Running your own business could give you the opportunity to:turn a hobby, passion or talent into an incomebe your own bosswork flexibly and independentlydevelop valuable business and employability skillsbuild confidence and experiencecreate something that makes a difference in your communitydevelop a career doing something you enjoy. Self-employment can take many forms, including:freelancingonline businessescreative and digital servicescontent creationtrades and practical servicessocial enterprisesretail and e-commerceconsultancy and specialist services.

Plymouth is home to a growing community of entrepreneurs, start-ups and small businesses. From digital and creative industries to engineering, marine, construction, hospitality, health and social care, and green industries, there are opportunities to develop ideas across many of the city's key sectors. Whether you're exploring your first business idea, testing out a side hustle or preparing to launch a new venture, there is support available at every stage of the journey.

If you're claiming benefits and interested in becoming self-employed, speak to your Work Coach about the support available through the Jobcentre. Your Work Coach may be able to refer you to specialist self-employment support, where you can get advice on:exploring self-employment as a career optiondeveloping a business ideacreating a business planunderstanding start-up costs and financesmarketing and attracting customerstaking the practical steps to start trading. If working for yourself is something you're interested in, speak to your Work Coach about the local self-employment support and programmes that may be available to you. You can raise this during your next appointment or send a message through your Universal Credit Journal.

King's Trust Enterprise Programme (18-30)If you're aged 18-30 and interested in self-employment, the King's Trust Enterprise Programme can help you explore and develop your business idea. Support includes:business workshops and trainingone-to-one mentoringfunding opportunitiesbusiness planning supportnetworking opportunitiesa £200 test marketing grant to help you explore your idea. To find out more: visit Free support to start a business | Enterprise programme or speak to our Youth Hub Coordinators about the next programme start date.

If you live in Plymouth or have a business based in Plymouth, you can access free support through the Plymouth Enterprise Hub. Support includes:expert advice from trusted local business advisersfree workshops, webinars and business eventsaccess to a community of business owners and adviserspractical tools and resources to support your business journeya personalised dashboard to help you plan for success. Find out more: https://www.enterprisenation.com/plymouth-enterprise-hub Heart of the South West Growth HubThe Growth Hub provides free, impartial support for people looking to start, run or grow a business. They can help with:business planningstart-up advicefunding and financeskills and trainingmarketing and growth. Find out more: https://www.heartofswgrowthhub.co.uk

Devon Chamber of CommerceBuilding connections can be just as important as developing a business idea. The Chamber of Commerce offers networking events, business support and opportunities to connect with entrepreneurs and employers across the city and beyond. Find out more: https://www.devonchamber.co.uk or email, info@devonchamber.co.uk

Plymouth Social Enterprise NetworkWant to run a business that helps people, communities or the environment?Plymouth is recognised for its thriving social enterprise community, with support available to help you develop ideas that create positive social change. Support is available with:business planningnetworkingmentoringfunding advice. Find out more: https://plymouthsocialenterprise.org.uk or email, info@plymouthsocialenterprise.org.uk

CrowdfunderCrowdfunding is a popular way to raise money for a business, creative project or community idea. Instead of relying solely on loans or investment, crowdfunding allows people who believe in your idea to support it financially. You can access:guidance on building a campaignresources and traininglocal funding opportunitiesmatch-funding programmes. Find out more:CrowdfunderCrowdfunder Knowledge Hub

Formation ZoneBased at the University of Plymouth, Formation Zone supports students, graduates and aspiring entrepreneurs to develop ideas, access advice and connect with other business owners. Find out more: https://formationzone.co.uk or email, info@formationzone.co.uk Plymouth Science ParkPlymouth Science Park is home to innovative businesses working across science, technology, engineering and digital sectors. It offers workspace, business support and opportunities to connect with like-minded entrepreneurs. Find out more: https://www.plymouthsciencepark.comCall: 01752 587500Email: reception@plymouthsciencepark.com

Government Support for the Self-EmployedIf you're considering becoming self-employed, it's important to understand how things like tax, National Insurance and business registration work. The Government provides guidance on:registering as self-employedpaying tax and national insurancesole trader responsibilitieskeeping financial recordsrunning a business legally. Find out more: https://www.gov.uk/working-for-yourself

Starting a business often means developing new skills. You might want to explore opportunities to improve your:communication and customer service skillsdigital and social media skillsmarketing and branding knowledgefinancial confidence and budgetingproject management and organisationleadership and problem-solving skills. The Skills Launchpad Plymouth website brings together local opportunities to help you build the skills and experience that could support your future business ambitions. You may also find it useful to explore:Training and qualificationsApprenticeshipsVolunteering and work experience opportunitiesPlymouth's growing employment sectorsCareers advice and planning support

That's completely normal. Just start exploring. Every successful business starts with an idea. Whether you want to earn money from a hobby, launch an online business, become a freelancer, create a social enterprise or build something completely new, there is support available across Plymouth to help you take that first step. Explore the organisations, programmes and resources on this page and discover where your ideas could take you.