Self-employed individuals based out of serviced offices in Edinburgh may be among the people who need more support in order to expand their companies.
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) in Scotland has called for one-to-one help for those who work for themselves.
It claims that specialist advice could help to boost the economy and make a significant dent in unemployment levels.
According to the FSB, the self-employed will not be able to make the necessary developments that could allow them to take on more workers unless further support is given.
The proposal is set to form "the cornerstone" of the federation's 2011 Scottish Parliament Campaign.
It is suggested that helping the nearly 200,000 who work for themselves could see more of them taking on members of staff as they become employers.
Earlier this month, official figures revealed unemployment fell by 5,000 in Scotland in the three months from August to October.



