Business Initiative

Business Initiative

Business support organisation giving advice and training for anyone considering self-employment or for existing businesses in their first year of trading.  We offer business Awareness sessions and one-to-one support for all pre-start clients, followed by access to a short course either daytime or evening every month to help put together a business plan.  For certain clients we run an NVQ 3 in Starting a new Enterprise.

Our OCR centre offers Leadership and Management NVQs and Customer Service Level 2 and 3.

We operate a European programme: 'Be Your Own Boss' with a training maual for hard to reach groups available in different languages and can access European partners for collaborations abroad

We have 2 managed workspace centres operating on monthly licences, one offering industrial with units from 750-1500 sq ft, and one offering studios from 350 sq ft, both in Stoke on Trent, including training suites which can be hired and have on-site support.  We have two small grant programmes for the Stoke area, one being a Citywide grant scheme of up to £1,500 for anyone paying their rates to Stoke on Trent City Council and starting a business, and one offering up to £5,000 for existing businesses in Stoke on Trent taking on an employee.

We are able to offer the services of a specialist BME advisor and support for BME businesses, and hold advice sessions every week in Leek and every fortnight in Cheadle and Biddulph to suppoer Rural businesses.  We also have outreach support for rural businesses in the Peak area of Staffordshire Moorlands.

We also have designated women advisors and outreach support through the local JET centres.