Locals are being invited to discover business opportunities at free Discovering Enterprise Roadshows being held in the New Year for people not in work.
The events are being hosted by Inspiring Enterprise, a two-year project backed through £1.45 million of funding from the National Lottery, via the Big Lottery Fund, and the European Social Fund.
The Roadshows are taking place on Wednesday February 14 at Winchester Discovery Centre, and on Thursday March 1 at G Live, Guildford.
Budding entrepreneurs can find out more about the free project and sign up for support on the day, while existing clients can find further inspiration.
Each Roadshow will feature keynote speakers who are established entrepreneurs talking about how they started a business, the challenges and successes and their top tips for succeeding.
There will also be workshops on topics such as the realities of self-employment, starting a business with a social aim, financing a new business and using social media to grow a business.
Inspiring Enterprise project participants will also be there to chat about their journey so far and how the project has helped.
Project Manager Liz Wright said: “We want to shout from the rooftops about the amazing success of people taking part in Inspiring Enterprise in developing their own business ideas.
“These Roadshows are for anyone unemployed or working with unemployed people interested in finding out more about what is involved in becoming self-employed.
“There will be a chance to find out more about the free help available, taster sessions, time to ask the experts about financing business start-ups and an opportunity to meet other people starting their journey to self-employment.”
Inspiring Enterprise, part of the Building Better Opportunities programme, is administered by not-for-profit business support organisation WSX Enterprise and partnered by Action Hampshire, Surrey Community Action, Fredericks Foundation and the University of Winchester.
It is aimed at people who are unemployed and young people not in education, employment or training, as well as lone parents, older workers, people with disabilities and people in minority groups. Inspiring Enterprise aims to help at least 500 unemployed people take steps to set up a business or improve their work readiness.
To be eligible for help through Inspiring Enterprise people must live within the M3 corridor and be currently unemployed.
The M3 corridor runs from the New Forest to the M25 and includes Winchester, Andover, Alton, Farnham, Basingstoke, Farnborough, Camberley, Woking, Bracknell and everywhere in between.
Anyone interested in finding out more about the Discovering Enterprise Roadshows should call 0800 140 4537 or click here for Winchester or click here for Guildford