Striding Out has identified a number of online resources For Exploring Ideas, Researching and Idea, Developing or Fine-Tuning a Business Plan, Finding Finance, Developing Your Business Skills and Knowledge and Planning for Growth
Exploring Ideas
Planning a Business
- Business Planning Support
- Market Research Resources and Business/Industry Profiles
- Company Formation and Government Sites
Business Launch
- Additional Business Advice
- Find a Business Mentor
- Other Business Networks and Forums
- Find Childcare Support
- Getting Your Business Online
Business Growth
Exploring Ideas
Inspirational Case Studies
Learn From People Who've Been There And Done That!
- Freshminds
- Ebony Bailey
- Alice Bowe � English Landscape and Garden Design
- Bespoke Experience
- Antenna Studios
- Halos and Horns
- Equa Clothing
- Travel Roots and Blue Ventures
Business Idea Resources
- Be inspired by some of the greatest ideas coming on the market across the world...
www.springwise.co.uk - Keep pace with the latest consumer interests...
www.trendspotters.co.uk - Keep up with the coolest places, products and services around the globe with...www.coolhunter.net
- Find out more about finding your authentic business idea...
www.authenticbusiness.co.uk - Find inspiration with this service providing a new small business idea every month...
www.thelightbulbfactor.com - Be inspired with an idea a day...
www.idea-a-day.co.uk
Confidentiality Agreements
- Company Wizard:
www.company-wizard.co.uk
Planning a Business
Business Planning Support
- An Essential Resource which provides access to over 800 reports and guides to help research a business idea or market, write a business plan, start up a small business.
- Biz Plans offer a range of resources for creating a well prepared business plan, including a business plan wizard and cash-flow wizard.
www.bizplans.co.uk - An easy way to create successful business plans, developed by professionals for use across all industry sectors for today's businesses.
www.bizplanwizard.co.uk - Business Link, will be able to put you in touch with your local business support agency, and a local business adviser.
www.businesslink.gov.uk
Market Research Resources - Business/ Industry Profiles
- An Essential Resource which provides access to over 800 reports and guides to help research a business idea or market, write a business plan, start up a small business.
- Census Info:
www.statistics.gov.uk - Census Archive:
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk - Off the Shelf Reports:
www.datadepot.co.uk - Datasets:
www.caci.co.uk - Datasets & Reports:
www.business-strategies.co.uk (Experian) - UK Roll. Offers UK electoral roll searches and reports.
www.tracesmart.co.uk - Fresh Minds is a research company providing companies with fast and accurate market research and analysis, carried out by their bank of Minds, a collection of graduates, MBAs and PhDs from Europe's top universities.
www.freshminds.co.uk - NOP Research Group is part of NOP World, one of the world's largest market research and business information companies, offering both custom and syndicated research.
www.nop.co.uk - FreePint is a network of 66796 information researchers globally. Post your tricky research questions or sign up for newsletters.
www.freepint.com - Specialist online publishers of market information reports, all of which are listed on the site along with details of additional services they offer.
www.keynote.co.uk - MORI - Market & Opinion Research International - One of the largest agencies in the UK and well known for their widely published polls. Expansive site detailing all of their operations. Also offer a free weekly email; 'MORI Poll Digest'.
www.mori.com - Nua Internet Surveys - Authoritative and widely cited source for Internet statistics covering a wide range of topics with a strong global focus.
www.nua.ie - Updated daily and based on stats from over 65,000 sites. Everything from search engines, browsers to screen resolutions, ISPs.
www.statmarket.com
Company Formation and Government Sites
- Company Wizard specialises in Company Formation Support.
www.company-wizard.co.uk - Department of Trade & Industry.
www.dti.gov.uk - The Inland Revenue - for tax information and forms.
www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk - HM Customs & Excise - for VAT information.
www.hmce.gov.uk - Companies House for information about all registered companies and what you need to know as a limited company.
www.companieshouse.gov.uk - Trade Mark and Patent Registrar.
www.patent.gov.uk - Own-it.org: Protect your brand identity and intellectual property. Own-it.org offers free advice, events and information on copyright, trademarks, patents and licensing.
www.own-it.org - Company Formation.
Offers same day UK Company Registration Services.
Business Launch
Additional Business Advice
- An Essential Resource which provides access to over 800 reports and guides to help research a business idea or market, write a business plan, start up a small business
- Local Enterprise Agencies offer advice and support to small businesses in your local area
www.smallbusinessadvice.org.uk - Government support and advice to small businesses
www.businesslink.gov.uk - Better Business Magazine. Resources for microbusinesses, entrepreneurs and freelancers
www.better-business.co.uk - Small Business Journey
www.smallbusinessjourney.com - Social Enterprise Information
www.socialenterprise.org.uk - British Library, Business and IP Centre
www.bl.uk/bipc - Bytestart. Small Business Advice - How to set up and run a small business in the UK
www.bytestart.co.uk - The Media Trust. Media matching service for the voluntary sector.
www.mediatrust.org - Credit Expert - Free Experian Credit Report.
Credit Report
Find A Business Mentor
- Business Volunteer Mentor Programme
www.bvm.org.uk - Wisdom Mentor Bank
www.wisdombank.co.uk
Other Business Networks And Forums
Networks are a great way, not only to share, chat and learn, but you can find web designers, web copywriters, graphic designers and other suppliers within the networks you join.
Striding Out Network - our very own network of young entrepreneurs to chat, share, inspire and collaborate with. Join the network and read/post on the forum.
- Soflow.com
www.soflow.com - UK Business Forums
www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk - Shell-Livewire.org
www.shell-livewire.org - Trade Association Forum
http://www.taforum.org - Aurora Women's Network - Europe's leading corporate and entrepreneurial women's network
www.busygirl.com - Social Enterprise Network
www.can-online.org.uk - Common Purpose gives leaders the inspiration, the knowledge and the connections they need to produce real change. Learn more about their leadership development programmes on
www.commonpurpose.org.uk
Find Childcare Support
- Best Bear Childcare is recommended by WHICH? for its definitive list of recommended childcare agencies and nurseries that pass its rigorous testing criteria.
www.bestbear.co.uk - Women Friendly Business Support Organisations.
www.prowess.org.uk - Nanny Agency London.Nanny agency in London providing nannies, childminders, au pairs, maternity nurses, mothers help and babysitters in London and overseas.
www.nannyagencylondon.co.uk
Getting Your Business Online
- Domain Names and Websites
www.names.co.uk - Domain Name Registration
www.just-the-name.co.uk - Guide to Professional Web Site Design and Development
www.web-source.net - Web Accessibility Initiative
www.w3.org/WAI/ - Printbuyers - A free service providing several printing quotes, from different printing companies, for you to compare.
www.printbuyers.co.uk - Online payment solution comparison tool.
www.electronic-payments.co.uk - XEC Internet's Coonsultants are a specialised domain name consultancy, providing advice and services relating to selecting and securing the right name for your online business.
www.xec.co.uk
Business Growth
Franchising
- Franchising Advice and Support
www.createproject.org.uk - British Franchise Association
www.british-franchise.org.uk
Funding Your Growth
- Searchable database for government and European funding.
www.j4b.co.uk - Provides a searchable database of UK grants, loans and funding schemes
www.grantsnet.co.uk - A-Z of insurance broker websites
www.insurance-brokers.net - Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme
www.dti.gov.uk/sflg - Find Your Ideal Business Partner.Com. Business partner online matchmaking service
www.findyouridealbusinesspartner.com - British Venture Capital Association (BVCA) Official body representing the majority of venture capital and private equity in the UK.
www.bvca.co.uk - National Business Angels Network (NBAN) National service working to achieve introductions between private investors (business angels) and businesses.
www.nationalbusangels.co.uk - JigsawUK- Wiki for UK digital media start-ups, with news about new projects, events and funding and support opportunities
www.jigsawUK.org - Load your business idea onto the profitengine. All business plans generated in the correct format and sent instantly to over 3000 investor contacts, increasing daily.
- Find an investor who adds expertise and brings a network of contacts to your business.
- Acquire funding for your business from investors and business angels.
- Registering your details also means you can receive notifications of interest in your business idea directly to your email address.
Start-Up / Refinance / Expansion
Does your business need investment?
All Business Plans are safely stored behind the security of our firewall and only upon acceptance of our strict terms and conditions can a proposal be viewed by a registered investor.
