Being your own boss and starting something you care about sounds like the dream, but it's hard to know how to start and what to work on.

Based on everything we've learned from launching a business ourselves and helping hundreds of others do the same, we've designed a series of intensive evening workshops to launch your idea the smart way.

This is a 3-part workshop to get you set up with all the basic need-to-knows for launching your idea into the world - whether as a business or as a side-project.

Each part can be taken independently, but to really get momentum we suggest coming along to all three (includes a handy discount).

You want to be your own boss.

Maybe you've got an idea (or ten) burning a hole in your pocket, or maybe you're looking for that elusive startup idea to get working on. Either way, you're ready to take your career into your own hands and build something from scratch.

But where to start? Isn't it really expensive? And how on earth can you find the time?

Not to mention that starting a business is scary.

Every time you think about starting, the little voices in your head chime in:

• You're too young (or too old).

• You don't have the skills or connections you need.

• What if you fail?

• What if it all ends up being a massive mistake?

You're not alone.

The good news is that there are practical ways to overcome these niggling doubts, and move forward with a business idea without putting yourself on the line.

We've spent the past seven years working with hundreds of aspiring and successful entrepreneurs tackling the hurdles and pitfalls of starting a business (as well as facing them ourselves). All our lessons are tried and tested, by us and the business we've helped launch.

Here’s what you can expect:

Workshop 1: "How to choose the right business idea" (Tuesday 20th June, 18:30-21:30)

Whether you're already set on an idea, have none at all, or far too many - we'll look at what makes a good business idea and how to know what you should move forward with.

Idea Generation

Time to get experimental. We’ll do some exercises to generate creative business ideas, build on existing ones, and combine different ideas to create something new. We'll also bust some myths around startup ideas - particularly about what's important, and what's not.

Your 'Good Idea Criteria'

Cut through the noise, distractions and assumptions to find a business idea that makes sense for you. You'll define your 'good idea criteria' - these are your own personal criteria for a business idea that fits with what matters most to you.

Choosing the Right Idea

We'll show you how an idea decision making tool can quickly help you narrow down which idea might be right to start with. And we'll look at how to test your ideas for viability, so you can get off on the right foot.

Workshop 2: “Design a first version of your business” (Tuesday 27th June, 18:30-21:30)

You have a problem you want to solve and a solution in your mind. Now we need to design the first version of your idea.

Assumptions

We'll show you how to map your assumptions, i.e. all the things that need to be true in order for your business idea to be a success. We'll risk assess them, and then design simple, small tests you can do to validate your idea and move forward with the minimum risk.

Customer Development

Talking to your potential customers is key. We'll show you how to ask questions, and how to get the most helpful answers - in particular, how you can avoid falling into the trap of getting 'false positive' answers. "That's a great idea" is nice to hear, but isn't always the most useful feedback for building your business...

Business Models

We'll get stuck into the nitty gritty of creating a solid business model to support your idea. You'll sanity check your costs, prices and business drivers to make sure you've got the commercial underpinnings to make your idea work.

Workshop 3: “Get your business online” (Monday 3rd July, 18:30-21:30)

Now you've got a clear idea and the foundations for what your business should look like, it's time to get the first version of it up online and out into the world. (No coding experience or expensive developers needed!)

Tools, tools, tools

The main focus for this workshop will be on getting you set up with all the tools at your disposal to build your first website. We'll show you how to quickly (and for virtually zero cost) build:

• Landing pages
• E-commerce shop
• Brand & logo
• Social media channels
• Online forms & surveys

You'll leave with everything you need to get your idea out into the world and start attracting your first customers.

Each workshop can be taken independently, but to really get momentum with your business idea we suggest coming along to all three (discounts apply).

Ready? Let's give your idea lift off...