For Professionals

Just Starting Out is an online marketplace that enables new business owners (professionals) to advertise their company to the general public (customers). Professionals set and agree their own charges, and many choose to offer introductory rates, or sometimes a free service, while they build their reputation.

Customers can search for a particular service (e.g. a hairdresser) on our website, or, may want to browse all services in a particular area. Customers can also 'post a job' (e.g. 'hairdresser wanted'), which can notify registered professionals who match the service criteria. Each professional then decides whether to respond, so an introduction is not a guarantee of availability, suitability, or a completed service.

We pride ourselves on being an affordable option for new business owners, as we understand that starting a business isn't cheap. Professionals choose a subscription membership with a billing period that suits them. The even better news... we are currently offering FREE sign-ups for all, for a limited time only!

We do not take a commission on jobs you win through the platform. Your membership is a subscription that renews automatically at the end of each billing period unless you cancel. There are no extra platform fees beyond your chosen plan.

All payments for services provided are directly between you (the professional) and the customer, including forms of payment (bank transfer, etc.). We always encourage costs to be discussed and agreed by both parties prior to a service being carried out, and we would always recommend that services are paid for upon completion.

This is completely up to you and we would encourage you to thoroughly consider your charges (bearing in mind your qualification level and experience) before you advertise on our platform. Many professionals advertise their Just Starting Out hourly rate on their profile, whereas others advise that charges are dependent on service requirements and can be negotiated.

Many professionals choose to offer introductory rates while they build their reputation, so when deciding charges, consider what you are hoping to gain in terms of building your business. Often, a strong testimonial, or a customer agreeing for you to take photos to use for your portfolio is more valuable.

At the same time as endeavouring to support all new businesses, Just Starting Out asks professionals to self-declare their qualifications and related credentials during registration. There are particular professions where qualifications are advantageous but not essential (dog walking services, for example), and others whereby qualifications are required before you can register (building services, for example).

Upon registration, you will be able to indicate whether you are qualified, (and if so, for how long you have held a relevant qualification), awaiting certification, currently studying, or unqualified. If you are qualified in your area of work then you may wish to upload your qualification certificate to your profile gallery, for customers to view. We do not independently verify those documents. To safeguard all Just Starting Out users, we regret that there are a number of professions whereby only qualified professionals are able to register.

Did you know there are over 70 free courses available through Free Courses in England? These courses are a great way to add professionalism to your profile. Popular options include Customer Service, Business Start-Up, and many more-perfect for boosting your skills and credibility.

Yes. All professionals who register with us will need to confirm that they hold appropriate business insurance. You may want to upload a certificate of your business insurance for customers to view. Documents you upload or declare are self-certified: you are responsible for ensuring they are genuine, current, and correctly attributed to your business. Just Starting Out does not independently verify them.

Some professions require a valid DBS (or equivalent) check before you can accept customer enquiries or jobs through Just Starting Out. Where required, you must confirm you hold a valid certificate for your business, in your business's name, which displays no cautions or convictions where appropriate. You may upload or declare check details on your profile. Just Starting Out does not carry out DBS checks and does not independently verify certificates; false or misleading declarations may lead to account restrictions.

Your subscription renews automatically at the end of each billing period unless you cancel. We will notify you by email before renewal. If you cancel, paid access continues until the end of the current billing period. You can manage or cancel your subscription in your account subscription settings.

Yes. You can pause or delete your account, or cancel your subscription via subscription settings. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period unless stated otherwise when you cancel.

No. We are happy to support you at any stage of your journey.

Your business description should provide customers with a snapshot of you and your company. You could consider including your company's journey so far, the reasons why you chose your field of work, your experience/qualification level, any job-related courses that you have attended, and more detailed information about the services that you offer.

Of course! Always be polite and professional regardless of how much you are charging a customer (even if you are providing a service for free).

Be open with your customers as to how they can best support your business. Could they spread the word and recommend you to their family and friends? Would they allow you to take some photographs to use for your website, etc.? Perhaps they would be willing to write a testimonial for you to use to attract more customers, or provide you with a rating/review?

Ultimately, find out as much information as you can as to what the customer would like, and provide the absolute best service that you can!

Your company logo (if you have one) often proves a good option for a profile picture. If you do not have a logo yet, you could consider adding a professional-looking photograph of yourself, or an image that illustrates what your business offers (for example if you are a florist, you may want to use an image of flowers for your profile picture).

Your professional gallery is the perfect place to showcase examples of your work to potential customers.

We are sorry to hear that you cannot find your profession. You may want to check spelling, or try using an alternative word. If you continue to have problems, please contact us.

We are really sorry if you find yourself in this position. As Just Starting Out is a connection platform, we accept no responsibility for any difficulties or conflict between professionals and customers. We would strongly advise you to discuss the matter with the customer, and try to reach a mutual agreement and fair outcome. If, however, after 14 days have passed and an outcome has not been reached, you can submit a formal complaint by reading our complaint policy and subsequently completing our complaint form.

This refers to a service that can be performed from any location, (where it wouldn't be necessary for you to meet the customer in person, for example, if you are a website designer).