The Department of Economic Development is running a seminar on its Small Business Start Up Scheme (SBSUS) for anyone interested in setting up their own business. This will also coincide with the Scheme’s 100th course since its inception in 1996.
The seminar is being held at 5.30pm on Wednesday 10th September at The Forum, Mount Havelock, Douglas and anyone over the age of 18 who is interested in starting a business is encouraged to attend.
Past participants on the SBSUS have gone on to run a variety of successful businesses across a broad range of sectors and industries including tourism, electrical contracting, photography, landscape gardening, retail, catering and aircraft surveying. Over the past 12 months 61 new businesses have been set up by people who had participated on the Scheme, helping generate further employment opportunities in the economy.
Minister for Economic Development Laurence Skelly MHK said:
‘One of the Government’s Vision2020 strategic themes is Enterprise Island and the seminar and the Scheme itself are supportive of this ambition by providing free support for developing entrepreneurship and enterprise.
‘The Small Business Start Up Scheme is one of the Department’s success stories. This success can be demonstrated by the fact that a significant majority of people who undertake the course and decide to start their own business are still in business 18 months later, supported by continuing mentorship and advisory support.’
The purpose of the seminar is to give people considering starting their own business some background information to the Small Business Start-Up Scheme and an overview of what’s involved. From there they can determine whether they wish to pursue their business idea and either become a participant on the Scheme or follow another path.
The Minister continued:
‘Past participants, Carl Underwood of Laser Mayhem and Andy Turner of Isle of Man Trike Tours, will be talking about their very positive experiences of the Scheme at the seminar so I would encourage anyone interested in setting up their own business to come along.’
The Scheme was initiated in 1996 with a total of only 20 clients in its first year. This has now grown to around 200 clients being trained per year. The main purpose of the scheme is to help foster local enterprise and to assist in the creation and growth of viable, high quality businesses operating in any business sector.
Anybody interested in attending the seminar can reserve a place by contacting Laura Quinn on 01624 682326 or at laura.quinn@gov.im.
Photo - Andy Turner of IOM Trike Tours, who is among the speakers at the seminar and a past participant on the Scheme.
