Start Your Own Business (Online Programme)

"If you’re ready to go or just considering to

start your own business, this is the course for

you. Learn the skills to get you started and hit

the ground running."

The Start Your Own Business course is delivered over 8 weeks or 4 full days, with each workshop covering different aspects of starting and managing a successful business. The course is delivered through practical and interactive training and at the end of the course, participants will have completed a Business Plan. Participants will also avail of telephone, online video and email support from the trainers.

• Aims
• Key Benefits
• Who Should Attend
• Certification
• Assessment
• Delivery & Support
• Key Skills

• Aims

  It is important to plan in advance of setting up a business.  Preparation is the single most important thing you can do to ensure your fledging business gets off the ground and continues flying. 

• Key Benefits of this informative course

  • Start your own Business and fast track your career
  • Developed and delivered by a Recognised Training Organisation
  • Access to expert tutors and business coaches – this Programme includes four hours of one to one mentoring from our very experienced and knowledgeable business mentors.
  • Flexible online study – work at your own pace in your own time and receive unlimited one-on-one tutor support
  • Build your business the right way, from the ground up, and make it easier to grow and expand

• Who Should Attend

  The SYOB programme focuses on:

  • Anyone with a business idea they want to develop
  • Anyone looking at self-employment as a realistic career option
  • Anyone who has recently started a business

  The programme will guide you through the various aspects of business and business planning.  The objective is to assist you in assessing your idea, its viability and to decide if you should proceed or take a step back.

• Certification

  On successful completion of this business training course, you will be awarded a Irish Colleges Training Centre Certificate of Achievement.

• Assessment

  Case studies, quizzes, written assessments.

• Delivery & Support

  This course is delivered online with tutor support by phone and email. you will also have access to an online study group, allowing you to work with students who are sharing the experience. Our eLearning platform is state of the art which includes both Moodle and ZOOM for audio and visual classes live with tutors.

• Key Skills

  • You learn the proven, practical skills to help you generate new clients, increase your sales and profit, save time and scale your business.
  • Fits with your lifestyle and learn anywhere, anytime and at your own pace
  • Is short enough to fit in with your busy schedule, but long enough to teach you the critical new skills to start and grow your business.
  • Receive four hours of mentoring from our experienced and knowledgeable business mentors. They’re there to answer your questions and provide insight into how you can turn the practical skills you’ve learnt into a fully-fledged business.

Programme Modules:

• Starting Up / Getting Started

  • Setting achievable goals
  • The Business Plan and introduction to the Business Model
  • The elements that make a business successful
  • Gauging if your business idea is viable
  • Information and how to get it
  • Planning and organising the business
  • Step by step guide to getting started




• Identifying, understanding and researching your target market

  • Creating a profile of customers and competitors
  • Methods and sources of Market research
  • SWOT analysis
  • Creating a market research plan




• Tax, law and insurance

  • Choosing the right legal structure
  • Basics of Irish Tax system: Income tax, Universal Social Charge, PRSI
  • Your obligations
  • Calculating the cut-off point, Tax credits and reliefs
  • Calculating expenses 




• Financial planning (pricing, costing)

  • Cashflow management
  • Sources of finance
  • Variable, Fixed and Capital costs
  • Break Even Point
  • Pricing 




• Promoting your business

  • Positioning
  • Making the most of press, social networks and media
  • Advertising, packaging and branding
  • Creating a Marketing Plan 




• Sales and Service

  • Creating leads
  • Communicating effectively with your customers
  • Customer Care strategies 




• Basic bookkeeping

  • Responsibilities, records and completing the books
  • Designing a simple book-keeping system that works




• Developing your Business Plan

  • Drawing all the elements together
  • Presentation
  • Time management
  • Action planning
  • The future