Ellie gets creative with new business Ellie Francesca Design

When the UK lockdown restrictions were announced in March, life and business changed as we know it. For many aspiring entrepreneurs, lockdown gave them the opportunity to knuckle down and work on their enterprise ideas. This was the case for Ellie Francesca Watson who in October launched her e-commerce shop Ellie Francesca Design 

Working as a freelance artist, Ellie was making income through commissions and funding from community projects and workshops whilst working a part-time job at a Chinese takeaway. To gain steady income well into the future, she started to devise a plan to commercialise her work and open her own e-commerce shop.

Instead of taking a step back during the lockdown, Ellie used her time at home to focus on opening her own Etsy shop. Following a recommendation from a fellow artist at the Hazlehurst Studio, she decided to investigate The Women’s Organisation and what support could be offered to her. 

She was set up with business advisor Jo Mountfort who got straight to work helping Ellie reinvent herself and her work as a brand. 

She told us: “Every time I spoke to Jo, she really engaged and involved herself with my concept and vision. She fully understood who I was marketing my products at and has been a crucial step in both promoting and expanding my range at the shop. She was also really great at suggesting webinars and programmes that would be beneficial to me”

The Women’s Organisation gave her the opportunity to attend a range of webinars and business training – something that Ellie took advantage of during the initial stages of lockdown. 

She continued “The Women’s Organisation really helped the process become less overwhelming, the webinars gave me a reason to get up and focus, at a time when it would have been easy to lose motivation. I’ve really enjoyed the networking and hearing stories from other Liverpool based entrepreneurs, especially the ones nearer my age group”

Ellie Francesca Design officially launched in October, selling hand drawn portrait prints and greetings cards of iconic and well-loved musicians through an e-commerce shop on Esty. A self-confessed old soul, Ellie has used her love of music and record collecting to inspire the artwork she creates.

Starting a business during a pandemic is not the only hurdle Ellie has had to overcome, making it all the sweeter that she can now call herself a business owner. In 2018, she faced the most challenging year of her life when her health began to decline, resulting in her having to drop out of university and take a step away from her art. 

The physical challenges from her health condition left her suffering with the performance in both of her hands - every creatives worst nightmare. After a diagnosis Rheumatoid Arthritis in the spring of 2019, and time out to recoup, things started to look up. 

Ellie told us “I’m actually thankful that my personal circumstances were a little rocky for a while, in the long term it has driven me forward and taught me to become more resilient!”

With sales and commissions rolling in, Ellie is now thinking about new ventures such as series for pioneering women and work to pay tribute to NHS workers across the country.

What has Ellie learned from starting her business?

“The business is still very new and it’s very much a learning process, but I’ve learned now to fixate and worry about the small details that can always be resolved. I have probably written enough names down in my notebook to keep me sketching away till I am 80! Thanks to the Women’s Organisation, who’ve helped me get my business up and running, I’m now in a position where I feel the possibilities are endless and the skies the limit.”

To find out more about Ellie Francesca Design you can check out her Etsy, Instagram & Facebook

If you have been inspired by Ellie’s story and are interested in starting or growing a business of your own, then Enterprise Hub can help!

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.

Open letter: From when I first registered until now the ease of access to the support has been brilliant...

Leanne Cretney has recently taken over Beer EnGin Micro pub and is working with The Women's Organisation to build her entrepreneurial skills to grow the business. She wrote an open letter about the support she had received to help her on her journey...

Leanne Cretney recently took over Beer EnGin Micro-Pub

Since starting my business journey, the business advisors have been so supportive, very knowledgeable and the advice has been invaluable to me. Nothing is too much trouble and everything i've asked has always been answered. The support provided when completing my business plan was immense and thanks to the input, my start-up loan was approved straightaway due to having an excellent business plan.

The courses provided by The Women's Organisation have been brilliant, very well organised and full of really useful information. They are practical and the tools provided set you up to run your own business, this takes away a lot of  the stress when setting up to be self-employed. All of the facilitators have been very knowledgeable and run the sessions in such a relaxed way, you learn more as they encourage discussion and debate. It has been a great opportunity to network and support other new business owners. 

When the COVID-19 crisis hit all scheduled course moved to Zoom so we could still learn and keep in touch. You personally sent me all the links to the Government support for small businesses so I was fully informed. 

All of the admin team make sure they respond to your query in a timely manner and signpost you to the right person.

The support you provide as an organisation is not only technical and practical but you go over and above to ensure the well being of your clients I can't thank you enough for everything.

Leanne Cretney

Beer EnGin Micro-Pub

For more information about the support available to help start or grow your new business through Enterprise Hub, please contact  enterprisehub@thewo.org.uk.

Gaynor Connor promotes the importance of self-care with reconn3ct

At age 63, Gaynor Connor could be getting ready to retire; but after a varied career, Gaynor’s life was changed by a Cancer diagnosis, which she turned into a unique opportunity to help others.

Gaynor Connor

Gaynor explained: “To be faced with your own mortality is a dreadful thing, but I certainly wasn’t going to sink, so while undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy, I wrote a booklet called: ‘You Are Not Alone’ which encompassed my own and other Cancer sufferers stories; this aimed to inspire others to continue on their cancer journey with hope.

“During this time I realised the impact self-care was having on my recovery. I was doing weekly yoga and meditation sessions which I found really helped me through my treatment – so this ultimately lead me to set up reconn3ct.”

Seeing the effect that these forms of self-care had on her own recovery, Gaynor wanted to pass this knowledge onto others who were in need of help with problems; both physical and emotional.

Gaynor commented: “When you find ways of helping yourself, you want to pass this onto others. So I wanted to set up reconn3ct to allow me to help others in this way; to start a new business that gives you an income but in the process helps others is very rewarding.”

While she was starting out, Gaynor worked closely with St Helens Chamber’s Business Start Up team who supported her with one to one meetings and introduced her to the training courses available at the Chamber.

Gaynor commented: “My start up adviser Steve is fantastic, he’s given me a lot of support and is there to talk through any ideas I might have. To help me gain a new perspective, he questions any ideas I put to him which gives me new insights; it’s great to have someone to share and develop ideas with.

“I didn’t have much experience with Digital Marketing, so I’ve done an introductory course which has given me much more confidence in my digital skills. The support has been fantastic, I’ve now even joined the Chamber as a Member so I can network and raise my business’ profile.”

Steve Mather, Business Start Up Adviser at St Helens Chamber added:

“Working with Gaynor has been a pleasure, it’s fantastic to see her business grow and continue to help more and more people who are suffering with mental or physical health issues.

“Gaynor’s business is unique and it is fantastic how she has turned a negative life event into something really positive.”

reconn3ct is a bespoke business, the aim of which is to promote an opportunity for self-care through yoga, meditation, workshops and guided walks in peaceful surroundings.

“reconn3ct provides people with an opportunity to find out how stress affects their emotional and physical wellbeing and teaches people the importance of identifying and managing stress. It also encourages people to explore what they currently do to self-care and what they could be doing more of to promote their wellbeing.

“Attendees will have the opportunity to develop a self-care plan with the help of an experienced healthcare professional, so the self-care can continue after the retreat and hopefully become a part of the attendee’s day to day life.”

St Helens Chamber is part of Enterprise Hub, the enterprise gateway for business start-up support in Merseyside.  Offering expert advice and support to anyone thinking about starting a business, including help to:

Understand the process of starting a business
• Research a business idea
• Build a comprehensive business plan
• Develop a marketing plan
• Create financial forecasts to understand the costs of running your business and potential income
• Identify sources of finance to get started

Enterprise Hub is funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

If you’d like to find out more about reconn3ct visit www.reconn3ct.co.uk or to find out more about Business Start Up Support visit https://www.sthelenschamber.com/startup

Taking the Franchise Route Proved the Road to Success for Ste

Like many struggling with mobility, Ste Ives had been left wondering if he would ever work again after an injury left him jobless.  Being out of work for over 3 years after an accident in his previous job Ste was keen to find a way back to work.

While working on the docks in Liverpool Ste was involved in an accident where he fell seriously injured his back. Having worked there most of his life, this was a massive shock for Ste who realised due to his injuries that he would never be able to do the job he had known all his life again.  Struggling with his mobility he felt his career options were limited.

Taking back control of his situation Ste approached Enterprise Hub partner Franchising works in April 2018 and signed up to receive support through the programme to explore enterprise at the start of May.  He had taken the decision the get his Driving instructor license, but was unsure of what steps next to take, should he go independent or go with a Franchise.  Ste met with Franchise 'RED Driving School' and decided this was the best route for him, with the benefits and support they offered new instructors through their franchise.

Working with Franchising works on a 1-2-1 basis Ste received support to understand and complete a survival budget, business plan, marketing plan, cash flow and projections.  Looking closely at his survival budget helped Ste to understand what he needed to live on and how to ensure his business worked and his family could survive. Franchising works also offered general business advice and support to help Ste feel confident enough to take the step to start his business.  As this was a franchise Ste was taking on RED had already started to support him with clients and marketing, making the transition a lot smoother for him.

Ste started with RED in May 2018, and is finding running his own business rewarding and beneficial to his life.  He told us:

“Working with FranchisingWorks on the Enterprise Hub, helped my tremendously, I was lost and unsure of what to do, until I spoke to Vicky.  She sat down with me and went through everything, step by step, what was best for me, how many clients I need on a daily and weekly basis to survive, plus she even helped with my financial planning for the next 2 years. She’s been a great support and I couldn’t thank her enough, as even now she is always at the end of the phone, if I have a question”.

If like Ste you are trying to explore new ways to get back to work and would like to look at business start up as an option, get in touch with the Enterprise Hub team on 0151 706 8113 or enterprisehub@thewo.org.uk

Plumber John taps into startup support with Enterprise Hub at Wirral Chamber of Commerce

Having spent most of his early career as a plumber, for the last few years John Holden had been handing on his expertise working as a trainer at colleges in Halton.  Having identified a gap in the market and following a growing desire to get back to his roots, John decided that it was time to set up his own business as a plumber.

From the first phone call to Enterprise Hub at Wirral Chamber of Commerce, John got on really well with the team  and made the most of the range of support that is on offer from this programme.   His initial meeting really made him think how he would market himself, having already chosen his future business name “Plumber John”, and an idea of the customer base that he wanted.  With his many years’ experience, friendly approach and, let’s be honest, a real shortage of plumbers, this does feel like the right time for John Holden to start up.  

 

John has attended the Business Planning, and Marketing Workshops on Wirral and valued the networking aspect of these as well as the information being delivered.  With additional 1:1 guidance from the Wirral Chamber of Commerce on his sales and marketing techniques, Plumber John now has a website https://www.plumberjohn.co.uk/  and an increased confidence in social media techniques which he continues to learn.

On the support received, John commented: “From the moment I contacted the Wirral team I was impressed in how proactive they were in helping me to get my business started.  It was useful asking direct questions and getting answers.”  He is now beginning to build his customer base in Halton, Wirral and Liverpool and he has some past students in mind that showed real promise that he would consider taking on when the workload increases sufficiently.   

StartUp Wirral from Enterprise Hub is helping start-up businesses like Plumber John are given the support required to become successful companies in both Wirral and Halton.  If you’re thinking of starting a business in Wirral or Halton, please contact Lisa, Paul or Warren on 0151 541 0976 to find out about the programme which is part funded by European Regional Development Fund. 

GBBO Inspired Bakery Brings Cooking Classes to the Community

For 11 years Carol was a stay at home mum and a carer for her father. Following his death she wanted to get back into work, but found her options were limited due to her age. She decided to go into self-employment and launched her new business Whipped & Beaten with support from St Helens Chamber and the Enterprise Hub. 

Carol commented: “I wanted a job that allowed me to be independent in terms of when and how I worked. I also wanted to make the most of my previous skills and experience, having a background in cookery and teaching. I was inspired by the success of the ‘Great British Bake Off’ and other popular TV cookery programmes and I knew there would be a demand for cookery classes that wasn’t being met.”

Carol attended one of the Chamber’s ‘Be Your Own Boss’ events and met with a dedicated business start-up adviser who supported her with writing her business plan. She also met with a business mentor for one hour per week for six weeks who gave her further advice and guidance. Carol said: “The best part of the start-up support for me was the business mentor. I was very lucky to have a mentor from NatWest Bank who really helped me to organise and focus my ideas to structure my business plan.”

Carol also attended the Chamber’s free ‘Understanding Enterprise’ workshops where she learnt the fundamental principles of running a business and networked with other local start-ups. I did every workshop that was available to me, which was very useful in terms of getting started. It also gave me the opportunity to make new friends and contacts and learn from other people’s experiences. The workshops helped to eliminate the loneliness which comes when you’re working from home in the early stages setting up your business.”

After starting up her business, Carol became a Member of the Chamber, and made good use of all the benefits available to her including DBS checks, discounted networking and advice from business advisers. Carol added: “For the first six months of operating I took full advantage of all the services available to me through the Chamber, all of which have been very helpful and supported me in starting my business. I received a start-up discount on Chamber Membership and attended the 2017 Business Fair at a discounted rate."

“Through my Membership I’ve also made use of the discounted DBS service. I was put in touch with the Business Services team at the Chamber who came out and explained the DBS process to me. It was straight forward and I was given all the information about how to apply. I filled in my forms and handed over the cheque and the rest was done for me. Someone at the Chamber that I’d known for a long time even provided me with a reference. When you’re starting out as a new business it’s hard to know who to use, so it really helped."

Whipped & Beaten, also known as W&B Cookery in the Community, offers a variety of community based bakery and general cookery courses including supported living schemes, community centres and other special projects. Carol also attends local events such as the Great Get Together and seasonal fairs.

Since last Summer Carol has become heavily involved with a community project Sow, Grow and Eat, in collaboration with, The Autism and Asperger Society and Ashtons Green Community Allotments.
Here she runs a weekly cooking class aimed at vulnerable people suffering from loneliness and isolation.

Carol commented: “I was successful in securing funding from Wellbeing Enterprise and Un Ltd to start up the project and then received further funding to grow the project at the start of this year. The project is run over the course of six months, starting in Mach with the growing of the seeds and preparing raised beds. Each week we harvest the crops and cook them to prepare a communal meal. The project has been successful on many levels, improving social interaction, teaching new skills, increasing activity and promoting good mental and physical health.”

To find out more about how you can get involved call carol on 01744 731200 or email caroldyer@sky.com.

If you are thinking about setting up an business that also offers social value, the Enterprise Hub programme can offer FREE expert advice and guidance.  Contact our team on 0151 706 8113 or enterprisehub@thewo.org.uk to be connected to a partner organisation near you. 

Building a PR Strategy for Launching Your New Business

While you are building your business plan preparing to launch your new business, it is worth sparing some time to think about a PR strategy for your start up.

If you get PR right it can be a great way to get a bit of 'free' advertising for your enterprise at a start up phase. Ok free is never free as time is money, but it can certainly offer a great saving while cashflow is minimal.

Here are some ideas you may want to consider:

• Put together a press release - One of the best times to put together a press release is when your business reaches any kind of milestone as journalists want to know the what, where, when and how of a story.  Day to day running of your business is difficult to make newsworthy, however 'New Business Opens in the Local Area Creating Jobs' is great news, particularly for local press. Do a bit of google research to find out the details of journalists in media outlets you want to target.  Put together the key elements of your story: when your business launched, where, why you wanted to start that type of business, what makes you unique and build them into a story to send to those key contacts.  Ensure you include a high resolution photograph as this will make their life easier when putting the story together. 

• Create a build up on social media - Before you business launches engage followers in the process.  "Look at our new office, we can't wait to show you what we've been working on" type of posts are a great way to make people feel a part of your start up experience.  Try to connect with social media influencers who talk about brands like yours to perhaps send them samples of your product, or invite them to try your service. A 'countdown to launch' reminds people when they can start buying from you, so don't be shy in reminding people '5 days to go!'. Etc. 

• Hold a launch event - This may take a bit of budget to put on some drinks and nibbles, but having an event is a great way to create a buzz about your new business.  If you have premises you could literally do an opening event with a ribbon cutting and the whole nine yards.  If you invite local dignitaries such as your local mayor, key influencers within your industry, local MP etc. and even local press contacts you can massively increase your chance of getting press coverage.  Even if not it is something to shout about online and encourage those attending to tag in your social media accounts to get them noticed. 

If you are in the process of planning a business, but needing help with elements of getting the business off the ground such as marketing strategy, finance etc. then contact our team who can offer free advice and guidance through the European Regional Development Fund supported Enterprise Hub programme.  Call us on 0151 706 8113 or contact enterprisehub@thewo.org.uk 

Key Takeaways from Last Week's Business Start up Conference

Enterprise Hub Partner The Women's Organisation played host to this month's Enterprise Hub Business start-up Conference, providing opportunity for men and women thinking of starting a business to understand what is involved.  

Joanne & Sara with event host Bernie Cox (in the centre)

Two brilliant businesses joined us at the event to share their stories and Bernie Cox Training Coordinator at The Women's Organisation hosted the evening. 

Sara, Joanne & Anna Preparing to Speak

Engaging double act Joanne and Sara from children's hair salon Ava and Harrison were first to share their story.  Quite new in the world of business, Sara told us that things are going so well that ""By the end of week one we had to employ someone else. Our second week, another staff members.  Our estimate for week twelve is that we will be up to a team of 7". 

But how did they go from idea to thriving business in such a short space of time?  Here are some key takeaways from their talk

• Social Media is Key - Joanne told us how getting their page up on facebook has been a godsend as the second they put their shop sign up, a local mum took a photo which was shared on a 5,000+ member strong facebook group of mums saying how excited she was to 
• Involve Your Client Group in the Branding Process - Naming their business after Sara's daughter and Joanne's nephew is a great story that appeals to their customer base.  Sara recounted though how her daughter Ava was key in the design process. Joanne ran all design ideas past Ava to ensure they had a child's eye view on it.
• Follow Your Dream - Having talked about their idea for a few years it was Joanne who started the catalyst for change by quitting her previous job.  While waiting to push the new business forward Joanne had started offering mobile hair and beauty, but remembers she questioned "What am I doing? Why am I delaying this? We just need to get that business open". Now they have Sara and Joanne have no regrets seeing how quickly it has all come together
• Get advice - Joanne and Sara managed to access start-up loans to get their business off the ground, but realise without the right advice they may not have known that this fund was available, wouldn't have had their business plan completed and wouldn't have had a supportive person to bounce their ideas around location and strategy off. 

Next up was the impressive young Anna Slater of Northwest Linen.  Having started her business thanks to investment through Merseyside Special Investment Fund and her family, Anna's story reads almost the complete opposite to that of Ava and Harrison.  Diving in without much advice Anna picked up a business she had watched her father run successfully back when she was 8 years old motivated by "Feeling out of control" of her own destiny. 

Anna's starting point was renting a laundry in the evening while still working in education and relying on her father to drive her around her first customer's 3 locations. Anna reflected that "It hasn't been easy" but she has achieved her core objective of once again feeling in control of her destiny.  Key takeaways from Anna's story included

• Choose a marketing strategy that works for your business - Anna confessed she barely does any marketing for her business.  While she felt compelled to put her business on facebook, in hindsight she realised her core customer base of large hotel chains or restaurants are unlikely to be browsing facebook when choosing their linen service supplier. Anna has instead grown her business through recommendation from clients, but has achieved this through a personalised customer care strategy which has essentially been her core marketing tool.  Beyond that Anna's marketing investment has been using Google Adwords to ensure when those who don't know her business are searching online, her business comes top of Google search. This shows that marketing strategy that works for one business doesn't necessarily work for another, so you need to consider your customer. 
• Pace Your Growth - While Anna grew her staff team to 15 and expanded her customer base to make her business a high growth enterprise, Anna's strategy has been very measured.  It was as she was growing that she came across The Women's Organisation and took advice.  Anna recognises that at this point she is in a position where she could take on more and more contracts, however her current strategy is one of "consolidation". Anna advised that sometimes you can grow too fast and lose control of the business, so it is important to take some moments to step back and get everything you are already doing well fully consolidated before taking on more and potentially spinning out of control.
• Know Your Why - Anna told us that when deciding on what business to open she asked herself what she wanted from the experience. "Do I want to be a millionaire? No - Good because this wouldn't be the right industry for that. Do I want to be proud of what I do? Yes - and I can honestly say that I am".  It is important to understand what your end goal is and to evaluate whether that business you are thinking of will help you reach that goal. And think about how to achieve that.  Anna has achieved her goal through choosing an industry that is a family tradition, through building in good customer care strategies, and through carefully evaluating who the people are that will help make that happen. 

From the key points above you can get a flavour for what an inspiring and informative evening we enjoyed.  But you don't need to take our word for it! Here are some of the comments from those attending saying what they thought:

"Presentations were inspirational. Well presented and useful. Thank You."
"Really enjoyed it! Fantastic. Very motivational.  I hope to set up a business now, maybe 2 or 3."
"Great conference and found it very rewarding."
"The energy of the staff and the building were very positive."
"Very informative"
"Really well organised, excellent leader in Bernie, her advice, ethusiasm and honesty."
"Very inspiring guest speakers"
"So glad I came, many thanks."
"Inspirational speakers, Excellent event!"

If you missed out, but are looking for business advice you can contact the Enterprise Hub team on 0151 706 8113 to find out more about the free support available to Liverpool City Region residents through our European Regional Development Fund supported project. 

Hop over to our facebook page too to keep up with latest events on offer. 

Helping Katie to get her word out

With 18 years’ experience in marketing communications under her belt Katie Crozier decided it was about time to take the plunge and set up on her own, all with a little help from Enterprise Hub.

After leaving her full-time job, and a stint upcycling furniture, Get Your Word Out was born. Offering copy-writing and proof-reading services for marketing materials, from websites and blogs, to leaflets and brochures, Get Your Word Out is all about helping businesses to communicate with their clients more effectively.

Katie says: “I’m a big fan of plain English and getting to the point. No one has the time or inclination to read much these days, so what you have to say needs to be delivered quickly, clearly and authentically”. And this is the mantra on which her business is built.

When asking Katie what she did to get the ball rolling on her new venture, she said: “Honestly, I did all the wrong things. I left my job as soon as I decided I wanted to set up on my own and then started from scratch building up relationships with agencies, attending networking meetings and using all the connections I had to build my business.

“I would recommend that if you can, give yourself a good 6-12 months of planning your new business and networking with potential clients, while you’re in full time work, before making the leap.”

Katie soon approached the Enterprise Hub to find out what support was on offer and she was set up with our business advisor, Jo Mountfort, to help get her business off the ground. It wasn’t long until Katie was ready to take on Enterprise Hub’s range of courses, from social media training to help understanding tax and national insurance.

She says: “I had the works! I attended every course and met with a business advisor regularly and can heartily recommend it - it’s essential to have that support because quite unknowingly you can have some really silly ideas and indeed, miss the really obvious ones!”

Katie also makes it clear that being savvy with your income is essential when starting out in business: “I dropped lucky with some guaranteed copywriting work for a Chester agency - two days a week producing blogs/news stories for websites - but when this fizzled out early this year I struggled to get enough work to keep me afloat. Finding new clients is a slow process, and although for each job I’ve done I’ve had really good client endorsements, I don’t yet have enough work to sustain me so I supplement by income by being a background artist on Hollyoaks.

“The financial side of the business was the most daunting for me, having never been self-employed before, so the support of The Women’s Organisation, with training and meetings with a business advisor has been really useful.” 

With this in mind, Enterprise Hub was able to offer Katie tailored support to give her the skills to manage her cash flow effectively.

And it’s safe to say that Katie hasn’t looked backed since: “I’m really proud of what I have achieved so far and who knows what the future might bring. I love the fact that I’m getting to meet lots of new people and am really enjoying the work that I do. Getting positive comments from clients makes it all worthwhile and I get a little bit too excited every time an invoice is paid too!”  

Any parting words of wisdom for aspiring entrepreneurs out there? “Soak up all the advice available and join the support networks out there within your business sector. Talk about it to everyone you know because you’ll be surprised where your leads come from.

“I had to call a locksmith out the other day, having left my key on the inside of the door, he was quick and efficient so I asked for his card. Turns out that as a new business he hasn’t got any cards, leaflets or a website. So I gave him my card and said “I can help you with that!”.

If you would like to find out more about Get Your Word Out, you can visit www.getthewordout.uk  

Enterprise Hub is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund and offered FREE to residents of the Liverpool City Region. For more information on how to get support to start your business call 0151 706 8113 or email enterprisehub@thewo.org.uk

QUIZ! Find out which Enterprise Hub route is right for you

So, you've had a great business idea and need some guidance on what to do next, or perhaps you need some support in your first year of business? The good news is, Enterprise Hub is on hand with expert start-up advice and business support for residents of the Liverpool City Region!

From 1-2-1 start-up advice from our team of business advisors, to our 'Boost Your New Business' programme, Enterprise Hub is here to help you. 

Take our quiz to find out which route is right for you...

If you would like to find out more about the courses and services on offer through Enterprise Hub, contact enterprisehub@thewo.org.uk or call 0151 706 8113 for an informal chat. 

Sefton Residents Get ‘A Taste of Business’ at Rent a Space

Kevin Murphy, owner of Switch island based ‘Rent a Space’ opened the storage and business facility out of hours to welcome budding local entrepreneurs.  Teaming with business start up support programme Enterprise Hub and local growth hub Invest Sefton, ‘A Taste of Business’ gave Sefton residents just that!

Kevin Murphy and team from Rent a Space

The Wadud Family from Perfect Samosa

The evening offered talks from businesses who were between 7 weeks and 3 years into their business journey to give those attending an idea of what to expect.  More than 50 guests were also treated to a tour of the facility to see the variety of local enterprise housed there, from a Gym to fashion design studio, and even Scouse Bird Problems shop front.

Whilst enjoying what Kevin refers to as “the 3 p’s of business” (Pizza, prosecco and peroni) those with a business idea soaked in advice and inspiration from the businesses.

Sanya Wadud from Perfect Samosa who started out in Bootle kicked off the proceedings sharing how they have continued to grow and develop, achieving recognition from the likes of the BBC Good Food guide, and continuing to explore marketing and PR opportunities for their family run enterprise.

Personal Trainer Joe

Kevin Murphy Interviewing Fashion Designer Alex

Katie showing off her cupcakes

Personal trainer Joe from Workout Liverpool confessed “We started from our end dream. We went big from the start, it’s a challenge, but we knew what we wanted” explaining why they began with such a large unit at Rent a Space.  Mum of 5 Emily who took a unit at Rent a Space just 7 weeks ago to develop her cake making and children’s party business explained that maternity leave made her re-evaluate what she wanted and realised family flexibility was her core driver for going self-employed. Fashion designer Alex of A.M by Alex Meade shared that moving from a shop front to her design studio at Rent a Space meant she now avoids time wasters and has a steady flow of customers ready to buy.

“Social media is key to business success” was the resounding theme that was echoed through each talk.

Bernie Cox from Enterprise Hub Managing Agent The Women’s Organisation and Julie Swarbrick, business growth adviser at Invest Sefton, encouraged the crowd that Sefton is open for business and free support is on hand to help anyone ready for the challenge. 

Bernie Cox from The WO & John Matthias from Alt Valley

Enterprise Hub Marketing Manager Jo Austin said “We are so grateful to Kevin Murphy for offering his space for this inspiring event.  It is so important to have successful entrepreneurs like Kevin willing to support and mentor the next generation of business owners, and that is the atmosphere that has been created at Rent a Space.

As a team it is great for us to link up with Invest Sefton as through Enterprise Hub and their local growth hub we can offer a full service to start up and growing businesses in the local area. No matter which area of business causes you the most headaches, or if you just have a thought you want to run by an expert, there is someone there who can offer that listening ear and advice, and hopefully this event helped to show that to those who came along.”

If you missed the event, but are keen to speak to someone about how you can start or grow you business then you can get in touch with the Enterprise Hub team via 0151 706 8113 or get in touch with your Local Growth Hub at Invest Sefton via 0151 934 3452.

Thinking of starting your own business? Your 5 BIG questions answered…

“I’ve got this idea, but I don’t know where to start…”. Talking about your business ideas out loud for the first time can be very daunting. There are so many questions you want to ask and so much information to unpick.

Jo Mountfort, our business advisor extraordinaire, has worked in the start-up business arena for over a decade. During this time, she has worked with hundreds of clients, supporting them to organise their thoughts and develop their business ideas. We asked her to tell us some of the top questions she’s asked on a daily basis. Here’s what she had to say…

1. “I’ve got this idea, but I don’t know where to start...”

This is probably one of the most common things that clients say to me when we have our first face to face or telephone chat. My response: you’ve taken the first step! Speaking to someone impartial about your idea is really important. Nobody is going to laugh at you. What we will do is help you break it down bit by bit to see if it could work. We can offer 1-2-1 support and a range of training and networking courses to get you thinking.

2. “Do I have to write a business plan?”

No, is the short answer, but you really should! Certain establishments may require to see one – banks, funders etc. But more than that, taking the time out to plan something that could potentially be the biggest step of your life is a no-brainer! A business plan is your handbook to business and is a hugely useful tool. In the start-up research stage it acts as a checklist to all the things you need to think about. There are many different formats that a business plan can take so don’t shy away. The truth is, if you’ve been thinking this idea through then you’ve already started the business plan in your head.

3. “Is there any funding available to help me start?”

Possibly. There are some pots of money available to new businesses but they are often subject to credit and other checks. Some people’s circumstances can make them eligible for financial support but this is something your advisor can support you with. As advisors, we know what funders are looking for so we can do all the correct prep work with you before you submit applications.

4. “I’m going to undercut my competition when I first start-up.”

Don’t do it! Take the time to think about your pricing structure. Don’t just presume that the best way to get customers is have a price cheaper than your competition. Of course, some customers will factor price into their buying habits but not all will. Quality and standard of service will go a long way…

5. “Do you think it’s a good idea?”

This is a really difficult question to answer and it’s not up to us to judge what’s ‘good’ or not. But honestly, I think it’s always down to the individual. You can have two people running exactly the same type of business but running them very differently. Our job is to encourage you to research and think objectively about your idea to help you come to your own conclusion.

Our support is offered via the Enterprise Hub programme which is designed to help explore ideas and develop enterprise skills. We’ve seen and heard it all. So don’t be shy, get in touch and let’s start talking about your business! Or, if you’ve got a friend or a family member who could benefit from an initial chat, tell them to get in touch!

Contact enterprisehub@thewo.org.uk or call 0151 706 8113 for an informal chat.

University Graduate Ellie Is Baking Her Way To Business Success

Graduating from university and finding your first steps on the career ladder can be an exciting and pivotal part of your future. However, the reality that many graduates are faced with post-graduation, is a tough, competitive job market. Interestingly, research shows that more and more graduates are deciding to explore the option of starting their own business or becoming self-employed. 

Helped by The Women's Organisation, Ellie Ruddy, based in Wirral, decided to become her own boss after completing her university course in Food and Consumer Studies.

 Read Ellie's story here

Katie's Motto Is 'Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway!’

It should never be too late to realise your passion. At the age of 32 Katie Bigelow decided to go and train as a teacher, up to that point she had worked in educational environments and it seemed like the obvious step to take. Little did she know at the time, but this was the first step to her future as a business owner.

Read Katie's Story here

Always Grave Care – An Inspiring Business Start Up Story

After losing several close family members over the last couple of years, Gail recognised what an important part of the grieving process a loved one’s final resting place can be. She noticed that quite a few grave sites were becoming overgrown or had dead flowers on the headstones. After a bit of research, Gail was saddened to learn that a lot of people didn’t live close enough to regularly maintain graves and that this was the cause of some guilt and frustration.

As people move away from areas for work or family reasons, this is becoming a common scenario! Gail had the idea for her business three years ago, but at the time was working for the NHS and wasn’t sure about giving up her job. She knew that redundancies were looming and started to look into her idea by carrying out some market research.

Gail was encouraged by the positive responses that she received, but was dealt a blow when she found out that she had breast cancer. After receiving treatment and being given the all clear, Gail took redundancy from her position and decided that she wanted to pursue her dream of having her own business.

She contacted Alt Valley Community Trust earlier in the year and started working with the Enterprise Hub team, receiving one to one support. Gail got help with completing her business plan, putting together her financial forecast so she could decide if her idea was viable. She was also signposted to banking, loan and website services and undertook training in keeping records for tax. 

Gail was relieved to know that there was assistance for her at the early stages of start-up. She said: “If it wasn’t for the help that was available through the Enterprise Hub, I wouldn’t have known how to get started, where to go for a website or what prices to charge, I am really grateful for the service I received.”

Alt Valley Trust are a partner of Enterprise Hub. Based in North Liverpool, their work helps some of the most disadvantaged communities in Merseyside. They have a business support team that works with new and growing small businesses to help them secure employment and take on staff.