Right at the beginning - think about why you want to do this and identify the gaps in your knowledge. A useful strategy can be to defer running your own business for a couple of years and go and work in one similar to one you’d like to have and learn from both their successes and their mistakes. When you are ready to go it alone then good planning and a sound financial base are key to success. Many good ideas turn out not to be profitable, often through poor pricing and control of costs. You also have to generate a market for your product and selling is demanding. If you are passionate about your idea – are you as passionate about persuading others to buy it?

Once you are sure that this is what you want to do then there is a lot of information around to help you get started and much of it is free.

In the Careers Service we have both reference and information to take away - you'll find this in the Special Interest section of the Careers Library.

Here at the University of Surrey the local point for support for potential entrepreneurs is the new Centre for Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Development - part of UniSdirect, the University of Surrey's business interface. Contact Bill Richardson, w.richardson@surrey.ac.uk, for more information.

The Princes Trust

If you are aged between 18 and 30 and have had trouble raising the finance you need then the Princes Trust offers loans, grants and advice. Find them at www.princes-trust.org.uk Look out for the presentation they give each year at UniS, usually in February. Details in the Careers Service Programme or on our What’s On pages.

Business Link

Offers practical advice to business, especially when you are setting up. They have branches throughout England, the Surrey branch is in Woking, and are linked to similar organisations in Scotland and Wales. They are at www.businesslink.gov.uk.

You may also find it useful to check out the website of the Surrey Enterprise Hub www.surreyhub.co.uk

You can always come and discuss your ideas about self employment with a careers adviser, in complete confidence, either while you are a student or after you graduate.