If you have an idea for a business that has a positive impact on people or planet but don't know how to get started, this course is for you.

• Do you live or work in South Bristol and want to make change for your community?
• Would you like to run your own business or start a community project?
• Can you see a gap for support in your community and have an idea of what to do?
• Are you new to the business world and need some support to make sure that you have covered all of your business foundations?

If this is you, then our South Bristol Strong Foundations course is designed just for you.

Our free, virtual programme will bring together new business developers like you, to go through the business foundations you will need to get your social business off to the best start. Over a series of four sessions, we will look at:

• Setting your business moral compass – What kind of business do you want to be?
• Creating your service/product and how to ensure it is what your customer wants and will pay for!
• Business planning – Simplify and demystify the process!
• The Market – Market research, marketing, social media, and communicating effectively with stakeholders.
• Your business form – Covering the legalities, policies and more.

Each session will take place in-person, in Covid safe venues, with options for joining online via Zoom to meet access and inclusion needs. Course numbers are often small and applicants will receive a phone call a week before courses are due to start.

Expert sessions: experts in their field will run interactive workshops with you on business planning, market research and costing and pricing with time included to apply the learning and theory to your project idea.

Witness sessions: experienced social business leaders tell their story – warts and all – with the chance for you to ask questions and hear real-life accounts of what did and didn’t work.

Group sessions: make the most of the experience and knowledge in the room. Having a group of social entrepreneurs in the same boat, in the same room, is a great opportunity to share and support each other.

Who can apply?

To be eligible for a place on the South Bristol Strong Foundations course, you need to be:

• In the early stages of setting up a business that will make a difference (established social enterprises wanting to grow should check out our South Bristol Next Steps to Success course.)
• Currently living in or planning to work in the South Bristol region.
• Able to attend all of the sessions – please check you can make the dates.