What We Do

Start Your Own Business

Do you have an idea for a business?

Our Enterprise Officer is dedicated to helping people start their own businesses. We support you from the very beginning right through the first two years of self-employment with:

One-to-one meetings to discuss your idea and next steps
Start Your Own Business Course
Funding applications for Back to Work Enterprise Allowance
Skills Workshops and Training
Business coaching and Mentoring

How do we help?

Your idea can be at any stage of development. We are happy to listen to you and make a plan. One-to-one sessions chart a path between where your idea is now to it becoming a fully-fledged business.

We run start your own business courses all year. The course is designed for beginners to understand what is involved in running a business. Don’t feel like you need to know everything to join because we start at the beginning. We cover business planning, sales, marketing, bookkeeping, taxes and more.

Start Your Own Business Course Ballyfermot (5)

The Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA) is a social welfare scheme that allows you to keep a payment while you start the business. It lasts for two years and gives you financial security. Our Enterprise Officer will support you in making an application. If you are on Jobseekers Allowance or another qualifying payment for 9 months or more, you could be eligible.

Learn more about the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance

Challenges come up during the lifetime of the business, so we run courses to help you solve them. Our workshops cover marketing, sales, pricing, taxes, bookkeeping and more.

Not every business challenge can be solved in a class setting. Sometimes, you need to sit down one-to-one with someone. We have a panel of business experts who can help you work through problems. If you are struggling with something in the business, reach out and we can offer time with an expert.

What do clients have to say

The Enterprise Officer was so helpful and guided me through the process of setting up my own business. I completed a ‘Start Your Own Business Course’, along with a Bookkeeping Course and other modules. I also completed all my HACCP Training. He is always on the other end of the line whenever I need him and checks in with me often.

- Sylvia

Thanks so much for such a profound, productive, full of useful tips and brilliant humor, seminar!!! I feel really excited and equipped to start my own business!

- Lucy