The next generation of businessmen and women in Mid and East Antrim is being invited to get help to turn their business ideas into tangible business plans.
These could then help in securing funding from banks or other potential investors.
The ‘Go For It’ Business Start-Up programme is being delivered by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council in partnership with Enterprise Northern Ireland and the Local Enterprise network in the council area – Ballymena Business Centre, LEDCOM and Carrickfergus Enterprise.
At the launch event, held at The Braid, Ballymena, the Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Borough, Councillor Audrey Wales MBE said: “The aim of this programme is to help those entrepreneurs put together a business plan to help ‘kick start’ their own business.”
“Ballymena Business Centre, Carrickfergus Enterprise and LEDCOM are locally based ensuring visibility and accessibility across the region in both urban and rural parts of Mid and East Antrim.”
“I am very pleased that Council is delivering this vital service for the many budding entrepreneurs across the Borough,” she added.
Council and its economic partners have over the past year been working on developing an Integrated Economic Strategy for Mid and East Antrim which will focus on driving productivity and economic growth through a number of strategic priorities including Enterprise and Entrepreneurship. The Mid and East Antrim ‘Go for it’ Programme will focus on encouraging and enabling potential entrepreneurs to produce a business plan as one of the key early steps in a journey toward starting a business or setting up social enterprise.
Gordon Gough, Chief Executive of Enterprise Northern Ireland commented: “We are encouraging people with a great business idea to get in touch. We have business advisers who offer bespoke one-to-one mentoring to help bring people’s business ideas to life, with a variety of workshops open to participants”
For further information on the ‘Go For It Business’ Start-Up Programme, call 0800 027 0639 or visit any local enterprise agency.
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