Your help is like a safety net for me.  For four years I’ve worked in a job which totally drains my energy. It may be seen by others as a good job with perks but none of this means a lot to me. I hate the work as it’s for a big multinational firm and redundancies voluntary and involuntary going on.  

I have always wanted to be a beauty and massage therapist and I am in the middle of a course I started on massage and it is all that is keeping me going.  I’m hoping that I will get voluntary redundancy and I can use the money to set up my own business but I’m not certain how to do this!  I was wondering if you could maybe suggest a good management course for setting up this type of business or lend me some advice.  

Thanks for taking the time to get in touch. It is awful to be in a job that drains us and with bullying it must make it even worse.

Many people dread the thought of redundancy but for others it’s a great opportunity to do something new that you want to do and often get some money to set you on your way.

It’s good that you have found out what it is that you want to do and alongside massage you will probably add on some extras things such as Indian head massage and manciures.

Working for yourself is not an easy option so you could also identify companies and small businesses within travel distance to you so you could get some work for them – even if it is that you are offered just a day or two a week.

There are lots of things to consider when setting up in business, if you are under 30 the Princes Trust could help with advice and support.  

http://www.princes-trust.org.uk/

You can also get help from Business Link. They do free courses for people who have a business idea.

http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/home?r.l1=1073858805&r.s=m

That should get you started!

To start a business and run it successfully, a range of essential entrepreneurial personality characteristics and business and technical skills are necessary.

You want your own business, but before you get started you need to focus on what you can offer and also to understand yourself - your strengths and limitations.

A research review found that many researchers use the data from an article by Geoffrey A Timmons published in The Harvard Business Review.  In a study of entrepreneurs he came up with nine entrepreneurial qualities:

1.      A high level of drive and energy

2.      Enough self-confidence to take carefully calculated, moderate risk

3.      Readiness to learn from your own mistakes and failures

4.      A clear idea of money as a way of keeping score and as a means of generating more money

5.      The ability to get other people to work with you and for you productively

6.      High but realistic, achievable goals

7.      Belief that you can control your own destiny

8.      A long-term vision of the future of your business

9.      Intense competitive urge, with self-imposed standards