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How to buy a franchise
Check these dos and don'ts before buying a franchise.
Assess a franchise opportunity
What to find out when considering buying a franchise - including costs, competition, current success and support.
Estimate your rate bill
Get an indication of how much your business rates bill could be for 2024-25.
Is it realistic to sell my business?
Key points you need to consider to make sure your business is financially healthy and attractive to buyers.
Types of retail business
The various types of retail business, including convenience store, speciality store, supermarket, discount store, department store, warehouse, direct retailer and online store
External research and development
How to outsource your research and development and the benefits of commissioning it externally
Managing the design process
Understand the steps you should take when trying to turn an idea into a product
Eliminating ideas that are not viable
Understanding when a product will not be viable is important to prevent wasting time and money
Exploring your ideas
How to innovate and develop your business ideas
Franchise agreements for a franchisee
Your franchise agreement should cover franchise length, territory, amount of fees, management service fees and royalties, and restrictions.
When to sell your business
The importance of planning ahead and what to consider to help you sell your business at the best price.
Ten top tips for starting a retail business
Ten top tips to starting a retail business successfully and staying afloat in the early days of trading
Renting commercial property: practicalities
The costs, considerations and obligations of renting business property.
Where to set up your retail business
Find the right place to set up your retail business in Northern Ireland by weighing the important options
Commercialisation options for your invention
Three straightforward ways of getting your invention to market: manufacture and sell yourself, license it or collaborate with another business
Science parks
Support and benefits of science parks, including technology transfer and business incubation
Support for protecting your ideas
Get professional help from intellectual property advisers, a patent attorney or a trade mark attorney to protect your intellectual property in an invention
Find manufacturers to build a prototype
Sources of information on product designers and manufacturers who can help you develop your invention
Support for product safety and testing
How to arrange product safety assessment, and where to find testing laboratories, services and product certification in the UK
Support for developing your ideas
Where to get help to develop new product ideas if you're looking to manufacture, market, sell or license your inventions