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How to Start a Business in Oakham

Free start-up resources and useful local contacts.

Improve your chances of success!

How to Start a Business in Oakham

Starting a business in Oakham

If you are thinking about starting a business in Oakham or would like to grow your existing business, we would love to help you.

Start Your Own Business in Oakham contains resources and the information that will help give your venture the best chance of success. It also highlights organisations who offer friendly advice and the services that you are likely to need as a new startup or local business owner.

Grants | Networking groups | Business advice | Mentoring | Co-working spaces

Starting a business in Oakham

Free Startup Resources

Getting it right from the start can help to prevent problems later.

To help you with this we have created a vast selection of resources and they are all completely free!

Starting a Business in in Oakham

Business advice and support

"Two heads are better than one."

Whether you have been trading for some time, are new to the market or are just thinking about starting a business of your own, it has been proven that your chances of success are considerably improved if you seek support from an experienced business advisor or mentor. You can find out more about both options at Business Advice in Oakham and Business Mentors in Oakham.

Funding and grants

Running out of money is one the most common reasons why businesses fail. This risk of this happening to can be avoided (or minimised) by careful planning and cashflow forecasting. If you need additional funds to start or keep your business going, you can learn more about your options and download our free funding factsheet at: Oakham Business Grants and Business Funding

Business networking

Does the idea of business networking fill you with delight or dread? Either way, it can be beneficial for both your business and you as an entrepreneur. See Business Networking in Oakham for details of local groups and our free Networking Factsheet.

Business premises

Working from home is appealing to many new business owners but not practical for many others. Even if you are running a business by yourself, you might like to consider the option of 'hot desking' or co-working in one of the many flexi-workspaces that have emerged in recent years. Find out more at: Oakham Co-Working and Business Premises.

Finding new customers

Paying customers are the lifeblood of any business. Knowing how to find, satisfy and retain them is vitally important and best achieved with the help of experts in the field.

Accountancy, tax and law

While starting a new business is very exciting, this should not disguide the fact that there are some very important legal responsibilities that must be considered. See: Bookkeeping, Accountancy, Financial Planning and Law

FREE startup workshops

If you are thinking about starting a business, our FREE three-hour ONLINE workshop is definitely for you!

Open to everyone, our sole aim is to increase your chances of success. We do that by explaining:

The reality of running a business; the most common pitfalls and how to avoid them; which legal status is likely to be most suitable; funding, grants and managing your money; business planning and cashflow forecasting; finding and keeping customers.

Free startup guide

Start Your Own Business in Rutland

Download the 2024 edition of our Free Start Your Own Business guide

An interactive step-by-step guide which also includes all of the most important subjects covered in an easy-to-read way with links to useful online articles and relevant contacts.

The idea of starting your own business can be incredibly exciting and who can blame you for being tempted?

However, the sad truth is that far too many new enterprises fail in the early stages. Our aim is to make sure that you don’t become one of them.

This guide explains the key start-up subjects in simple English.

There is also plenty of help available in the area and much of it is free - please do make the most of it.

Read more about what our Free guide contains and how you can download it.
Starting a business in Oakham

Key Contacts in Oakham

'You don't know what you don't know' is a phrase that is so applicable to starting a new business.

Oakham is a great place for start-ups but your chances of success are dramatically improved if you make the most of the support that is available locally. Click on logos to visit their websites.

Accountancy

Pro Active Resolutions
Running a business is both exciting and challenging. Your journey to success won’t be in a straight line. At times there will be diversions and bumps in the road. Supporting businesses of all sizes is what we do. With a helping hand from us you will achieve success. We love working with small to medium-sized businesses (SMEs) who are looking to grow. We’ll help you deal with the demands you will have to face and help guide you on the right track. Want to: - Know how much profit you’re making? - Make more money? - Manage your cashflow better? - Make your business dream come true? Then we’re the accountants for you. Contact us and arrange a relaxed, no-obligation chat 0116 2247122 Save time, money and stress- Call us today
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Marketing

Discover Rutland
Discover Rutland contains a wealth of information about the county. As well as information for tourists and residents, it does have a section about local business.
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Online Marketing

DLZ Design
We are a full service creative marketing agency Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire, but what does that mean? We can help your business with a marketing package to give you the biggest “bang for your buck”. In other words, we help businesses with everything from logo design and branding, right up to full marketing packages which include brand development, digital and print design, social media management and most importantly of all, web design & SEO. We create high quality, money making websites, from our web design agency in Ashby de la Zouch, near Leicester. Results driven marketing, tech support, and full service marketing packages at affordable, small business prices! If you are looking for web design in Ashby de la Zouch, Leicester, or anywhere else, let us help you to meet your targets and create a website to blow away your competitors!
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Networking

Rutland Business Group
A Business Network for Rutland and surrounding areas. The networking group for local business people by local business people. Don't miss this opportunity to gain more business and make more contacts with Other Rutland business owners. Ensure your place at the next networking meeting now. Email ben@rutlandbusiness.co.uk or complete the form on the website.
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Grants

Grants and Funding in Rutland
Rutland County Council's website contains a section dedicated to grants and funding. It contains relevant information and links.
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Online Marketing

Donna Townsend VA
As a Virtual Assistant my business helps to support small business and entrepreneurs with marketing and social media support.
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Networking

Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce
Rutland County Council is part of the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP). This is a boost for businesses in Rutland, which can now access services and resources offered by the Greater Lincolnshire LEP and its Business Lincolnshire Growth Hub. Rutland was a founder member of the Greater Peterborough Greater Cambridgeshire Local Enterprise Partnership, which morphed into a Business Board run by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority. Now Rutland has decided to join the Greater Lincolnshire LEP, with which it has a close alignment in terms of its rural economy, its market towns and the importance of sectors such as agriculture, tourism and food and drink.
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Web design

Hinckley Web Design & IT Services
Hinckley Web Design & IT Services - offering a range of IT & Website Services for Local Small Businesses & Home Users. No Contracts just simple Pay As You Go IT Support. Website Diagnostics, Web Design, SEO Maintenance, PC. IT & Network Troubleshooting. Prompt, Polite & Professional. Here are just some of the affordable services offered Web Design.SEO.PC.Network.Troubleshooting Virus.Malware and Spyware Removal Software Installation Hardware Installation Wireless.Wired Networking System Upgrades.Updates Data Backup Data Recovery Remote Support Web Design Web Hosting Logo Creation Social Media Marketing Advice Paid Advertising Campaigns Keyword Research advice
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Advice

Rutland County Council Business Support
You can find information about local business support on Rutland County Council's website. It contains links to: Updates for businesses - keep up to date with the latest news for businesses in Rutland from the economic development team and the Lincolnshire Growth Hub. Employment and skills - get the skills you need to help your business grow, from vocational training courses to apprenticeships. Help your business grow - here to get information, advice and support to help you grow your business in Rutland. Grants and funding - there are many funding opportunities available to help businesses to get started and to grow.
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Marketing

The Collective One
We provide a full-circle marketing and advertising offering and work collaboratively with you to craft solutions that align to your goals and budgets. You only need one purpose, one vision, one dream, and one team, to become number one The Collective One.
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Networking

The Lonely Middle Club - From Startup Hive
Starting a business is exciting, and succeeding is rewarding, but what about the bit between? You know, that bit that’s full of self-doubt, endless repetition and feelings of being out of your comfort zone? We call it ‘The Lonely Middle’ and it’s one of the hardest parts of creating a successful business. We know, we’ve been there. So, we created The Lonely Middle Club to help you through it. Each month you get exclusive content to help give you the knowledge and inspiration to succeed. Plus, you get access to a private members-only Facebook group where you can get advice and network with small business owners who are going through similar challenges to you. If you want even more, you can download our 51 worksheets, guides, and journals all designed to do one thing, and one thing only… help you get through ‘The Lonely Middle’ and achieve your business goals. Visit our website today to join the club and benefit from our members price lock and full no questions asked money-back guarantee.
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Networking

FSB Leicestershire, Northamptonshire & Rutland
FSB Leicestershire, Northamptonshire & Rutland is the local branch of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). It was formed in 1974 as the National Federation of Self Employed and represents the interests of small and medium-sized businesses locally and nationally. They offer a great package tailored to your needs if you are thinking about starting a business in the area. Contact: Maxine Aldred OBE Development Manager Maxine.Aldred@fsb.org.uk
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Start-up articles

100's of free startup articles

We have created a collection of 100s of startup articles to help anyone with whatever stage they are on with their business journey. Hundreds of thousands of people have gone before you and we can learn from what they got right and avoid the things that have been proved not to work so well.

You can see the full list of 'articles' at: How to start a business