Anyone had help from County Enterprise Board?

Acoshla

Hi all,

I had a look through existing threads but couldn't find much other than the odd mention of going to the CEB.

I did a Start Your Own Business course run by my local IT a few months back, the tutor and one of the students suggested that I should contact my local CEB now while I'm starting out. They both said just give them a call and they'll help you out.

I called my local CEB today, I explained that I was starting a new business and was told to go to them for help, I was asked how exactly I expected them to help me I told her I had done the SYOB course, have a basic business plan, have been in touch with HSE and have been approved (food prep).

What followed was her lecturing me on not having a complete business plan, choosing a poor course if they didn't help me complete it, not contacting the council for planning permission (even though I do not have to do anything to my kitchen to make it HSE compliant), and coming to them expecting them to help me when I haven't done a thing myself.

I had been under the impression that you could set up an appointment with them and they would maybe help you with your business plan and where to go from there, am I wrong? Is this how they always are? At every point that I answered her she cut me off and basically told me off, she seemed to expect me to be at the stage of ready to go into them Dragon's Den style with a big proposal, I thought they helped people set up from the start no?

Any insights or advice would be appreciated,

Thanks

Evil Phil

Did you get her name? Find out who is at the top of your CEB and write a letter of complaint. I did the BRITE course run by the 4 Dublin CEBs last year and since then I've had a brilliant experience with them. They've been very helpful every step of the way.

Acoshla

I didn't get her name but I could easily get it if I called back, I just wanted to be sure what I was talking about before I said anything to her, are the CEB there to help when you have all your research/business plan/market research done and are on the cusp of launching your business or are they meant to help at an earlier stage? It's just from what I had heard I was under the impression that they could help you very early on but she didn't seem to think so. I found an earlier thread where someone recommended that a poster go to them for help with a business plan, like this woman was tutting because I didn't have mine completed before I called...

W!zard

She was out of order to you! Yes they are there to help early stage ideas and companies, such as helping write the full business plan through courses if your area has them.
Do get her name, and write that letter! :cool:

If your idea has any export potential, even at the early stages, then speak with EI.

Best of luck and keep the faith

Acoshla

Thanks W!zard, no my idea has no export potential, just me wanting to sell a few cupcakes in the West

Luckily though I don't need the financial assistance she assumed I was calling for, I actually just wanted advice but she can feck off! I might see if anyone else in there is more helpful before I go complaining, thanks again

W!zard

No matter, she should not have spoken to you the way she did and great to see that spirit!

Trojan

I've had good support from them in the form of advice and a business mentor (which was very good).

One of the businesses I'm involved in is now on the DIT Hothouse programme, so we're getting training, office space and some access to Enterprise Ireland (though I'm sceptical about how useful that will be).

I've found DCEB pretty good for non-financial help but forget about getting cash out of them, particularly these days - spend your time and energy on your business, not filling out forms and jumping through hoops.

Remember that a lot (most?) folks working in CEBs/EI etc come from a non-business background.

kenbrady

Here attitude was out of line, you should complain.

Grants are pretty much finished at the moment.
The enterprise boards do offer good training courses that you could avail of.

When I did the Hothouse everyone got CORD funding, now it is limited to only 4 per programme.

Cheeble

I found them very variable.

We were looking to set up in a new location, but had not decided where, so I approached four or five CEBs with our ideas.

One gave much the same response as the OP got, two others sent me their standard leaflets and didn't bother to answer my specific enquiry. One called me back and made some suggestions about who else I might speak to but didn't actually offer to do anything useful. But another one pulled out all the stops, invited me in for interview, spent time discussing my business plan, gave me real leads, and offered to help with premises.

You might expect them all to be offering the same quality of service, but it's just not like that in practice.

Cheeble-eers

Japer

Spadina wrote: »

Hi all,

I had a look through existing threads but couldn't find much other than the odd mention of going to the CEB.

I did a Start Your Own Business course run by my local IT a few months back, the tutor and one of the students suggested that I should contact my local CEB now while I'm starting out. They both said just give them a call and they'll help you out.

I called my local CEB today, I explained that I was starting a new business and was told to go to them for help, I was asked how exactly I expected them to help me I told her I had done the SYOB course, have a basic business plan, have been in touch with HSE and have been approved (food prep).

What followed was her lecturing me on not having a complete business plan, choosing a poor course if they didn't help me complete it, not contacting the council for planning permission (even though I do not have to do anything to my kitchen to make it HSE compliant), and coming to them expecting them to help me when I haven't done a thing myself.

I had been under the impression that you could set up an appointment with them and they would maybe help you with your business plan and where to go from there, am I wrong? Is this how they always are? At every point that I answered her she cut me off and basically told me off, she seemed to expect me to be at the stage of ready to go into them Dragon's Den style with a big proposal, I thought they helped people set up from the start no?

Any insights or advice would be appreciated,

Thanks

Your experience does not surprise me. Someone else I know well had not a great experience with them either. The co. enterprise board agreed to pay 50% of a website ( this was years ago ), but they had to go to someone they recommended. The business owner went to the web design person, and paid the other 50% up front as requested, and gave the info. for the website. They were still waiting a year later despite many reminders for the website, and eventually got so frustrated just gave up on it. Eventually the web people done a half hearted effort which was a disgrace, and was never used. The person wrote off the 50% cost they paid. Next time they wanted a website they went to someone who was far cheaper and efficient than the co. enterprise board recommended person anyway, and dealing with them was a pleasure. The County Enterprise boards should be disbanded and the money saved given direct to new businesses as a tax break in their first year, or something like that, or else the money saved just helping to keep tax rates down.

Siogfinsceal

I am really sorry to hear you had a bad experience. If grants are not available, advice still should be. Is there another enterprise board you could contact or maybe a different person in that one?
If you need some help creating a business plan you can get free software that will help you to create one here. There are some video tutorials as well to help you to understand what to to in each part
http://www.sage.ie/sage-planning-for-business/download.asp

fergalfrog

Spadina wrote: »

just me wanting to sell a few cupcakes in the West

Was the CEB in question the one in Galway - if so I know others who have had a similar experience with that office and others who have got on a lot better. It all depends on who picks up the phone! Try calling in to their office as it may be harder for them to be so negative to your face!

Good luck with it!

Acoshla

fergalfrog yup, got it in one Thanks for all the replies, I'm actually not looking for funding at all just advice and a bit of help, I'll call into the office some day and hopefully get talking to someone else. When I am satisfied that I need no more help from them I will complain about her then, angry letter to CEB methinks!