Education and training for small business owners

You may think that your education ended when you left university, college or school, but in reality, training is a continuous requirement for anyone in the workplace.

And just because you’re an entrepreneur in charge of your own company, it doesn’t mean that formal learning is over. In fact, your business will probably benefit from any education and training you can afford the time to do.

At the bare minimum, with continuous advances in technology, everyone needs to be trained in how to use new software and equipment, and it stands to reason that the more training you have, the more you’ll get out of whatever it is you’re using.

Business training

When you initially set up your own business, you did it in order to concentrate on what you’re good at. But as time went on, you probably found yourself struggling with all the other aspects of running a business, such as the accounts, employing staff, marketing, etc. These are the specialist areas that larger companies can employ specialist staff or consultants to take care of, but when you’re working solo or only have a small team, you will have to do them yourself, whatever your level of knowledge.

Instead of trying to muddle through, going on a training course would be an extremely effective use of your time. You will not only spend less time getting to grips with different aspects of running a business, you will also have access to an expert in the field for the duration of the training. Some organisations, such as Wenta in Hertfordshire, offer business courses for start-ups free of charge, which will give you a better idea of where the gaps in your knowledge are where your money would be best spent for further training.

MBA

Alternatively, if you have a university degree, you could commit to a longer period of education and sign up to do a Master of Business Administration (MBA), an intensive course which covers key business practices. Although many of the most famous entrepreneurs did not go to university, a huge number of people with university degrees and MBAs do go on to create their own successful businesses. If you’re worried about the amount of time you’d have to spend away from your business, there are choices of full-time, part-time and online courses, so you can find one that fits around your needs.