From time to time, we all fancy being our own boss. But is it really right for you?

The Upside

If you start a business and it really takes off, you can end up with a massive salary, much more than you can earn in a regular job. Growing a company and making money from it can be lots of fun, and you get to do your own thing.

There can be a real sense of personal freedom. If it all goes well, there is a great sense of achievement that you can't get anywhere else.

The Downside

Many businesses fail in their first year. If you have run your own business, having to go back to a corporate job can be miserable and you might never feel like you fit in there again. It is financially risky setting up on your own - you could lose everything you have, including your friends.

This is not for somebody who likes working a regular nine-to-five job; expect to be working evenings and weekends most of the time. A seventy-hour working week is not unusual.

There Is Help At Hand

Don’t try to go it alone. It is too easy to fail in your first year and it might not even be directly your fault.

Before taking the plunge... get as much advice as possible. There are some really good FREE resources available. For example, have a look on the businesslink.gov.uk website for helpful advice BEFORE you start your own plumbing & heating business.

Business Link and its award-winning website, is designed to be the first port of call for start up and growing businesses seeking advice and guidance.

Its ultimate aim is to make starting-up as easy as possible and help small businesses reach their potential and flourish. Free guides and case studies are available to download from the website which also provides information relevant to small businesses from other government departments. There are also a number of free online tools that help deal with a range of practical business issues.

If you have completed your training and are thinking about setting up your own plumbing business, you can visit the website’s business start-up organiser. Available free at www.businesslink.gov.uk, it takes you through a series of questions and creates a tailored list of actions for you to complete at your own pace, and provides guides and tools that will help and support your business during the early stages.

You’ll find information on preparing a business plan, raising finance, managing your money, tax and record keeping, employing people, promoting your products and services and managing your IT and
e-commerce requirements.

Whether you are just thinking about it, planning it, or are in the middle of starting up, visit businesslink.gov.uk for free advice, information and tools which can all help you succeed.

To talk to a local business advisor, call 0845 600 9 006 to find your nearest office.