One of the resources provided by University of Brighton is beepurple, a entrepreneurship support service. This service is designed to help students and graduates in any way they can with their business or social enterprise, startup idea or freelance plan.
On 24 February 2021, the class had a presentation by Claire Griffiths, who gave an outline of what to consider when starting up a self-employed business. This was in relation to the Japanese concept of ‘Ikigai’ that combines the terms iki, meaning “alive” or “life,” and gai, meaning “benefit” or “worth.” When combined, these terms mean that which gives your life worth, meaning, or purpose. Ikigai is similar to the French term “raison d’etre” or “reason for being.”
For me, photography is a pursuit that has given my life meaning and I fully intend to continue my practice after my current studies have concluded.
This is an outline of Claire’s presentation so I can process and follow the advice and guidance.
Finding My Ikigai & Self Employment
- Solve a problem.
- Fill a gap.
- Combine your skills and passion.
- Listen to your customers and beneficiaries (once you are trading).
The Concept of Ikigai
Questions to ask myself:
1. What do I love?
2. What am I good at?
3. What does the world need?
4. What can I be paid for?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of being self-employed?
How do you know if my self-employment plans are worth pursuing?
A quick test…
Desirability
✓ Does my product/service meet my customers’ needs?
✓ Do I have customers (individuals or organisations) prepared to pay me?
✓ How is my offer different to alternatives on the market?
Feasibility
✓ Do I have the necessary skills, resources, and passion to make my ideas happen?
Viability
✓ Will I generate enough revenue to cover my costs and create a profit?
Get my ideas down on paper!
Business Model Canvas
www.businessmodelgeneration.com/canvas
My Startup Plan Canvas
www.mystartupplan.wordpress.com
The Lean Startup Canvas
www.leanstack.com/LeanCanvas.pdf
Happy Startup Canvas
www.thehappystartupschool.com/ebook
Traditional Business Plans
www.gov.uk/write-business-plan
What Next?
- Build
- Test
- Measure
- Talk to others about my ideas.
- Test my ideas.
- Refine my idea.
- Identify my revenue streams.
- Sort out my payment process.
- Find funding for my venture.
- Start-up loans
- Bank loans
- Grants
- Partners
- Sponsors
- Crowdfunding
- Competitions
- Keep it legal
- HMRC
- Register as a self-employed individual, or incorporate as a limited company (N.B. Get advice first)
- https://www.gov.uk/log-in-file-self-assessment-tax-return/register-if-youre-self-employed
- https://www.gov.uk/limited-company-formation
- Trading Name
- Check that there are no limited companies, trading under your proposed trade name
- https://www.gov.uk/get-information-about-a-company
- Intellectual Property Protection
- Copyright, patents, designs, and trademarks are all types of intellectual property protection. I get some types of protection automatically, others I must apply for.
- https://www.gov.uk/intellectual-property-an-overview
- Product Liability Insurance, Public Liability Insurance, and Professional Indemnity Insurance
- Check whether you need any kind of business insurance for your products and/or services
- HMRC
- Launch my venture.
- Market my produce and services.
- Develop and grow.
- Hold on tight!
Start-Up Checklist
✓ Get my ideas down on paper
✓ Carry out some market research
✓ Test my ideas on my target customers
✓ Address all the legalities (e.g. Register with HMRC, and Companies House, if necessary)
✓ Protect my intellectual property
✓ Calculate how much start-up funding I need (if any)
✓ Explore potential income streams
✓ Identify potential partners, sponsors, crowdfunding platforms, funders, and/or investors
✓ Plan my marketing carefully
Who can help me as well as beepurple?
http://www.enterprisenation.com
http://www.thethriveeffect.co.uk
http://www.gov.uk/browse/business
www.princes-trust.org.uk/need_help/enterprise_programme.aspx
Loans, Grants and Crowdfunding
http://www.fredericksfoundation.org/loans
Legalities
http://www.companieshouse.gov.uk
http://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/charity-commission
http://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/office-of-the-regulator-ofcommunity-interest-companies
Keep in contact!
beepurple, M24, Mezzanine, Cockcroft
Tel: 01273 644 727
Claire Griffiths: c.griffiths@brighton.ac.uk
beepurple@brighton.ac.uk
facebook.com/uobbeepurple
twitter.com/uobbeepurple
https://www.brighton.ac.uk/careers/start-your-own-business/index.aspx
References
PositivePsychology.com. 2021. The Philosophy of Ikigai: 3 Examples About Finding Purpose. [online] Available at: <https://positivepsychology.com/ikigai/> [Accessed 8 April 2021].
Jennie Meadows MA Photography 