YORKSHIRE’S entrepreneurs of the future are being offered free support on how to start their business.

Rebel Business School is coming to the region to help would-be start-ups to get their ideas off the ground.

It is the second of five two-week courses, sponsored by the York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub, and takes place on September 6-17. The online event will be held via Zoom and follows a similar format to two events held last year, which attracted over 100 people.

Rebel events are led by successful entrepreneurs and professionals and include advice from those who have overcome the ups and downs of business life but then gone on to succeed.

Entrepreneur Katie Coombes will be leading the session and showing how anyone can launch a business, no matter what their circumstances may be.

She built a business from scratch, initially by running a face painting stall at football matches and then moving into bigger events. Coombes turned her company, MayNineteen, into a multi-million pound business with 15 staff before selling it in 2017.

She now works with entrepreneurs and those who want to start up, inspiring them to take control of their businesses, lives and finances.

Katie said: “Running a business is about doing something you love. You don’t need cash or a business plan, and anyone can do it. Sometimes we meet people who say: ‘I’m too old’ or: ‘I don’t have enough experience’, but we help people overcome these doubts and move forward.

“We show people business is actually quite simple. You just need to understand who your customer is, where they are and what the problem is that you are trying to solve.”

Katie says she understands the past 18 months have been tough for a lot of people, but she believes that confidence is something that can be regained and even mastered.

“One of the main things we do at Rebel Business School is helping people with their confidence," says Coombes. "We show people you can create your own confidence, it’s actually something in your control.

She says that it is both possible and desirable to start a business, even in the wake of a pandemic, and says the legacy of Covid-19 should not stop anyone from doing so.

“For many people, life has been put on hold for what feels like a very long time. But there’s a world out there waiting for new businesses to come through so, whether you’ve got an idea and need help, or just want some inspiration or support, we are here for you.”

The Rebel Business School event is available free of charge to participants, through sponsorship and funding from The York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub.

There is also a guarantee of no upsells or hidden costs.

You can book a free place via the Rebel Business School website: https://therebelschool.com