Graduate Enterprise

As a freelancer or start up business there are many people you will need to engage with your ideas. How well you communicate your ambitions could decide the funding you receive or a partnership you want to negotiate. Good presentation skills are essential, there are many ingredients required to conduct a good presentation.

Download advice about how to strengthen your presentation skills.

Make sure that you stick to the right track whilst you're on your journey. Sometimes the life of a freelancer or entrepreneur can feel frantic; good planning, research and execution of your projects is essential to achieving your objectives.

Download our tips on how to make sure you are on the road to success.

Your ideas and creativity are very valuable – find out how to protect your intellectual property and grow your fashion business.

Own-it, the Intellectual Property Advice Service for creative graduates and emerging businesses is based at the University of the Arts London and provides you with all you need to know about copyright, design rights, trade marks and patents

Whether you want to collaborate on a design, work with a retailer or manufacturer or promote your designs at a fashion show or online for the first time, you need to know about your IP rights, how to protect them and how best to exploit them to give you a head-start in business.

Own-it top five tips to safeguard your IP:

• Keep a record of the design process with dates of creation: this will provide you with evidence that you are indeed the creator of your copyright works or designs should somebody else claim that they are theirs.
• If you are promoting your copyright works or designs online, never use high-res images, signpost your rights by using the copyright sign © followed by your name, date of creation and ideally, contact details.
• Consider registration of designs you would like to commercialise, which gives you stronger protection from infringement than relying on unregistered design right.
• Be aware that you own the design right in designs you create for your own business but you don’t own design rights in designs you create in the course of employment. In the latter case, your employer will own the IP. However, the situation is more complicated when you are commissioned. Your agreement with the commissioner should clearly state who owns the IP in the designs.
• Download and read Own-it’s IP Guide to Fashion

Go to www.own-it.org to attend events, listen to podcasts or watch Own-it videos, download contract templates, get the information you need, email in for legal advice and see specialist creative industry IP lawyers – all free of charge if you are a UAL student or recent graduate.

info@own-it.org

www.own-it.org

Starting up your own fashion business enterprise can be a daunting prospect, take advantage of your resources and get access to guidance from experts.

The Enterprise Centre for the Creative Arts (ECCA) offers free creative business services and facilities to students and graduates of the University of the Arts London who have either set up their own business in the last 3 years, or are thinking about starting one or work for themselves.

Services available to support you include:

• Seminars, workshops, training and events
• One-to-one business advice from specialist creative business advisors
• Free advice from accountants and tax specialists
• Resource library for small creative business
• Website with extensive links to relevant agencies and services
• Up-to-date diary of creative industry events
• Online factsheets and podcasts
• Access to a creative business support network

One-to-one advice sessions are only available to registered users, and are by appointment only. Please use the booking system on the advice page to book a session.

Some important answers to frequently asked questions

Q: When should I become self-employed?
A: You need to register as self-employed with the Inland Revenue as soon as you start working for yourself. Call the Helpline for the Newly Self-Employed on 08459 15 45 15 for more information.

Q: How do I get funding to start my business?
A: It depends on your individual circumstances. There are many different sources of funding: private, national, bank loans etc. Look at the resources section of the ECCA site for more information. We would recommend that you book an appointment to see us to discuss the most appropriate sources of funding for your business.

Q: Why aren't I making any money?
A: There might be many reasons why you aren’t making any money. Maybe you aren’t considering your target market properly, maybe you are pricing yourself incorrectly or maybe you need some press exposure. We would recommend that you book an appointment with ECCA to discuss your individual circumstances.

For further Enterprise advice visit the ECCA homepage

o    Creative Living – Online guidance and support

o    Artquest - Advice and information for visual artists, including tips on setting up freelance business

o    PPD Coach - Resources to support PPD

o    Careers Coaching & CV Checks – Offering individual appointments

o    Business Link – a comprehensive guide for business start-ups

o    HMRC – register to be self-employed

o    NESTA Fashion Enterprise Toolkit – a tailor-made business toolkit for fashion enterprises

o    British Fashion Alliance – find out more about the key support agencies for the fashion industry. This website also contains the Fashion Enterprise Toolkit and a search portal for British manufacturers

o    Creative Choices – a comprehensive website for creative businesses and careers, including a ‘Find Funding’ portal