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How to Start a Business in Worcestershire

Free start-up resources and useful local contacts.

Improve your chances of success!

How to Start a Business in Worcestershire

Starting a business in Worcestershire

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

Start Your Own Business in Worcestershire 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 Worcestershire

Local help for startups

There is plenty of help for startups in Worcestershire but where can it be found?

Select classification:

If you're considering starting a business in Worcestershire, England, you're choosing a region renowned for its beautiful countryside, vibrant communities, and strong business networks.

Located in the West Midlands, Worcestershire offers a mix of urban and rural areas, creating a diverse and dynamic environment for entrepreneurs and business owners.

Demographics
  • Worcestershire has a population of approximately 590,000 people, providing a significant customer base for businesses across various sectors.
  • The county is known for its thriving business scene, with a mix of traditional industries and emerging sectors driving economic growth.
Major Towns and Cities
  • Worcester : The county's historic cathedral city, Worcester, is a bustling hub with a vibrant retail sector, tourism opportunities, and a growing digital and creative industry.
  • Kidderminster : Known for its manufacturing heritage, Kidderminster offers opportunities in sectors such as engineering, textiles, and advanced manufacturing.
  • Redditch : With a strong manufacturing and engineering presence, Redditch is home to various industrial estates and technology parks, attracting businesses from a range of sectors.
  • Malvern : Nestled at the foot of the Malvern Hills, Malvern is known for its technology and innovation, with a thriving cluster of tech companies and research institutions.
Local Authorities

Local authorities can help you understand the business landscape and provide access to useful resources. They are responsible for numerous business related subjects such as health & safety, planning, business rates, and often have a department dedicated to economic development.

  • Worcestershire County Council : The local authority responsible for providing a range of services and support to businesses operating within Worcestershire.
  • Worcester City Council : Offers support, advice, and resources for businesses located in Worcester, including access to funding, networking events, and economic development initiatives.
  • Redditch Borough Council : Provides assistance and information for businesses within the Redditch area, including business rates, licensing, and commercial property.
  • Malvern Hills District Council : Offers business support services, networking opportunities, and access to funding for companies based in the Malvern area.
Business Support Organisations

In addition to the local authorities, various business support organisations can provide valuable guidance and resources. Consider exploring the following:

Conclusion

Worcestershire, England, presents a compelling landscape for entrepreneurs and business owners seeking to establish or expand their ventures. With a diverse population, vibrant towns and cities, and a range of business support services offered by local authorities and organisations, the county offers a supportive environment for success. By tapping into the resources, networking opportunities, and funding available, you can navigate the path to business growth and contribute to Worcestershire's thriving economy. Take advantage of the region's unique offerings and make your entrepreneurial dreams a reality in beautiful Worcestershire.

Local partners

We are happy to promote anyone who is prepared to offer friendly support to local start-ups.

Our local partners have been kind enough to help us and are keen to help you too.

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!

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.

Latest articles

You don't know what you don't know!

The prospect of starting a new business can be incredibly exciting but should be approached with care. You have probably heard scary stories about how many start-ups fail in the early stages. You can make sure that you are not one of them by learning as much as possible before you launch. Over the years, we have collected lots of articles which will show you what has worked well for other start-ups and the putfalls to avoid.

Free Startup Guide

Start Your Own Business in 2021

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 Worcestershire

Key Contacts in Worcestershire

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

Worcestershire 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

Vertis Accounting
We are a small member firm of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales. We work with new businesses in Worcestershire and surrounding counties providing guidance and advice in all accounting and taxation matters. Company Formations - Sole Trader & Partnership Accounts - Limited Company Accounts – Payroll - VAT Returns - Income & Corporation Tax Returns - Accounting Software We pride ourselves on being friendly and approachable and have a keen focus on using plain English. We will guide you through the entire start-up process helping you to build solid financial foundations to aid your future success. We specialise in implementing and supporting cloud accounting software and related applications. We are proud Silver Champion Partners of Xero. Xero, used by more than 650,000 UK businesses, is an essential low cost tool delivering user-friendly financial control, insight, visibility and a paperless accounting function saving business owners time, effort and money. Our clients benefit from fixed monthly fees and unlimited advice and support throughout the year. We never issue surprise bills. Please call us for a free no obligation discussion.
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Coaching

Rob Owens Coaching
I work with busy, motivated business leaders who are realising they need to spend time working ON their business – not just IN it. Over the last 15 years, I have developed my coaching skillset to empower individuals and teams to manage significant change, both professionally and personally. Utilising DISC; I am able to train individuals and organisations to build better, more effective teams – reducing conflict, improving communication and growing productivity.
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Web design

Malvern365
Malvern365 has developed over the past 8 years into a design and ideas centre for small to medium businesses and start-ups. We primarily design bespoke websites, concentrating on the visuals to give you the edge over your competition. We believe your branding is key no matter how small your business is. With over 30 years experience in Media & Marketing at Director level we are confident and innovative in our approach. Living in such a beautiful natural area gives us space to produce design work that is not only inspirational but also commercially viable. We enjoy working in The Malvern Hills and it shows in the projects we are proud to have been involved with. We are centrally based although our clients are based all over the UK. Our websites are focused and affordable. Our Print Work is eye catching and effective. Our stationery and branding stands out from the crowd. We also work with an amazing local photographer to give you that professional finish. Visit our website malvern365.co.uk for examples of our work or email us at design@malvern365.co.uk
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Design

Blackberry Design
Blackberry are a creative design agency based in Redditch, Worcestershire. We can help promote your business by utilising our talented team's expertise in graphic design, print design, web design and development, print management, search and social, copywriting, photography and retouching. Get in touch with Anthony @ Blackberry Design today to find out more about our service offering and how we can work together to promote your business in Worcestershire, the West Midlands and beyond.
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Accountancy

Paul Alton Chartered Accountants
Paul Alton, the principal of the practice specialises in translating tax into English and helping individuals and businesses cut their tax bills.
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Accountancy

TLA Business Services
TLA Business Services is no ordinary accountancy practice. If you just want someone to do the books and tell you how much tax to pay, there are plenty to choose from. We could even recommend one to you. But if you want an accountant who will make a real difference to your business, we should talk. Our bottom line is that we love working with small businesses with ambitions to grow, and we are passionate about building your bottom line.
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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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Advice

Worcestershire LEP (Local Enterprise Partnership)
Worcestershire LEPs task is to shape the best business environment for the county, stimulate growth of the local economy, encourage inward investment, boost enterprise and job creation, and actively promote Worcestershire as an exceptional place to work, live and prosper.
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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