In your Business Plan you would have considered the skills you posses to run your business. For those starting in self-employment or already running a small business, there is an increasing range of training programmes in business skills. Training is offered by a wide variety of public and private sector institutions. Think it through carefully and you will be reducing risks. You will know that you have enough money in the plan to carry it out in terms of people doing the work properly; and you will not launch the business in a half-baked way so that you collapse in confusion at the first major problem.

Accountants

Unless you have the very smallest of businesses and you like doing Income Tax returns, you should seriously consider engaging an accountant as soon as the business can afford it. Accountants can prepare your accounts every year including a profit and loss account and a balance sheet. They will also deal with Income Tax return, but you will sign it and are responsible for checking it and its accuracy. When you are looking for an accountant, it is best to try and get recommendations from other people who understand what style of service you are looking for.