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Discover your business finance options

SimpliFi is a single destination that offers easy-to-understand financial information to educate, equip and support businesses across Greater Manchester to grow.

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Find tailored knowledge based on the current situation of your business

Self-employed

Explore which finance options can help sole traders to grow a company

Early stage businesses

Discover which finance options can help pre-starts or start-ups unlock growth

Established businesses or scale-ups

See which finance options can help businesses achieve success

We make finance simple to understand and the funding landscape easy to navigate

Visit our Funding Finder tool and explore support opportunities across the region 

How to pitch to Investors

How to write a business plan

Learn about how start-ups can get funding

FAQs

The type of business and the sector within which you operate may constrain the options available to you, but most businesses should be able to access some kind of start-up funding for a small business.

Generally speaking, you must be close to revenue generation as it is that revenue which will repay any proposed loan.

Your own bank may provide lending options such as a small business overdraft or short-term business loan, and 3rd party providers can be identified via a web search. Other options include asset finance and leasing which can also be used where the asset is effectively the loan’s security.

A stand-out finance option is the British Business Bank Start-up loan scheme. This start up loan for new business offers a competitive interest rate of 6% over a term of 5 years with no set up or early repayment fees. Furthermore, applications can be made within the first 3 years of trading.

Selection of a suitable finance option as always is a case of ‘buyer beware’ and you should always carefully scrutinise eligibility and pricing, as well as the terms and conditions, before making a funding decision and application.

Generally speaking, credit history is a significant factor in a lender agreeing to lending facilities.

Clearly, a track record of repaying debt satisfactorily will be comforting to a lender. Conversely, a track record of being behind in loan repayments or even defaulting on lending obligations may at worst prevent credit from being obtained, and at best make future borrowing very expensive.

Business plans should be prepared if required by the lender, although business plans are still useful documents to present to provide an overview of the business, its past performance, its future plans as well as articulating the proposition in hand. 

A business plan is not always needed depending upon the lender and the nature of the request, so advice should be sought from the lender at the outset as to what information the lender requires. If you need to know how to write a business plan in the event you do require one, you can find out how to do so in our useful guide.

Business start up loans and grants through the British Business Bank could lead to networking or mentorship opportunities as they offer 12 months free mentoring. Alternatively, you could contact our team for a bespoke 1-2-1 support service at no cost to you or your business. 

Get in touch:

GM Business Growth Hub (part of the Growth Company)

Lee House,
90 Great Bridgewater Street,
Manchester M1 5JW

Email: enquiries@simplifigm.co.uk

Call:    0161 359 3050


If you would like to speak to a business or finance specialist, please fill out the form below.

This is information, not financial advice or recommendations

The content and materials featured or linked to are for your information and guidance only and are not intended to address your personal or business requirements. 

The information does not constitute financial advice or recommendation and should not be considered as such.

Simplifi is not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), its authors are not financial advisors, and it is therefore not authorised to offer financial advice. 


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