Starting a business in Leeds: Part one
This beautiful photograph of Leeds was taken by Paul Campbell from The Effective Group.
Being such an exciting, vibrant and ambitious urban metropolis, Leeds is a city that’s geared up for business.
Leeds is now recognised as the largest legal and financial centre within the UK, that is outside of London, ranking as the third largest. Its insurance and financial sector has an estimated value of around £13 billion. This sector dominates, with a staggering 38% contribution to the city’s economic output.
If you are thinking about starting a business in Leeds, you are in the right place. Business opportunities in this Yorkshire city are immense, and there is plenty of help in Leeds for a startup business.
If you are about to embark on a business venture in Leeds, have a read of our two-part series of blogs aimed to help your venture into the entrepreneurial world of commerce run smoothly.
In part one, we explore some of the key networking events, groups, services and advice that may prove vital in getting your Leeds-based business off the ground and up and running.
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Key occupations that can help your Leeds start-up
This networking event in Leeds is particularly useful as it introduces and connects start-ups and SMEs to key occupations that can help a business grow.
Key industries to help new businesses include:
. Accountants:
The strategic methods of a qualified accountant can help examine your business ideas, manage growth and evaluate profit potential. Accountants can prove instrumental in preparing businesses for growth. Being the biggest financial district outside London, there are hundreds of chartered accountants in Leeds.
Visit the Find a Chartered Accountant website and search through the 232 registered accountants in Leeds.
. Business Advisors
Business advisors provide start-ups and SMEs with crucial business advice, business plans and strategies to help you reduce operational expenditure, reduce risks and improve profit margins.
. Marketing consultants
A marketing consultant can be a cost-effective way to give your small business the leverage it requires. An experienced and talented marketing consultant will bring their marketing expertise to help market your brand and improve the condition of your business.
Being a breeding ground for businesses, there are hundreds of marketing consultants in Leeds who will create a strategic marketing plan and take your business to the next level.
Services for business
There are numerous services available in Leeds to help people get their business ventures off the ground.
Leeds, York and North Yorkshire Chamber
The Chamber’s Enterprising Leeds project provides intensive business support and coaching to individuals thinking about starting a business in Leeds.
Hosting money-saving services, mentoring and support and events and training, the Chamber can be just what you need to give your business a push in the right direction.
For more information on how the Chamber’s Enterprising Leeds project can help your Leeds-based start-up, visit the official website.
Business & IP Centre Leeds
The libraries of Leeds are home to Business & IP Centre Leeds (BIPC Leeds). BICP Leeds offers one-stop information to support all your start-up ventures.
The organisation also offers regular evening Enterprise Clubs designed to help anyone thinking about starting a business in Leeds. For more information, click here.
Office options for start-ups
Spending money on hefty office overheads is quite simply a non-starter for many start-ups and small businesses. Whilst working in isolation from home isn’t exactly ideal for networking and meeting potential clients and employees.
Communal working spaces provide a cost-effective solution for small businesses to thrive in a communal working environment without having to fork out on expensive office rent. Co-working space in Leeds, like WorkWell, is the perfect office space for start-up businesses in Leeds.
Possessing a vibrant office scene, Leeds is home to a number of co-working centres providing well-facilitated and creative environments for start-ups, entrepreneurs and businesses of all sizes.
Situated on the outskirts of Leeds with easy motorway access, WorkWell provides the pulsating co-working space many start-ups and smaller companies yearn for.
If you want to gauge an understanding of how our communal working centre can help evolve your Leeds business from a start-up to an established brand, try co-working in Leeds and come for a viewing of WorkWell co-working space.