their energy climate goals – then this programme is for you.

Suitability: 

• Be registered in the UK
• Small or medium-sized business (can have up to 500 employees)
• High-growth innovative businesses with ambitions for global growth
• Senior decision-maker or CEO in the company should attend

Businesses must directly benefit from participation in the programme and have the necessary resources to articulate their objectives and ambition for participation clearly.

Innovate UK is committed to ensuring that anyone from any background has an equal opportunity to be successful. We welcome applications from underrepresented groups and will do our utmost to make reasonable adjustments.

15 Places will be allocated based on those businesses most aligned with this suitability criteria.

How can you apply?

The online application takes approximately one hour and must be completed and submitted in a single session. To facilitate the process, we have created a Word document, which you can download and pre-populate with your answers. You can then paste these answers into the online form and submit your application.

To download the Word application form, please click here.

Create South East is designed to help creative businesses. The programme will support you to develop the skills to secure investment so that you can achieve your ambitions for your company to grow. It is tailored to the needs of different creative disciplines, their respective markets, governance, and distribution models.

What do I get from the programme?

• 1-2-1 mentoring
• Peer to Peer Cohorts
• Tailored Workshops
• Investment Opportunities

This programme is free to the business as the activity has been funded by Create South East through the Create Growth Programme. The programme has a financial value of approximately £10k.

Companies can apply at any time by submitting an Expression of Interest form

Homepage (creativeengland.co.uk)

Eligible companies should a) be based in Essex, Kent & Medway or Sussex, b) have a registered company with creativity at its heart.

If you are eligible, we will invite you to meet a member of the team so that we can find out more about your business, and you can ask more questions about the programme.

Joining a Rebel Business School course is just the first step.

The next is joining Rebel+.

Rebel+ is our FREE on-going support site where you’ll get access to bonus trainings, a members’ only Facebook group, monthly live masterclasses, clubs, networking, co-working, Q&As and so much more.

• Facebook Group with 5000+ Rebels past and present Action Focused pieces of training as you grow your business
• Monthly live masterclasses
• Networking and co-working sessions
• Q&As with the Rebel team and industry experts
• Clubs including a self-employment book club and social media support club

Are you ready fo find out more?

Apply here: therebelschool.com/plus

Whether you’re an artist or accountant, baker or bricklayer, if you live in Thanet, Dover, Folkestone & Hythe or the wider Kent area our award-winning course will help you find your own path to self-employment.

Our live course consists of ten sessions of practical and easy-to-digest content giving you all the fundamentals you need to get a business off the ground and start making money.

The ten sessions are spread out over 10 days: all running from 10am until 3pm, either from Rebel HQ at 470 Harrow Road or online via Zoom.

Through the course, you’ll learn:
How to start a business for free, Sales, Marketing, Pricing & Negotiation, Tax & Accounting, Building a Website for Free, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), Social Media, Pitching & Mindset.

To find out more, Register a Place or get a reminder for 2023 courses, please click here: Rebel Business School Kent (therebelschool.com)

How does the Food and Drink Accelerator work?

Who is eligible to apply?

If you’re ambitious and interested in scaling-up your business, and fast, the Food and Drink Accelerator programme could be right for you.

We will support plant-based food and drink businesses from across the supply chain, including food products, technology or related services.

Your business must be based in Kent or Medway.

Why should I sign up for the Accelerator?

You will receive intensive support and guidance to help make your business goals a reality.

We cover a broad range of areas, including technology, consumer insight, regulatory factors, financial support and marketing.

Reasons to join the Accelerator:

• Expert guidance
• Peer-to-peer support
• Business mentoring
• Advice on accessing finance and investment readiness.

Please get in touch using the contact form below and our team will be in touch to talk you through our programme to see if this is right for you.

Get in touch with us at Growing Kent & Medway | Growing Kent & Medway (growingkentandmedway.com)

The Help to Grow: Management course is for business owners, leaders, or senior managers from all business sectors.

To be eligible, you and your business must meet the following criteria:

Your business must:

• be a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) based in the United Kingdom
• employ between 5 and 249 people
• have been operational for at least one year
• not be a charity.

You must:

• be a chief executive, owner/founder, or member of the senior management team
• have at least one direct report
• commit to completing all sessions

Only one person per business can participate in the programme, but your entire business will benefit, from increased productivity to enhanced employee wellbeing and more.

To find out more and to book a course near you, go to: Help to Grow Management – Kent Business School

Take the first step and get help to:

• identify the digital technology needs of your business
• make informed decisions about which software products best meet those needs
• successfully incorporate these products into your business

If you are eligible, you can access a discount of up to 50% on the costs of buying approved software, worth up to £5,000, on the Help to Grow: Digital website.

Discounts will be available for approved software that helps your business to:

• build customer relationships and increase sales
• manage accounts and finances digitally

Click following link then select ‘Start Application’ to be taken to the Help to Grow: Digital website

Help to Grow: Digital – GOV-UK Find a grant (find-government-grants.service.gov.uk)

Business & IP Centre Kent (BIPC Kent), is part of the British Library’s Business & IP Centre National Network, and we are transforming the way ideas grow into successful businesses.

By partnering up with Kent Libraries, we’re supporting a thriving community of bright and inspiring people, whether you’re a new or existing business owner, we are here to support you in Kent.

Home » Resources

It’s crucial when you are starting a business to understand your market, competitors, and customer trends. Being part of the BIPC Network, BIPC Kent can provide you access to over £5 Million worth of resources, such as online market reports from top publishers, company data for over 144 million UK and global companies, start-up books and business directories, 700,000 historical annual reports, and over 60 million patents.

Have a questsion? Book a free consultations with one of our experts:

Resources – Business & IP Centre Kent (bipckent.org.uk)

Digital Boost is a free online platform that supports people who work at small businesses and charities to get the essential skills and advice they need to adopt new digital ways of working and grow their businesses. We are owned by the educational charity Founders4Schools.

+ Free 1:1 online conversations with a wide range of volunteer expert mentors:
‍
– Fast answers to their unique business questions
– Personalised guidance & advice
– Objective feedback & ideas
‍
+ Hands-on workshops covering topics such as SEO, Facebook Ads, cloud computing, payment systems, and much more

+ Personalised recommendations for short courses

+ A resource library to access at their own pace

Sign Up for Digital Boost

The Programme content will be as follows:

Entrepreneurs will be invited to join a 12-hour programme of activity to help develop a business plan, financial model, and pitch-deck. The course will cover the following topics:

Investment Pathway

• Introduction to the programme.
• Overview of fund-raising process.

Investment Readiness

• What to prepare and how to pull the detail together, covering:
• Technology/Commercial/Sales/Market analysis.
• Regulation/IP/Delivery/Scalability
• Financial Planning.
• Team/Legal/Accounting/Governance/Raising investment/Communication.

Investment Closure

• Timing
• Due Diligence
• Identifying potential investors and pitching

The course is available until the 30-Jun-2023 and dates in 2023 at Maidstone Innovation Centre are planned as follows:

• 25/26 January 2023
• 22/23 February 2023
• 22/23 March 2023
• 26/27 April 2023
• 24/25 May 2023
• 26/27 June 2023

Eligibility

1. As an entrepreneur who is participating prior to starting a business, you must be living in the SELEP area.
2. As an entrepreneur who is participating on behalf of business that is already set up you must have a trading address in the SELEP area and must be below the EU state Aide De Minimus Funding level (Euro’s 200,000 in the last 3 years).

Entry will be on a first come first served basis. NCL reserve the right to consolidate workshops if there are insufficient numbers in a workshop

Interested entrepreneurs and companies should contact Graham Hutchins via email at seip@ncltv.co.uk for details of upcoming events and how to join.

Expert in Residence programme provides free business advice and workshops to enable female entrepreneurs to achieve their growth ambitions

Experts will continue to focus on key issues facing female entrepreneurs, such as access to finance and expertise and developing soft skills, as well as connecting them to networks of women in business in their area.

“Working with one of our experts will give entrepreneurs the opportunity to work on their business – not just in their business – to develop key skills and knowledge so they can sustain and grow for years to come.”

The Expert in Residence Programme is an impartial resource provided at no cost to the participating entrepreneur

NatWest welcomes any questions, please contact Luke Pamflett | Regional Ecosystem Manager – 07500760810 or email luke.pamflett@natwest.com

Apply here: Women in Business | NatWest

• General Business Advice to any type or age of business in Kent

Follow the Ask Phil link and fill in the contact form to request a call back – Ask Phil 

• One to One support and advice Day Clinics offering business advice to any type and age of business

Call 01622 239300 or email us at getstarted@maidstone.gov.uk

• 12hrs of one to one support for businesses connected to the construction supply chain
• Must be registered at Companies House

Follow the link for more details and complete the contract to arrange a call back from an adviser

• Start up support and mentoring for young people aged 18 to 30

Call on 0800 842 842 or follow the link and access the live chat function

• Business Support and Mentoring (18-30 years)

Follow the link for more information and use the link at the bottom of the page to get in touch to access the service.

• 12 hours of one to one and workshop support to develop growth.

The South East Business Boost is now CLOSED to new applications to allow for the current applications to be processed in time for the programme’s completion.

• A free online only series of business start-up courses 1-2-1’s and a specialist week-long event supplemented by a 24/7 Start-up App and a range of wider learning materials.

Follow the link for more information or email to register your interest robyn.brookes@wsxenterprise.co.uk

• 100% online business support;
• online awareness events;
• workshops/masterclasses;
• 1-2-1’s;
• specialist week=long events;
• grants;
• a pool of online support resources.

Follow the link for more information. Email robyn.brookes@wsxenterprise.co.uk for register and for more information

• Comprehensive export development programme
• Potential & capacity to export
• Operational business or registered at companies house

Follow the link and search your postcode to find DIT South East Contact details and get in touch inquiring about the programme to access the support.

• Programme aimed at helping SELEP-based address known export barriers (lack of international contacts and export knowledge/capacity.
• Businesses operating >1year
• Registered at companies house
• Export potential product or service

Follow the link and complete the Expression of interest form.

• Programme to develop new experiential tourism products for the off-season
• Businesses operating >1year
• Registered at companies house

Contact Visit Kent via email , call 01227 812900 or follow this link to find Visit Kent Contact details

Follow the link and register your interest via phone or email – Business Advice – Swale Means Business

• Monthly business start up course
• Free to residents in Medway for Pre-starts
• Out of Area people may attend for a £60 fee

Follow the link to the KICC events page and select the month you wish to attend. Click the event and register.

• Peer-to-peer networking programme for SME leaders that want to grow and develop their business.
• Businesses operating >1year
• Registered at companies house
• Any sector

Follow the link for more details and to register your interest

• 12 hours of One to one support to develop growth/recovery plan
• Registered at companies house
• Any sector

Follow the link for more information and to sign up for the programme

Follow the link to application page and sign up for the 12 week programme.

Follow the link to application page and sign up for the 12 month programme.