Aspiring entrepreneurs in the Lancaster district can now take advantage of the Intensive Start-Up Support (ISUS) Programme, a free business support service that offers a combination of start-up advice, coaching support, networking opportunities and workshops.
Leading support organisations from across Lancashire have come together to provide a comprehensive package of assistance, which is designed to give new and pre-start businesses the best possible chance of early success.
Funded by the Northwest Regional Development Agency and the European Regional Development Fund, the Intensive Start-Up Support (ISUS) programme is being delivered locally by Enterprise4All – a not for profit organisation that has been helping entrepreneurs to launch new businesses in and around the area for the last four years.
The programme, which is backed by Lancaster City Council and Lancashire County Council, will run for three years and offers free support to a wide range of eligible businesses and individuals. Those that can benefit from the scheme include – amongst others – women entrepreneurs, the over 50s, people with disabilities, social enterprises, people from minority ethnic communities and anyone currently registered for Job Seekers’ Allowance.
Those seeking assistance from the ISUS programme can request a one-to-one visit from a professional business adviser or they can arrange meetings at the newly refurbished Storey Institute in Lancaster, where Enterprise4All staff will have a satellite office. In either case, would-be business owners can receive help with a wide range of issues – from cash flow, grants and financial control to marketing, training and employment law.
The ISUS programme is the successor to the NWDA’s Business Start-Up initiative, through which Enterprise4All previously helped more than 1200 new firms to start trading. E4All Chief Executive, Ilyas Munshi is therefore confident that the new scheme is based on a winning formula.
“The Intensive Start Up Support programme is designed to give new and potential business owners all the support they could need to achieve sustainable success,” he explains. “If someone has a good business idea, our advisers will help them to develop it, to build a viable business plan and then to set about making their new venture a reality.
“Most of the support is tailored to individual needs. If confidence is an issue, we can organise confidence-building sessions; if skills are an issue, we can host workshops and seminars; if the challenge is to bring a new product to market, we can provide help and advice about things like branding, marketing and copyright protection. We’ve been providing this kind of support for years, so we’ve got a very clear understanding of what new businesses need and how we and our partner organisations can best support them.”
“It is always important to nurture our new and small businesses as key components of a dynamic local economy,” added Councillor Evelyn Archer, Lancaster City Council’s Cabinet Member for the Economy, “but it becomes essential at a time of economic downturn. This service will provide invaluable support to budding entrepreneurs from all walks of life.
“The development of the service is a great example of how the City Council and County Council are working together to support local businesses and I’m delighted that it will be based in the Storey Creative Industries Centre.”
The support is available throughout the district, which encompasses Lancaster, Morecambe, Heysham, Carnforth and surrounding rural areas.
• More information about eligibility and the support that is available can be obtained by calling Carolyn Hayes on 0845 607 0786.
Pictured above: 4All’s ISUS team near the Storey Institute, together with Bill Kindon, Principal Economic Development Officer at Lancaster City Council. Left to Right: Usman Patel, Farzana Khan, Bill Kindon, Rosemina Mohamed, Howard Bentley, Carolyn Hayes