South Tyneside residents can receive advice on starting their own business

TEDCO Business Support are giving residents in South Tyneside the opportunity to prepare to start their own business by learning what it takes to go self-employed.

Hosted in the form of an online session, the “Ready to Start Your Own Business? The How To Workshop” is designed to help local residents find out more.

The session will be of particular relevance to those who are currently unemployed, facing redundancy, looking to supplement their salary or set up a company outright.

It is being delivered by TEDCO Business Support, on behalf of South Tyneside Council, as part of the Start Up South Tyneside programme, which is Government funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Mark Johnson, TEDCO Business Advisor, has highlighted that the workshop will aim to make going self-employed less intimidating.

He said: “People are often put off going self-employed or starting a business because they are concerned about things like tax returns, insurance and cashflow forecasting.

“But our “How To Workshop” is designed to help people understand that these matters shouldn’t be a barrier to becoming your own boss.

“Being self-employed shouldn’t be intimidating and it can actually be a liberating experience.

“Start Up South Tyneside isn’t just for those people looking to start a limited company.

“It’s equally valuable for those looking to set up a side hustle or earn some extra income in addition to their current role.”

Councillor Margaret Meling, Lead Member for Economic Growth and Transport at South Tyneside Council, is urging anyone who is thinking about starting their own business to get involved.

Cllr Meling added: “Connecting residents to jobs is one of our ambitions and this free programme is a great opportunity for anyone thinking of going into business – even if they just have the seed of an idea.

“It might just help them understand exactly what it takes to be self-employed or it could help give them the knowledge and confidence to take the plunge and go it alone.”

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The online workshop will cover topics such as “how to choose the right legal structure for a business, “how to register a business” and “how to fulfil your legal obligations as a business owner”.

Anyone who attends the workshop will also be enroled on the Start Up South Tyneside programme will gain access to a range of other services and sessions.

These include face-to-face events, one-to-one advisor support, mentoring and more.