Any view on Business Link?

[shoe queen]

This is my first time on a forum but I am thinking about starting a new business (shoes) so thought I'd ask you for some quick advice! I have no idea where to start and someone recommended Business Link. Has anyone heard anything about whether they are any good or got any experience of them - good or bad? Please let me know.

[top-click]

Hi Shoe Queen,

My experience was great - and to be honest you have little to lose - they give advice free and the course/meetings they run are very cheap.

Give them a go!

Welcome to the forum, Rob

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[Rob Holmes]

I found them neutral in the fact that they were almost discouraging when I went into business (mumble-mumble) years ago.

Recently I have been to some cracking networking and business development events so I would recommend speaking with them and getting as much help as they offer!

Rob

[james constant FCCA]

hi

although somebody might talk of vested interest here my experience of Business link, coming from my clients, like almost any Government department nowadays and like anything free, is that the service they give is not that terrific and cannot compete with the private sector service to business owners. That's normal I suppose as they are civil servants, not a business themselves that tries to keep its clients happy by offering a superb service in order to increase its profits. I've had two business plans recently prepared on their guidance returned as inadequate by Banks and I had to take over for the client to get the finance. I am really sorry, I dont want to sound critical or harsh but that's my own indirect experience and I have to share it. I am not claiming by this that all civil service employees are inadequate ans substandard either.

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[Ozzy]

My comments on Business Link are that it dpeends on where you are ! The Northants BusinessLink is fantastic and pro-active. They have been helpful and actively encourage businesses in the area to network and work together.

[Rob Holmes]

true - my comments were about the West Kent Business Link

[top-click]

...mine about wessex business link - it also depends on what level of help you need, if it's basic start up do's and don'ts then they (IMHO) are great - but if you are pulling together a case for funding then you will need extra help - there are no surprises there,...

Shoe Queen wants start up advice (I think?) - and therefore would be wise to get as much free [good] advice as possible.

Rant over <deep breath,.....and back in my box>

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[bitsnstuff]

I am a member of Bromley Chamber of Commerce and they put me in touch with the Business Link, a while ago, as I was struggling to pull everything together on my own. I was in need of an expert opinion and advice on what I was doing. I had a business diagnostic on my first meeting and this helped to clarify everything.

I am currently using their marketing consultant services and although I have received more specific information from this forum, I have found it extremely useful to have another persons opinion and to use her as a sounding board for my ideas. She helps me clarify what I am doing and the order in which to approach everything. Being a one man band with an overabundance of ideas means it is good to have someone on the outside able to rein me in and put everything into perspective.

I have achieved far more since receiving their help as it has given me more motivation now I can see what I am trying to achieve more clearly.

I would highly recommend them.

Kate.

[keirms]

Business Link Hertfordshire have been fantastic to us...

Not only have I attended numerous well run, and free courses on subjects such as marketing, sales, accounts etc., I also have a mentor who I see every once in a while (2 months or so) for an hour just to talk about the business and where it's going.

The best bit about it? It's all FREE!!

[ebonybailey]

North Hampshire is a waste of time, they seem to put you second to there internal rangling, I got no help from them, instead I found online forums like this, soflow, ecademy a much better place to gain advice. Look at it like this, with them you get only one view and it tends to be neutral, and not really about you or your business, where here people can give you opinions, options, and advice on anything and everything, there you have one expert, here you have hundreds all with different areas of expertise, there is nothing there that you wont learn quicker here.

[top-click]

So, pretty mixed opinions then, I guess you will have to try your local one and let us know!

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[FocusZenith]

Nottingham Business Link have been fantastic. They have been there when we've needed them and have provided very useful advice. Good networking events.

I would say Business Link was a good place to start.

[Strategist]

As a business adviser of some 10+ years, some of which was spent in the public sector and, as someone who helped establish Business Link for London in its current form, the answer is, IT DEPENDS!
First of all, if you are seeking advice, be very clear about what help it is you want. True, there can be suspicions about the quality of free (or nearly free) advice but remember that all the publicly funded organisations offering advice still have to pay their staff and contract advisers. Finally, shop around for an adviser. At the end of the day, you want to work with somoen that understands you and your business, can empathise with the issues you have and, most of all, can help you with the issues and perhaps suggest some solutions.
I do nto think that publicly funded business support is perfect. In fact far from it. As it is public money that funds it, it is always going to be target drive as the Treasury wants to see that lots of people have accessed it and that value for money has been obtained. Still, it's there to be had. If you don't like it, pay for it instead!

[Julie]

I agree -- it depends which agency is delivering the service and it also even depends on which business adviser you get.

Some of the advisers have no experience of running a business and frankly are a little lacklustre; some of them have run their own businesses and also have years of experience advising small businesses. My own experience is that we had a superb adviser when we were a 'high-growth' startup (exporting to the US, which I hadn't a clue about) and she was a godsend to us. As Rob says, the networking is a boon. I believe networking is key to building a business and most Business Links offer networking events as part of their services.

The one thing that most people agree on, though, in my experience, is that the Business Link website is really excellent. It is packed with information and has some interesting 'tools' too, such as the one that tells what legislation you need to take into consideration for your particular business sector. (Which can be a bit of a minefield -- and ignorance is no defence!)

If you haven't already, take a look at: http://www.businesslink.gov.uk

(if you want to use the Regulation Checklist, click on 'What applies to me?' and then 'Regulations')

Julie