Business advice services

The Business Solutions Centre is a free student-led service for local businesses and entrepreneurs.

If you have identified an area of the business mix that you need support in, a particular problem that you want to solve, or an opportunity that you want to evaluate, the student-led Business Solutions Centre can help you.

Here are some of the challenges that our clients typically face:

• How can I use social media to support business growth?
• How can I write a business plan?
• How can I seek potential funding or resources?
• How can I market my business on a low marketing budget?
• How can I manage my business sales and expenses?

How it works

A consultation from the Centre is free and easy to arrange - simply follow these steps.

1. Answer a few questions about your business and needs by filling out a registration form
2. Depending on your answers, you may be invited for a face-to-face interview to better assess your needs
3. Our team will then discuss your case and present Solutions to you in one of the following forms:

• A written report with detailed guidelines and resources
• A help sheet with useful information and action points for you to implement
• A hands-on, practical Clinic group session where you'll have a chance to gain practical insights and one-to-one support
• A workshop or talk delivered by our Student Advisors
• Internships or ongoing paid employment, allowing our students to support your business
• Signposting to appropriate LSBU or other local services

The Business Solutions Centre is staffed by Student Advisors from LSBU Business school who have been through a comprehensive recruitment and training process. A member of LSBU staff will supervise the Advisors.

Areas of expertise

• Business development and planning
• Tax and small business accounting
• Marketing and social media
• Forecasting and costing
• Access to finance
• Project management
• Consumer behaviour and brand management