
Starting a business
Supporting you from the start.
We understand the challenges of starting up a new business. We’ve brought together a wealth of practical knowledge and comprehensive guides to help you get off to the right start.
Existing customers
Existing Customers
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Financing a sustainable future
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Help and guidance
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Existing customers
Existing Customers
Products
Products
Financing a sustainable future
Specialist finance teams
Cash deposits & liquidity management
Making & Receiving Payments
Online services
Supporting you from the start.
We understand the challenges of starting up a new business. We’ve brought together a wealth of practical knowledge and comprehensive guides to help you get off to the right start.
Is self-employment right for me?
Before you start working for yourself, it's a good idea to consider all the implications of being self-employed, including:
Starting up your own business
When you take the time to plan and prepare your business before starting up, you boost your chances of success. We’ll take you through:
Writing your business plan
You’ll find it helpful to put together a business plan to plot the future of your business – from where you are now, to where you want to be in the future, and how you intend to get there. We take you through:
Understanding your market
It’s essential to understand what your customers want – and what the competition offers. We cover:
Financing a start-up
When starting your own business you may need to find financial help to get it off the ground. See what options are available to you.
Ten steps to start-up success
Take the time to plan and prepare, and your business will be more likely to succeed. Our ten simple steps include:
Finding the right property
The right premises are often a vital part of a successful business. We help you look at the key issues including:
The legal essentials
By understanding, from the outset, the laws that may affect your business, you can save time and money in the long run. We look at the legal basics you’ll need to:
Business mentoring
Could your business benefit from the support of a business mentor? MentorSME, a free online service, enables you to find local independent mentoring organisations.
Open a business account
To open a business account with us, please visit our business accounts page.