Enterprise skills refer to the ability to be creative but also business-minded, to take initiative and problem-solve, to identify opportunities and take calculated risks, to be a good communicator delivering messages to a non-expert audience and be a good negotiator. Find out more at the What is enterprise? section of the www.exeter.ac.uk/careers/enterprise website. Here you can also read about what an entrepreneur and an intrapreneur are.

What enterprise and entrepreneurship support does the University of Exeter offer?

The University of Exeter provides support to any student who has an interest in enterprise and developing their enterprise skills and knowledge, has a business idea or is already running their own business. The university is keen for its students to be entrepreneurially minded, and as a result of a close collaboration between Employability and Graduate Development, the Students’ Guild and the Innovation Centre has formed a Student Entrepreneurship Support Group. This group provides the following support to students:

Sign-up for our Workshops and enter the Business strategy competition (XING).

You can also choose particular enterprise modules as part of your degree.
Attend talks and get mentored by successful entrepreneurs
Get student membership from the Institute of Directors and make the most of networking opportunities, members-only resources and work placements available to you
Run your own enterprise shop and keep all the profits!
Work for an entrepreneur at home or abroad
If you are an international student entrepreneur, find out how you can run your own business in the UK
Discover Success stories and be inspired!
Enterprising student societies
Learn about Funding your business idea
Explore Funding awards
Take part in a range of activities organised just for you (such as competitions, fairs and conferences) especially during Global Entrepreneurship Week and University of Exeter's own Spring Enterprise Week
Discover a range of resources offering Information and support to help you

Find out more on the enterprise webpages at http://www.exeter.ac.uk/careers/enterprise/.

What is a ‘drop-in’?

The Student Entrepreneurship Support Group at the University provides drop-ins for students to meet a member of the Support Group and discuss any enterprise-related questions they may have. We can also explain to you what we offer and how you can access this support. The drop-ins take place at the Enterprise and self-employment desk in the Career Zone in the Forum and in the Exchange in Tremough.

Dr Laura Bonner from Employability and Graduate Development runs drop-ins every Monday between 2-4pm. Speak with Laura about how you can develop your idea into a viable business proposition or what employers mean when they ask for enterprising skills.

Matthew Rusk from the Innovation Centre also runs drop-in sessions in the Career Zone every Monday 10am-2pm, Wednesday 1-5pm and Thursday 10am-4pm. Speak with Matthew about the Innovation Centre at the University, the funding available to you and the University's SETsquared Partnership with the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Southampton and Surrey.

Who can I speak with about enterprise and entrepreneurship?

Here at the University we have a number of people who can help, depending upon how developed your idea is and how far you have taken your business.

Don't know where to start?

For a discussion of how to develop your idea into a viable proposition and the workshops which may be helpful, book an appointment with Dr Laura Bonner from Employability and Graduate Development through My Career Zone or by emailing enterprise@exeter.ac.uk. Laura also runs drop-in sessions in the Career Zone in the Forum at the Enterprise and self-employment desk every Monday between 2-4pm.

Want to test out your great business idea?

Talk to Louise Rose from the Students' Guild who can provide information on business plan competitions, enterprise fairs and other events planned just for you. You can get in touch with Louise by emailing c.l.rose@exeter.ac.uk. Click here for a list of national and international competitions and funding awards.

Got a great idea but need help funding it?

Get in touch with our Entrepreneur-in-residence, Matthew Rusk, who can provide advice on what is on offer from the University's business acceleration centre, the Innovation Centre, as well as on the University's SETsquared Partnership with the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Southampton and Surrey. You can contact Matthew via email at seir@spaceforsuccess.co.uk. Alternatively, Matthew also runs drop-in sessions in the Career Zone every Monday 10am-2pm, Wednesday 1-5pm and Thursday 10am-4pm.

Does the University of Exeter provide funding for student entrepreneurs?

The University of Exeter provides funding for student entrepreneurs in the form of seed and growth investment funding. You can read more about the level of funding which you may be eligible to apply for at http://www.exeter.ac.uk/careers/enterprise/innovationcentre.

For any form of funding, you have to develop an outstanding business model. To learn about how to compile a business plan, you might like to attend the Business Plan workshop. Find out when the workshop is being held at http://www.exeter.ac.uk/careers/enterprise/workshops/.

Does the support the University provides apply to all students, undergraduates and postgraduates?

The support is available to all students, both undergraduates and postgraduates. The support we offer is also available to early career researchers and graduates up to five years after graduation.

Research students can learn how to develop knowledge transfer relationships with businesses through the Researcher Development Programme and Research Knowledge Transfer.

Early career researchers can learn about entrepreneurial practice during a two-day Entrepreneurial Practice course.

Academic staff can find out about the various ways in which they can embed enterprise in the curriculum by contacting enterprise@exeter.ac.uk.

Entrepreneurial alumni can attend Alumni Business Starter Clinics and play a part in the provision of enterprise and entrepreneurship to current students through a number of initiatives. If you would like to learn more about these, please contact enterprise@exeter.ac.uk.

I am an international student, can I access the support you offer?

Yes, although there are restrictions to any student from a non-European Economic Area (EAA) setting up a business in the UK. Click here to find out more.

Is the support the University provides only for students who want to or already have their own businesses?

No, the enterprise skills workshops are for everyone, irrespective of whether you ultimately choose to start your own organisation. Graduate employers are increasingly looking for applicants to demonstrate enterprising and entrepreneurial skills within their organisation. The support available to you whilst at University includes workshops and competitions which can help you enhance your enterprising and entrepreneurial skills and knowledge, whether those are for running a business now or in the future, or running an intrapreneurial project inside an existing organisation.

How do I know if I’ve got what it takes to run a successful business?

At the University, we organise a range of experiential learning activities to help you decide for yourself if you’ve got what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur. Examples of activities we offer include:

eXfactor
Business strategy competitions
Enterprise skills workshops
Workshops by HMRC, Companies House and other support organisations
Career Mentor Scheme
Internships with entrepreneurs
Student-led provision of enterprise skills training in schools – part of the Aspirational Teachers Programme (ATP)
International Entrepreneurs in the UK Scheme
Enterprise societies
Enterprise shop in Devonshire House
Enterprise fairs during Global Entrepreneurship Week and Spring Enterprise Week
Business plan competitions
SETsquared activities

Taking part in these activities contributes to your understanding of yourself, where your strengths and weaknesses lie and whether you have the skills, knowledge and attitudes necessary for running a successful venture.

I would like to start a business, but I don’t yet have an idea - where shall I start?

The enterprise skills workshops might be a good place to start, as they can help you explore some ideas. They are highly interactive and provide a good outline of the important aspects to consider when looking to start a business. The workshops provide you with the opportunity to work as part of a group on an idea for a product/service you would like to bring to market and the stages involved in accomplishing this. Sign-up now for our Workshops.

I have a business idea but don’t know what to do next – what should I do?

At the University we can help you explore that idea, and we offer a number of workshops to help guide you and develop your entrepreneurial skills and knowledge. These skills sessions range from helping you to develop a business plan, through to determining your potential market. Employability and Graduate Development offer the following skills sessions:

Introduction to entrepreneurship

Social entrepreneurship

The business plan

Strategic marketing for a new business

Commercial awareness

Corporate social responsibility

Project planning

Project management

Read more about the sessions and sign up now at http://www.exeter.ac.uk/careers/enterprise/workshops/. The University also makes available funding streams that you may be able to access to start-up and/or grow your business, provided you can demonstrate you have given the business idea some serious thought and have developed a draft business plan. For more information on the funding available, please see http://www.exeter.ac.uk/careers/enterprise/innovationcentre/ and/or contact the Entrepreneur in Residence at seir@spaceforsuccess.co.uk.

Should I write a business plan?

Writing down your ideas in a business plan format will help you bring your ideas together and attain an objective perspective, show that you are a professional, help you attract interest from possible investors but also from prospective partners, employees and mentors; it can provide information for due diligence and provide a roadmap for ongoing business performance. The business plan workshop will help you to understand what you need to include in a business plan. Find out when this takes place at http://www.exeter.ac.uk/careers/enterprise/workshops/. If you would like to use the Find Invest Grow software at the University to help you write a business plan, please contact the Entrepreneur in Residence at seir@spaceforsuccess.co.uk.

I want to work freelance or be self-employed, is your support only for businesses?

The support we offer isn’t just for businesses. If it is freelance work or self-employment that you are interested in, then get in touch: enterprise@exeter.ac.uk.

How do I choose a legal structure for my new business?

The legal structure you choose for your new business will define your legal responsibilities (such as registering your business, taxes to manage and pay, how to take the profit your business makes and personal responsibilities if your business makes a loss).

If you are not sure about what the correct legal status is for your business, it’s best to explore in greater depth the advantages and disadvantages of each option. For more information, you might like to attend the workshops run by the HMRC and Companies House at the University. Find out when these take place at http://www.exeter.ac.uk/careers/enterprise. The following websites also provide you with lots of support: www.hmrc.gov.uk; www.companieshouse.gov.uk; www.gov.uk.

I need advice for my business on legal/accounting matters – who can I speak to?

The University is not able to offer legal or accounting advice. However, the Innovation Centre often runs legal/accountancy surgeries and workshops for students with businesses. Please contact the Entrepreneur in Residence at seir@spaceforsuccess.co.uk for further details of these events. Alternatively, ask your local bank for advice. For more information, also see www.lawsociety.org.uk; www.icaew.com.

What do I need to know about Tax and National Insurance?

You need to pay tax irrespective of the type of business you have set up.

At the University, we host workshops and drop-ins run by the HMRC and Companies House who can answer all your questions on Tax and National Insurance. For more information when these are run, please see http://www.exeter.ac.uk/careers/enterprise/workshops/.

How do I advertise and market my company?

Telling potential customers about your product/service and ensuring that the right people get to hear about your business is an important consideration. The University offers a skills session to help with this: Strategic marketing for a new business run by Employability and Graduate Development. For more information when this workshop is run, please see http://www.exeter.ac.uk/careers/enterprise/workshops/.

A popular method of reaching customers is via the internet and a company website. At the University we run web design workshops, find out when these run at http://www.exeter.ac.uk/careers/enterprise/workshops/.

How do I advertise and market my company?

How many hours does it take to run your own business whilst at University doing your degree?

This really depends on the nature of the business. The University recommends that students do not work more than 15 hours per week in employed or self-employed work during term time.

I would like to have my own website – what does this involve?

In order to have your own website, you need to consider the following:

(a) Domain name registration

A domain name looks like www.exeter.ac.uk and is basically an address that goes in the www. bar which people can use to find your company on the web.

You can register a website domain name with domain registration companies (such as www.123-reg.co.uk/), usually at an yearly cost of approx. £10.

You can use your business name for your domain name, which is recommended in order to maintain consistency in your branding. Alternatively, there are also premium domain names that can be purchased. Whichever option you choose, it is important to have a domain name that is closely related to the search query that your users are likely to place into Google - for example, www.guitarlessonsbath.com answers the user search query for ‘guitar lessons in bath’.

You can register a straight domain name (for example, www.guitarlessonsbath.com) or a “dashed” domain name (for example, www.guitarlessons-bath.com), especially if you find that the straight name is already taken. This will not affect your Google rankings as the dash is interpreted by Google as a space between words; it is also unlikely to affect the number of users that reach your website via Google as users are more likely to click on the first result that appears on Google, whether that is a straight domain name or a dashed one; it also often makes the domain more readable for the user (for example, in the example above, ‘bath’ stands out as the key location).

(b) Webhosting

This acts like a radio station broadcasting your website to the world; the cost of webhosting tends to be between £3 and £10 per month depending on provider. UK2 and 123-reg are examples of webhosters.

Webhosting provides you with “file space” on the Internet to store the files that make up your website. You will also need to “direct” your domain address to your hosting by using something called a “DNS control panel”. Your webhosting provider should be able to help you with this.

A website can be easily set up and built at low cost on blogging platforms like Wordpress (www.wordpress.org), which is a content management system that uses pre-designed templates. This may be a good place to start if you need something quick, but if you are after a fully-branded unique layout you might like to have your website professionally built. The cost for a professional website can be between several hundred to several thousand pounds. How much you spend on your website should depend on your business model. In writing a good business plan, you should be able to work out how much money you have to spend on a website and what is a worthwhile investment.

(d) Optimising your website in Google

A key consideration here is also the content of the website and the inclusion of key words that are likely to be used by your targeted users. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is an important part in getting a website to the top of Google.

For more information, see Google SEO starter guide

(e) Software

Here are three pieces of software that you can learn about during the web design workshop we run at the University: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Dreamweaver (www.adobe.com), and Filezilla (www.filezilla-project.org).

For information on the web design workshop and to sign up, please see http://www.exeter.ac.uk/careers/enterprise/workshops/