Comments for PRIME business club

Comment on Worried about intellectual property? by Ian Stobie

Ian Stobie — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 10:33:14 +0000

You generally can’t protect ideas, which is what these are. What you can protect are expressions of ideas, so for example if you write your own course material it can be protected by copyright – which is both easy and free. If your business uses a trademark you can protect that by registering it, but that costs money.

Before spending any money I’d recommend checking out whether it’s going to be helpful for your business by doing some research, perhaps by using some of the services mentioned in the post.

Comment on New Enterprise Allowance set to go nationwide in August by Paul Rogers

Paul Rogers — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 10:50:26 +0000

I’m sorry to say your information is inaccurate. In certain circumstances the Job Seekers Allowance is terminated after 182 days allowance and becomes means tested, which can result in no money.

Comment on Worried about intellectual property? by Dave Keppie

Dave Keppie — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 15:24:28 +0000

I am in the process of staring a business, visiting schools and teaching the basics of citizinship. The other part is a team building project where people will carry out the work a soldier would do on a patrol in a hostile area. Can I protect these?

Comment on New Enterprise Allowance set to go nationwide in August by Eileen Armstrong

Eileen Armstrong — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 13:00:17 +0000

I was ready to start my business at week 10 of my JSA claim, then Self Employment Credit was abolished, apparently to save money. I have a letter from Chris Grayling MP to my own MP, confirming that people who want to start their own businesses should have early assistance from Jobcentre Plus. Of course that has not happened, so I am in a “no man’s land” between ending JSA and starting Enterprise Allowance, with no money coming in. I am still however under the 16 hour restriction, which keeps me financially stretched.

I would get more going it alone, working as many hours as I need to and starting my business with WTC and WTC over 50′s premium. I’m hanging in there for Enterprise Allowance a) because after 30 working years I’ve paid enough into the system to merit it and b) it is forcing my Jobcentre to put systems in place to implement the new scheme, otherwise they would continue to move at their usual uninformed and glacial pace.

My mentor is excellent, but his advice does not help pay my mortgage. I have been without an income since I was made redundant in January. The DWP is a national disgrace, both in terms of its half-considered policies and its lazy, unprofessional approach implementation. And this is Newcastle, which needs investment and as many new firms / jobs as we can create. No more to be said, really.

Comment on Tony Palmer, Crystal Mountain Glass by Tony Bennett

Tony Bennett — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 14:01:42 +0000

This is my first visit to the site and sandcarving is my hobby.
I didn’t realise that at my age I might be able to turn my hobby into a start up business .
Tony Palmers story isn’t that far removed from my own and I found it very inspirational.

Comment on How to get a low-cost computer for well under £200 by Bobbie Brown

Bobbie Brown — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 12:28:12 +0000

uh yeh, ok then I’ll buy a nice cheap computer with my BENEFIT money, so I can starve for the next two weeks – since there is NO INSTALLMENT PLAN available. PAY UP or GET LOST right!!!!! What an INSULT…May as well give me artificial legs with real feet – SAME THING!!!!! How dumb…

Comment on Government promises more support for self-employed by Jon Danzig

Jon Danzig — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 21:09:12 +0000

Your readers may be interested in a 5-minute video I wrote and directed called, ‘Could You Be Self-Employed?’

http://youtu.be/-Ee9mz_P4zo

Comment on How to get a low-cost computer for well under £200 by David Rogers

David Rogers — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 21:24:54 +0000

On Jobseekers allowance. My age is 63. Would love to have a chance of obtaining a PC.

Comment on A word to love or loathe – Olderpreneur by lyn

lyn — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 19:28:47 +0000

There should be no special term for older people trying to start a business, anymore than there is for people in their 30′s. These older tags are just patronising.
Also I cannot see the point of PRIME except to provide jobs for those who work in their office. They have never done anything for me ( although Mr Stobie is very charming), and I think Prince Charles is wasting his money.
People starting a business need funds and the banks are not interested in giving them to starters without a good track record. Government funded schemes like SEE in Greenwich just offer advice and courses run by people who are unsuccessful in business, hence teaching it; and most of the time is taken up with going round the class asking the attendees what they hope to do in the future, so ultimately futile. One course I went on involved many hours “tuition” where we learnt nothing except how to access their website as they wanted to sell their products, and this was goverment funded. We were supposed to have acquired Powerpoint skills, but I learnt more from a 30 min programme on Radio 4!
Business Advisory Service Lewisham advertises separately but is in fact SEE, but you only find out once you have ‘phoned and arranged an interview, so really they are conning the public.
I needed some money to start to fund advertising as it is so expensive, cards, flyers, products, a business computer, a business address so that I did not have to put my home address up on the web, and travel costs since I could not afford premises. A nice website would have been good too but I had to make do with a simple one using a free template found on the internet and DIY, using library computers when I could get a slot as they are always booked out, or an Internet cafe. Google do a free one in collaboration with various goverment agencies and BT who all share your data and want to sell you things, but it is no good if you do not have premises and do not want your home address on the web.
There was no money to spare so I had to buy products from the high street shops instead of buying large quantities from a cash and carry cheaply; and it was frustrating like trying to run a race with legs tied together.
It is very galling that there is no useful help available, when huge companies like Tesco get Government money for each person they employ. In Welling there is a huge Tesco recently built across the road from a large Morrisons, and they needed 300 staff and over 3000 people applied and I was told that by someone in the know that the Government gave Tesco money to employ people.

Comment on Government promises more support for self-employed by jack

jack — Wed, 18 May 2011 14:14:52 +0000

As much as I’d like to be positive about any government initiative particularly ones that address the growing issue of unemployed people over 50, my cynicism remains. My past experience of dealing with business advisory organisations has usually been poor – with red tape and platitudes being served instead of practical advice, from people who’ve had little or no experience of a long working life.

I am at a point where not much work is coming in and several good customers have gone out of business. Having looked at potential support for myself through this recession I find there is little out there at all. I have no wish to sign on the dole which of course excludes me from receiving any support however minimum it would be – how daft is that? I’d much rather someone with a family claim entitlement because in my view they are more deserving. I don’t believe this govt will do anything different than the last govt when it comes to encouraging over 50′s back into work.

I expect it’ll be a long wait.

I imagine the red tape in the way of accessing small loans would be enough to put people off. I await the epiphany of the NEA and hope to see lots of wonderfully esperienced over 50′s being given something more positive than patronising platitudes from this govt and its agents.