Starting a Company

Last night, I registered my company with Companies House under the name Zensei Ltd.

I’m finding this to be a very important first step in starting up a business. Whether its setting up a business bank account or applying for grants, a lot of business activities seem to require that you’ve already registered your company. I’m now waiting around for confirmation of my application before I can do all that. Lesson learned: if you’re starting a company register it first and foremost.

How? Google it, you will find link to a government website.

For a business bank account, I’ve been recommended Mettle by NatWest and for a grant I’m applying for the Young Innovators Awards 2021/22 funding competition (which closes on the 28th!). This fund would give me £5000 plus living expenses.

As I’m doing this for my university placement year, I am required to submit various bits of paperwork to my ‘business manager’. This includes things like student declaration.

Other activities to be completed include a risk assessment of business activities, creation and updating of a business model canvas (on a website called validatestartup.com), and an excel profit and loss budget plan.

I’m keeping track of the things I need to do using an app/website called todoist.com. It has an excellent Trello-like interface that is very helpful for recording of tasks within a project. I’ve also been recommended to use a Gantt chart. From what I understand, this can be used to plan future tasks. I’m already a huge fan, I will be looking into it soon.