Calling all entrepreneurs! Liverpool Central Library holds its first Start Up Day jam-packed with advice

Got a great business idea? Need some advice on getting started? Don’t miss this opportunity to take that all important first step.

Liverpool Central Library’s Business & IP Centre will hold its first Start-up Day this Thursday, 21st September, as part of a national drive to celebrate the country’s next generation of entrepreneurs. The day will be jam-packed with free workshops, talks and events at the library to equip budding business owners with the tools to turn their start-up dreams into reality.

Guest Speakers from Home Baked will be at the event.

Councillor Gary Millar, Liverpool’s Mayoral Lead for Business and International Growth, will launch the day at 10am and events will continue until 6pm.  All activities are free and open to everyone. Speakers in Liverpool include staff from the Homebaked co-operative bakery, Garth Dallas (owner of Dallas Legal), Nicola Wass, (founder and CEO of So-Mo), Jo Harrop (founder of PLACED) and Barrington Powell (professional magician and compere).  Trainers from The Women’s Organisation will also host an Enterprise Hub start-up conference as the day’s opening event.

Image Credit: Blackpool unlimited

Google Digital Garage will be visiting Liverpool Central Library for the first time, to advise aspiring entrepreneurs how to maximise their online impact in today’s digital age. Practical workshops will guide attendees on how to protect their idea, write a business plan, develop a marketing strategy and utilise the library’s up-to-the-minute company information and market research databases.

The national network of Business & IP Centres in public libraries be holding similar events across the country on Thursday.  They will open their doors to over 2,000 aspiring entrepreneurs keen to hear from a stellar line-up of seasoned business experts who’ll be sharing their know-how and insider tips.  These events are also supported nationally by Virgin StartUp, providing funding advice.

Image Credit: Visit Liverpool Facebook

Assistant Mayor, Cllr Millar, who with the help of several volunteer mentors, runs a regular free business advice clinic in the Business & IP Centre, said: “This is a great opportunity for people interested in starting their own business to find out more about how to go about it from people who’ve been there and done it.

“I’ve felt the pain, excitement and satisfaction of setting up a business, and I always did better when I sought out help from those who’d faced similar hiccups, problems and opportunities. The Business & IP Centre is a great asset to the city, offering small business advice, support and free business resources available to anyone who wants to use it. Their collection of business databases and publications, as well as a great number of workshops, advice sessions and other events is absolutely invaluable and a brilliant resource for any business person.”

Isabel Oswell, Head of Business & Research Audiences at the British Library, said “Following the success of our inaugural Start-up Day last year, we’re delighted to launch another inspiring and informative day of events in city libraries across the country with some of the industry’s key ‘movers and shakers’. For those people out there who have a business idea but aren’t sure what steps to take next, Start-up Day is a great place to begin”.

The initiative also has the backing of Margot James, Small Business Minister, who’ll be delivering a keynote address as part of the British Library programme, said: “We want to make sure Britain is the best place in the world to start and grow a business, and initiatives like the British Library’s Start-up Day help make this happen. This is an exciting time in the UK to build a business and it is particularly pleasing to see ever more women and people from ethnic minority backgrounds gaining the confidence, skills and know-how to turn their ideas into successful businesses.”

Research indicates that businesses who start up a business with the support of the Business & IP Centre network have a far greater chance of being successful. Currently in the UK over 60 per cent of businesses fail within the first three years of trading, but a recent independent evaluation has showed that 90 per cent of businesses that started up with the help of the Centre were still trading after year three.

Ronan Harris, Google UK&I Managing Director, said: “’In the digital age, a basic understanding of how the online world works is useful; and when it comes to new business, it’s essential. We are delighted to collaborate with the British Library and bring our Google Digital Garage experts to 11 locations to ensure every entrepreneur has the digital skills needed to grow their business or launch the next big idea.”

Andrew Hutchison, Head of Strategy, Virgin StartUp, said: “Virgin StartUp has now supported over 1,900 entrepreneurs across the UK, we’ve experienced firsthand the levels or work and commitment startups have to put into their business during their infancy years. We’re proud to be one of the startup community voices supporting the British Library with this event, the agenda is crammed with everything we know a startup will need. I’m delighted we’ve got several of our inspirational Virgin StartUp entrepreneurs down to tell their story and share their lessons.”

Have you got a success story to share? We want to hear your advice for those just starting out! Tweet us your top do’s and don’ts for getting started in business, @TheGuideLpool or email us info@theguideliverpool.com and we’ll share the best on our socials.