My business is an idea

We can help make your dream a reality

While it can be a very exciting time, starting a business remains one of the biggest decisions a person will make in their lifetime.  We will try to help guide you along the way.

Know your abilities

Business owners tend to be hard-working, self motivated, decision makers with a clear focus on their goals and experience in the area they plan to work in.

Know your goals

Realistic and attainable personal and business goals for the short, medium and long-term will help you stay motivated and focused, particularly when tough decisions need to be made. They will be useful when talking to banks and potential investors when seeking finance.

Prepare your business plan

Preparing a business plan is one of the most important tasks you will undertake when setting up your business.  It has many important uses from proving the viability of the business to outlining goals, measuring success and securing funding.  Bear in mind that your business plan is a living document that requires updating as your business develops and grows.

Financing the business

For start-up businesses, there is a rough rule of thumb for finance that the optimum mix for getting your business off the ground is one third equity, one third grant funding and one third bank finance. When approaching a potential investor your business plan is essential in presenting your business and demonstrating the viability of your proposal.

How we can support your business

Every business is different, and each one needs to get the essentials right, like having the right business banking facilities in place, including current accounts for payments and access to finance and cash management services. To help you, we’ve developed the Business banking working for you guide.

Tools

Cashflow planner tool
A financial and budgetary tool to help manage your business cashflow.

Business plan template
Use our business plan template to create your business plan.