If you live in the Liverpool city region and you are thinking of starting your own business, a free-to-attend Enterprise Hub conference this week will tell you what you need to know. Tony McDonough reports

A free-to-attend virtual conference aimed at would-be entrepreneurs in the Liverpool city region is taking place this week.

The Business Start-up Conference is being organised by Liverpool social enterprise The Women’s Organisation in in partnership with BIPC Liverpool. It forms part of the Enterprise Hub programme which is delivered by The Women’s Organisation.

Part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund, Enterprise Hub offers free advice and guidance to those living in the Liverpool, Wirral, Knowsley, Sefton, St Helens and Halton who are thinking of starting a business.

First launched in December 2015 and renewed in late 2019, Enterprise Hub was designed as the city region’s ‘one front door’ access point for start-up and early stage business support. Over the past five years it has advised thousands of people and played a pivotal role in the launch of many new businesses.

They include Liverpool-based MAT Recruitment, a specialist educational recruitment business set up by Marie Tormey and India Kapur. They felt large recruitment firms were serving schools and children poorly. Read their story here.

It coordinates and simplifies the business start-up and growth support available across the Liverpool city region by bringing together partners to deliver business support, advice and training.

Taking place on Zoom on Tuesday, May 11, from 11am to 12.30pm, the event will help those thinking about starting their own business to better understand the practicalities of the process. It asks:

• Are you thinking of starting a business but wondering if it is possible in the current climate?
• Are you looking for ways to build a new income for yourself and exploring self-employment as an option?
• Do you have business ideas you’ve never yet looked into but think now could be the time to explore?

The conference will also offer contributions from entrepreneurs who have “been there, done it” and even adapted in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. You register for the event via Eventbrite by clicking here.

If you are thinking of starting a business in the Liverpool city region or have a new business under three years old, you can speak to the Enterprise Hub team via enterprisehub@thewo.org.uk or 0151 706 8113.