SO, you are thinking about that idea again? That absolute money-spinner, the ultimate business brainchild that could change your fortunes and transform your life forever.

Sure, the locals in the pub told you to shut up again last night, and when you mentioned it at breakfast you were accused of “banging on”.

But yesterday you had a new element to add to what they have all heard before. It came to you in the middle of the night and by the time you had refined it you knew it made all the difference. Your scheme had taken another step towards genius status.

If only they understood. It’s not just for your benefit, this is something for which the town, this country — hey, the whole world, when you really think about it — has been waiting. You can’t believe it hasn’t been invented before and you live in daily terror that someone else will do it first.

One day — in fact probably next weekend — you will lock the door, sit down and write a proper business plan, take it to the bank, and in a matter of months the business will be up and running and then the millions will start rolling in.

There you go again. Stop it.

For a start, even if your idea does work, you can’t give up your day job. How would you live while you did the research, who would pay for your tools, the expert advice you need, the extra pairs of hands? And that’s before you have even started trying to deal with the heaviest millstones — the mortgage, the bills, the children’s school uniforms.

No. It’s impossible. People like you should stick to dreaming. Or, better still, snap out of it and start drumming up some enthusiasm for the next dreary meeting with your boss.

But what if you were given a real chance to change your life and achieve that goal? How would you react if the support you need suddenly landed in your lap? Not in the form of a cumbersome loan — but free.

Now’s your chance. For the first time, The Sunday Times, in association with the One account from Royal Bank of Scotland, is offering £100,000 to help a budding entrepreneur. The cash is tax-free, risk-free and there are no obligations other than following through your idea. All you have to do is convince us in one minute, or 100 words, that your plan is worth backing.

Your idea will be considered by some of Britain’s leading business figures. Our judges include Allan Leighton, chairman of the Post Office; Martha Lane Fox, the indomitable founder of Lastminute.com; Peter Jones, star of the BBC’s Dragons’ Den series; Nick Jones, founder of the Soho House restaurant and club chain; Tom Hunter, Scotland’s richest man; Chris Brady, professor of management and public policy at Cass Business School, City University; Jayne-Anne Gadhia from Royal Bank of Scotland; and John Witherow, editor of The Sunday Times.

The aim is to give you financial freedom to pursue your goal, allowing you, for instance, to give up your job and not worry about your mortgage. Or to do some research, with the luxury of knowing that, if the idea doesn’t work first time, you can afford to try again. We also hope the competition will motivate those who have never dared to consider that they might be able to go it alone.