Small business owners, start-ups and would-be entrepreneurs can access a wealth of support, guidance and information for free in Carlisle Library.
The Business and Intellectual Property Centre (BIPC) is part of national network of 22 centres run by the British Library.
Administered in Carlisle by Cumberland Council, the aim of the centres is to provide advice and support to business owners, entrepreneurs, inventors, and people with a business idea.
Local advisors at each centre help people achieve their business goals and signpost to a wealth of resources and services available within the library.
The centre in Carlisle Library works closely with the Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership and Cumbria Chamber of Commerce, linking new businesses with the wider Cumbrian business community.
The Cumbria BIPC also hosts events and workshops in the library which are free to attend and provide an opportunity to network with other new businesses and meet people.
Ben Heslop is the BIPC Programme Manager for Cumberland and works from the centre in Carlisle Library.
An entrepreneur with several successful local businesses, Ben says that the centre is a vital resource for anyone considering starting their own business, or for those who have already established their business but need guidance and support to achieve their goals.
“Many new business owners often have a lot of questions about how to make their ideas and aspirations become reality.
“Anything from staff queries and recruitment, tax and business insurance through to making the most of social media and monetisation, we can help.
“We are really lucky to have Sophie Baker as our business advisor in Carlisle, she is so diligent and thorough that any business that comes into contact with her will get a wealth of knowledge and expert help,” said Ben.
Funded by Cumberland Council, the BIPC is embedded within the library service and there are plans to develop centres in other local libraries.
“It’s a hub and spoke model. We have a very strong digital offer and new businesses or budding entrepreneurs need to be aware of the guidance and advice that is available. Cumbria has a fantastic business community, it’s very supportive and there is a lot to gain by engaging with the BIPC,” explained Ben.
Starting his career as a primary school teacher in Wigton following a spell in the Merchant Navy, Ben’s first business adventure was Border City Crossfit in Carlisle.
Next, he bought Edwin Talbot and Co art gallery and picture framers in the city centre, the first of three ventures that reflected his passion for art and design.
He then founded Landmark Street Art, a service to help fellow lovers of street and contemporary art access direct links to their favourite artists and collections.
With customers all over the world, the business provides a bespoke personal experience for art lovers and collectors.
This led Ben to establish the Blank Wall Assassins project in Carlisle, a not-for-profit organisation with the aim of inspiring people through world-class art installations across the city.
“We believe that incredible art should not be confined to galleries and museums, viewed by the few and missed by the masses.
“In Carlisle we are now firmly part of the worldwide street art movement with our streets clad in rich artistic offerings from some of the world’s best artists.
“Our mission is to create vibrant public spaces that surprise, excite and inspire. We want to challenge people’s perceptions of where they live and work; making unloved spaces desirable and creating a sense of ownership and interaction with culture for everyone,” said Ben.
Launching several successful small businesses in a short space of time has helped Ben to learn the ins and outs of entrepreneurship and inspired him to use his skills and experience to help others.
“I learned a lot from making mistakes and by assuming that there wasn’t much support out there in Cumbria.
“I was wrong, there is a lot of support out there and the aim of BIPC is to make that accessible to everybody, whether they are already established or at the very beginning of their business journey with just an idea,” he said.
Ben believes Cumbria is full of opportunity and potential, where launching a new business is financially easier than other parts of the country.
“There is freedom here to try new things, there is no limit to the type of business that you can start up here and there is a huge amount of support and encouragement from the business community.
“I do think that Cumbria needs to do more collectively to raise its profile internationally as a business and cultural destination, the more we shout about it, the louder we’ll be heard,” he said.
