PRESS RELEASE

6 October 2009

UNLOCKING THE NEXT GENERATION OF TALENT

Just one in 10 people aged 16 to 24 years old who consider starting a business actually take the plunge.

Business Link is urging young people to think creatively about the opportunities available to them, particularly with the tough job market and increasing competition for university places.

Research from Make Your Mark, the national campaign to increase entrepreneurial behaviour in young people, showed that 5% of those sampled have started their own business – yet a massive 51% have considered, but not attempted to set up their own business.

Imran Hakim, serial entrepreneur, Make Your Mark ambassador and founder of iTeddy from BBC2’s Dragon’s Den, advocates support for young entrepreneurs. He started a business when he was 15 with a £2,000 loan from his father.

He commented: “You are almost never too young to start a business. Richard Branson, Alan Sugar and numerous others all started young. Now more than ever our economy needs young entrepreneurs and we need to support them with guidance to help transform their ideas into success stories.”

Business Link’s Jason Martin added: “Starting a new business can seem daunting, particularly when you’re young, but research shows that a business that uses professional external advice is more likely to succeed – and this is where Business Link can help. Business Link can help with anything from developing and exploiting initial ideas, to researching the marketing and writing a business plan. Business Link can also direct young entrepreneurs to organisations that provide support and finance specifically to the under 30s.

“A great place to begin is the Business Start Up Organiser, which is available at www.businesslink.gov.uk/southeast/startuporganiser. It’s a fantastic, free online guide that enables young people to analyse the potential of their ideas and plan the next steps.”

Business Link offers authoritative, impartial advice through the helpline, workshops, and through interactive online resources, downloadable guides and podcasts.  Budding entrepreneurs who want to know if starting a business is right for them should call 0845 600 9 006 or visit www.businesslink.gov.uk/southeast.
ENDS
For more media information, please contact:
Rachel Knight or Richard Coleman
Maxim
01892 513033
rachel@maxim-pr.co.uk or richard@maxim-pr.co.uk

Notes to editors
*The Make Your Mark survey of 16-30 year olds was commissioned in May 2009 and looked at how many young people had started businesses.

Business Link in Kent provides the information, advice and support businesses need to start, maintain and grow a business. It exists to help anyone thinking of starting a business; to help small and medium-sized businesses to grow and to help businesses deal with problems, challenges and opportunities. Over the last year Business Link in Kent provided support to over 4,000 people considering starting a business and to 1,500 who actually started. Over 20,000 businesses were assisted with general information and advice with more than 2,500 being assisted in depth by a Business Link adviser. 

The Business Link service in Kent and Medway is delivered by Business Support Kent Community Interest Company.
 
SEEDA is the Government funded agency responsible for the sustainable economic development and regeneration of the South East of England – the driving force of the UK’s economy. Our aim is to create a prosperous, dynamic and inspirational region by helping businesses compete more effectively, training a highly skilled workforce, supporting and enabling our communities while safeguarding our natural resources and cherishing our rich cultural heritage.

About Make Your Mark
The Make your Mark campaign is run by Enterprise Insight, the national charity to give people in the UK the confidence, skills and ambition to be enterprising - to have ideas and make them happen. It was founded by the four leading UK business membership organisations – the British Chambers of Commerce, the Confederation of British Industry, the Federation of Small Businesses and the Institute of Directors. It is supported by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and endorsed by the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown. Enterprise Insight also runs Global Entrepreneurship Week, which runs again from 16-22 November 2009. www.makeyourmark.org.uk For more information on starting a business, you can also visit the FlyingStart website, a website dedicated to helping graduates and students start up their own business - www.flyingstartonline.co.uk