Paul Griffiths, of Business Link, is encouraging people who want to start their own businesses to use a new advice service
Budding entrepreneurs have been encouraged to make use of a new advice service that could turn their business dreams into reality.
The Business Link Enterprise Gateway Service has set up home in the Leys Linx Centre, in Blackbird Leys Road, Oxford.
Funded by a £125,000 grant from the South East England Development Agency, the initiative provides free advice on creating business plans and helping would-be business owners to apply for investment.
It could help the next Theo Paphitis or Duncan Bannatyne, entrepreneurs who sit on the panel of TV's Dragons' Den, get their business off the ground.
The scheme will run until 2010 and will serve the whole of Oxford - with a particular focus on Blackbird Leys, Barton and Rose Hill.
On Wednesday, the service's director Paul Griffiths held an open day to publicise the scheme, and spoke to budding businessmen and women about their ideas.
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Mr Griffiths said: "The whole idea is to try and help people who want to set themselves up in business or who consider themselves self-employed.
"We had about 14 or 15 people in with various business ideas and now I will be going on and having one-to-one discussions with them to help develop their ideas into businesses.
"There is strong evidence that people who seek professional advice before they start a business are more likely to succeed than those who just wing it."
Mr Griffiths was recently a judge in a Dragons' Den-style initiative for young people in Blackbird Leys.
He said: "A lot of people think working for themselves will be quite easy, but it isn't.
"They need a lot of determination, a lot of resilience, self confidence and some understanding of basic business principles - which is something we can help them with."
Lorraine McCleary, 31, from Farm Close, Greater Leys, visited the open day to find out how best to develop her idea for a manicure and pedicure service for men.
She said: "Paul was very helpful. We had a wonderful conversation.
"For somebody to believe that my idea is good and could take off is really satisfying.
"There are so many talented people out there, but they do not have the right encouragement.
"They need to know help is there. Once more people go to this place it should have a domino effect for other people to give it a go."
To arrange a meeting with Mr Griffiths call 01865 714492 or 07776 235072.
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