Paul’s New Business Is Standing Tall!

Is there anything more annoying than having nowhere convenient to hang your belongings close-by when out at a venue, particularly if you have to use the floor?  Well, Paul Morris’s new business, Small Stands, now offers a simple and attractive solution to this age-old problem.

Paul Morris, founder of Small Stands

But before his dream of becoming his own boss came true, Paul worked in the education sector, the NHS and finally, Lever Brothers, where he worked as an IT manager.  What started as a 4-year plan ended up as 20 years of service, and once he’d achieved all that he could and with IT work slowing down, he decided to leave employment and start up his own business - right in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic!  

Not great timing for some, but Paul was determined to make a living out of a hobby of making things and doing something he enjoyed.  And it was during a trip to Mexico City that Paul kept seeing these curious, but very popular, pieces of table-side furniture in the restaurants, and this became the inspiration for Small Stands!

So, what is “Small Stands” and its products? Well, imagine individual smaller-scale coat stands, tailor-made in a variety of attractive finishes and colours, ideal for any commercial business that operates from premises.  Then imagine that with these products, the business is then able to offer its customers a secure, clean and convenient close-by alternative to the traditional tall coat stand, back of a chair or dirty floor that they would normally have to use!  And with the current pandemic in everybody’s mind, there’s the added benefit that these small stands, if regularly sanitised, can prevent cross-contamination from other people’s belongings.  

Paul will initially be looking to establish a market for ‘Small Stands’ on Wirral, but with three models on offer already and with more product ideas to follow, he has every intention of expanding his business further afield.  In addition, Paul is keen to eventually have his own premises with a view to taking on some additional staff should the business grow sufficiently enough for him to do this.

And as someone who has never started his own business before, Paul’s advice is very practical: “Put a timeline against your start-up plans, then double it!  Then stick to that!”

And having gone through the Enterprise Hub programme at Wirral Chamber, how did he find the experience? 

His response is very positive: 

“The Enterprise Hub has helped me enormously and I wouldn’t be at the stage I am without them. They have a wide range of knowledge which helped me understand the whole start-up process. They also have a huge network to draw upon, helping me source suppliers and reaching out to experts in the field. I also joined many webinars such as finance, website design and social media (which I needed!). But mostly the one-to-ones where invaluable, the team at Enterprise Hub are fantastic at giving guidance and helping you to make your own decisions and giving you direction.” 

So if you’re a business that operates from a venue and would like to know more about how Small Stands can improve your customers’ experience, ring Paul Morris on 07434 641 927, e-mail him at paul@smallstands.com or visit his website at www.smallstands.com 

Get in touch if you are thinking of starting a business in the Liverpool City Region or have a new business under three years old. You can speak to our team via enterprisehub@thewo.org.uk or 0151 706 8113.