Philippa and Neil Build their Own Careers with BC Bespoke Furniture

 Phillipa and Neil have turned their passion into a successful business with BC Bespoke Furniture. Starting out fixing and customising their own home furnishings, both Philippa and Neil recognised that they could create unique pieces for customer’s homes by setting up their family business.

Philippa explained: “The business has really evolved from where it started. BC Bespoke Furniture actually started when our puppy ruined our dining room table! I knew what type of table I wanted but I knew I wouldn’t find it in a shop, so I set about making it myself.

“I have a quirky style when it comes to furniture, and my vision was to have something unique. I made the table from scaffold boards and tubes and the finished product was exactly the look I was going for.”

From their dining room table, the couple also realised that during the pandemic they needed extra desk space as Neil was now working from home.

Philippa commented: “When COVID started, Neil ended up working from home and using my desk, so we needed extra desk space to accommodate us both.  We made a new desk ourselves, then some shelves for the living room and it grew from there.”

Philippa and Neil clearly had a passion and talent for creating bespoke and unique furniture, but after relocating from Northampton it wasn’t until their young family was settled into St Helens that the pair took the next steps towards setting up BC Bespoke Furniture.

Philippa explained: “I moved from Northampton nearly 5 years ago and I had tried to go back to work when I came to St Helens. At the same time, we were going through the diagnosis process with my son who was diagnosed with ADHD at age 14; so, trying to work for someone else and get him into school moving was too much of a juggle for us.

“Once the whole family was settled, it felt like a great time for me to get back into work. I realised that setting up our own business would give us the flexibility we needed to balance family life with our work lives. Unfortunately, Neil was made redundant too, but this ultimately helped us decide to set up on our own and we started looking into the premises and machinery we would need.” 

Once they had decided that the time was right for them, both Neil and Philippa set about researching what they would need to set up their business – enlisting the help of St Helens Chamber’s Start Up team.

Neil commented: “We had some conversations about starting up properly, and we knew we needed machinery and that our current workshop was far too small.

It took us around 8 months to get the website built, find our new premises and commission the workshop, but now we are all set up and operating safely.”

BC Bespoke Furniture now make a range of different products, all unique and bespoke. Each product is created with passion and the business has now evolved further into making bespoke Garden Rooms.

Philippa explained: “Now we have the machinery we need we are creating these amazing garden rooms. There’s a full range to suit all different sizes and matching all budgets. We actually use one of the garden rooms ourselves as an office in our workshop.

“These rooms have electricity, UPVC doors, cladding and add a really useable space to your garden. Once lockdown has been lifted we are planning to have a collection service from our workshop and we will allow people to come in and see one of our garden rooms fully set up so they can get a feel for it before they buy.”

Through Enterprise Hub, St Helens Chamber’s Start Up team supported Philippa and Neil while they created their business plan and will continue to support them as their business grows.

Neil commented: “Steve was really helpful. He put a framework together for us and showed us everything we needed to consider while setting up our business.

“Steve then helped us with our business plan, he gave us lots of helpful feedback whenever we sent him the plan and helped review our cost plans. He’d often come back with questions we’d not thought of, which was really helpful when starting out.”

St Helens Chamber is part of Enterprise Hub, the enterprise gateway for business start-up support in the Liverpool City Region.  Enterprise Hub is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

Now BC Bespoke Furniture is set up and business is growing, they have become Chamber Members. Chamber Membership helps them enjoy great links with local businesses and plenty of other benefits.

Philippa commented: “The factsheets I requested were really helpful – they helped us know what to consider when it came to health and safety, we had one on social media marketing too.

“Anything we needed like business insurance etc we were able to go through Chamber Members and felt much more secure going to someone who is associated with St Helens Chamber. All the support has been great, from the start up team to our Chamber Membership”.

To find out more about BC Bespoke Furniture visit: https://bcbespoke.co.uk/

To find out more about Start Up Support, visit https://www.sthelenschamber.com/startup

To access support to start your business contact the Enterprise Hub team on 0151 706 8113 or enterprisehub@thewo.org.uk

Redundancy gives James the Opportunity to Realises his Dream of Setting Up his own Business

After being made redundant, James Hunter decided it was time to follow his ambition of starting his own business. With the support of St Helens Chamber and Enterprise Hub, he started mobile valeting company, High Definition Mobile Valeting.

High Definition Mobile Valeting

James explained: “High Definition Mobile Valeting is based in Newton Le Willows, but we cover most of the North West. I valet cars and other vehicles too; offering a range of services from full valets, to showroom valets and even a disinfecting mist service which kills 99.9% of germs.

“The misting service has gone down really well at the moment as people are much more conscious of keeping their cars clean and free of bacteria. I also offer a carbon clean too which is good for the engine maintenance, so I help people take care of the inside of their car as well as the outside!”

After being made redundant, James was keen to get his business off the ground. However, after talking to St Helens Chamber’s Start Up team he slowed things down to make sure all of the relevant funding and business plans were in place.

James commented: “I knew once I took redundancy that I wanted to start my own business with the money. I thought it was a great way to turn something which was quite stressful into something good; and its worked out really well.

“I wanted to finish my job on the Friday and go straight into the new business on Monday. After speaking with my Business Adviser Steve, he advised me to take a step back and look at a business plan; which really was the best thing I could have done.”

James didn’t just benefit from the support of the Start Up team, he took every opportunity to train with St Helens Chamber and boost his skills – all completely free of charge.

James explained: “The support has been superb. Steve slowed things down for me and gave me a new perspective, he advised me about different funding available and then he helped me access relevant training.

“I took advantage of some of the courses on offer like ‘Getting started with LinkedIn’ and I did a Bookkeeping course which was really useful. With me handling money I wanted to know I was doing everything right, so this really helped.”

High Definition Mobile Valeting is going from strength to strength and business is growing even through the lockdown.

“The timing of me starting in the middle of the pandemic wasn’t ideal, but once we came out of the first lockdown we really hit the ground running. In particular, Facebook has been really good for us lots of bookings come through Messenger.

“I wasn’t sure whether the business was going to take off through the pandemic but it really had and I’m so pleased. I work nearly 7 days a week and we’re really busy which is great. I’m establishing my business so it’s great to have so many bookings coming through.”

Steve Mather, Business Start Up Adviser at St Helens Chamber, added: “It’s fantastic to see James’ business doing so well through these tough times, I’m looking forward to continuing working with him and seeing how his business will grow in the coming months.”

Enterprise Hub is funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

To find out more about High Definition Mobile Valeting, visit https://highdefinitionmobilevaleting.com/

To find out more about Start Up Support via St Helens Chamber, visit https://www.sthelenschamber.com/startup

Or for general Enterprise Hub enquiries contact EnterpriseHub@TheWo.Org.Uk or 0151 706 8113.

Meet the engineer turned businesswoman who is making a name and badge for herself and others, online

 Krystina Pearson-Rampeeare is an Aerospace Engineer who turned a common observation about her day job, into a profitable business.

“You don’t look like an engineer!” It’s a comment Krystina and many other women in jobs traditionally associated with men, have heard 100 times or more. As a Flight Systems Engineer at BAE Systems, Krystina decided to mix her love of pin badge collecting with an important message about equality and possibilities. In 2020, she launched AviateHer, an Etsy shop which stocks and sells her inspired pin badges.

Krystina Pearson-Rampeearee

“I initially came across The Women’s Organisation on social media and attended a few talks at 54 St James’s Street. When I started my business during lockdown, I contacted The Women’s Organisation to see if they could offer me any support with setting up a business.

Before she contacted The Women’s Organisation, Krystina said she was looking for support to progress her idea, she said: “As someone with little business experience I was hoping to gain insight on how to run a business and what I needed to be aware of.

“I balance AviateHer with my day job where I have worked for seven years after graduating from university with a master’s degree in aerospace systems Engineering. I live in Liverpool with my husband, 2-year-old boy and our dog, and in my spare time I volunteer as a STEM Ambassador and mentor.”

AviateHer is a one-woman operation as Krystina uses her creative flair to design and sell enamel pin badges to highlight diversity in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) careers. She sells them online via Etsy and hopes to launch her own website in 2021.

“The advice that I got from The Women’s Organisation was invaluable. I was asked questions during sessions with my business advisor Huda, about my products that I hadn’t considered. She really opened my mind to possibilities and approaches to help my business succeed. I had regular sessions which helped me to remain accountable to the running of the business.”

Krystina feels proud of her new skill set as she manages the inventory, product design, photography, packing and marketing herself. Her Enterprise Hub business advisor also helped with setting monthly targets which Krystina says improved her management of inventory and to plan.

“I wish we could have met in person, but the remote meetings did enable more flexibility with balancing work and family life.”

Now a small business owner who has raised over £1000 for various charities since opening her online shop, Krystina has received more than 500 Etsy sales since going live in July 2020 and lots of positive reviews.

“The response was better than I ever expected, I started with a pin badge for Engineers and due to requests, have expanded to include further careers such as Scientists, Pilots, Coders and Mathematicians, with more to come!

“Part of the proceeds from each pin badge goes to charity which has been a great way for me to give back. I’m looking forward to the future and seeing what comes next by expanding AviateHer further and setting up a Community Interest company which aims to benefit women in STEM.”

To find out more about AviateHer you can check out the Etsy Shop link here.

If you have been inspired by Krystina’s story and are interested in starting or growing a business of your own, then Enterprise Hub could 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.

The Fermentation Station offers 'ordered chaos' on a plate

Starting a business can be daunting. Starting a business in the middle of a global pandemic takes courage, determination and support. The Fermentation Station has done just that and following a huge surge in business at Christmas, owners Amy and Sam are now developing hands-on workshops and a bounty of Spring products.

Amy with some of their products

The process of fermentation has been around for centuries and is practised around the globe. You've probably heard of sauerkraut and kombucha, but there are so many more healthy, vegan, dairy and gluten-free products on offer. 

Liverpool-based business The Fermentation Station (TFS) was established in 2020 with support from The Women's Organisation and Enterprise Hub. Specialists in creating probiotic food and drink which are healthy, delicious, diverse and sustainable, we caught up with owners Amy and Sam to find out more. 

"Our business grew out of a passion for what had originally been a hobby at home. During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, we were presented with more time to explore and expand upon the art of fermentation. 

"As time went on and our following grew on social media, people’s interest in our ferments and the products we were producing led us to deciding to establish it as a legitimate business."

Drawing on previous experience, Amy and Sam were able to manage some of the basic aspects of setting up a business. Having registered with Companies House, they contacted The Women's Organisation which connected them with Enterprise Hub and a dedicated business advisor for additional support.

"I have had a number of different support points from the Enterprise Hub through The Women’s Organisation. I have had access to a business advisor and also virtually attended a number of support event with them including, social media strategy and business planning. 

"All of which have been helpful in establishing TFS, but I’ve found being able to ask my business advisor any queries particularly helpful."

The Fermentation Station start up process wasn't all plain sailing. Amy and Sam faced a number of barriers that affected them both professionally and personally.

"The greatest barrier for any business is the growth vs money dichotomy. My business partner is also my life partner and so we are currently running a household on limited income and the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic is very real for us all right now. We are having to adapt as the landscape dictates."

I think everyone juggles many different responsibilities. I run a home with a very energetic working dog in it who requires a lot of time, attention and exercise. In addition, prior to Christmas 2020, I was a carer and granddaughter to Nan, who was 95 and lived with a genetic eye disorder which left her blind. Unfortunately, we lost her in December 2020, so we are all currently functioning and living with our grief."

The Fermentation Station is currently run from home with additional kitchen facilities located at a family members home, where the duo manufacture their products. 

"Here at The Fermentation Station we believe in showcasing the diversity of fermented foods through traditional and sustainable methods. Educating, inspiring and connecting communities to create positive health outcomes and food waste solutions." 

"Fermentation is what we call 'Ordered Chaos' and we want our products to be fun from start to finish. From the love and creativity we put into our ferments to the delicious dishes and drinks our clients make with them."

There are many things that are unique about the business. The Fermentation Station is at the forefront of a new trend in the food and beverage industry that is set to grow. We have a number of unique aspects of our business model too, including our seasonal sustainability, subscriptions, social conscious and collaborations. 

As COVID-19 measures took hold, The Fermentation Station was unable to sell at as many venues as markets as it planned. However, positives include an increase in social media activity and 'phenomenal' sales in December. 

The business is going well. There are many positives to running your own business. The biggest one is being your own boss, having the autonomy to decide the direction of your business and what your values are. 

 I’m proud of us, our determination and our ability to do this in the middle of a pandemic. Starting a business is big and scary at any time and being able to reach the level of success we have so far and given the challenges I am immensely proud."

      Website: www.thefermentation-station.co.uk

      Email: info@thefermentation-station.co.uk

      Facebook: @TheFermentationStationUK

      Instagram: @thefermentationstationuk

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.

Enterprise Hub Client Wins National Podcasting Award

A business owner from the Wirral who received support from Enterprise Hub has won a prestigious Podcasting for Business Awards.

Gaby Mendes, winner of the Best Education Podcast Award

Gaby Mendes, 25, was shortlisted from hundreds of entries and won in the Best Education Podcast category of the inaugural Podcasting for Business Awards. The awards were announced in a fun, virtual online ceremony on the 26th of January, 2021. “As a former teacher, and considering how young the podcast is, winning an award for the Best Education Podcast has truly made my year” said Gaby, who is the host of the Talk Twenties Podcast.

The awards are the brainchild of Lynsay Anne Gould, who is a top-rated podcaster, podcast agency owner and business coach. The Podcasting for Business Awards’ main aim is to celebrate the creativity of new and seasoned podcasters and help them reach a wider audience. Podcasting has taken off globally with Apple currently hosting over 1.68 million podcasts and there are over 10 million weekly podcast listeners here in the UK.^[1]

Founder of the Awards, Lynsay Anne says, “A big congratulations to all the winners. The PFB Awards are a celebration of all independent podcasting and we love sharing the amazing achievements of podcasters across many different genres. A big thank you to all our judges and sponsors who made the 2021 awards a massive success.”

“We absolutely love showcasing indie podcasters and their shows in the awards and we will be hosting the event annually. I am passionate about getting more diverse voices and ideas heard via the marvellous medium of podcasting.”

To find out more go to https://www.lynsayanne.com/pfbawards

^[1] https://www.inpublishing.co.uk/articles/podcast-growth-continues-but-publishers-need-to-be-clear-why-they-are-podcasting-15678

SME Investment readiness during a pandemic: how to access CBILS and funding support before March 31st

As we exit the second national lockdown of the year and enter strengthened Tier 2 restrictions, businesses are continuing to feel the strain of the pandemic. It therefore remains vital to know your options around the financial support that could help your business to recover and prosper post-pandemic, and how best to approach providers of finance.

MSIF Investment Manager, Sue Chambers, discusses the importance of investment readiness and how best to prepare for funding success during a time of elevated uncertainty.

Sue Chambers, MSIF Investment Manager

Knowing your options

When applying for funding, you should ensure that you have explored all opportunities for
financial support during this time.

Firstly, you should be utilising any free resource that is available to you as a small to medium-sized business. We would encourage you to approach your local chambers of commerce and business growth hubs as they have a plethora of connections to best help your business, in addition to the latest advice derived from central government sources. The Liverpool City Region Growth Platform is a great place to start for any businesses situated within the LCR as the site also includes the latest information on any localised grants that may be available. 

Be sure to check what government grants you may be eligible for as a company as well as ensuring you have utilised the Job Retention Scheme where appropriate to help both sustain your business and preserve jobs via the gov.uk website. 

If government and/or local support is not sufficient to get your business through the winter, you may want to consider a Bounce Back Loan (BBLS) if you are looking for funding up to £50,000 - or alternatively, a Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan (CBILS) if you need more than that.

If you have already taken out a Bounce Back Loan, you may be able to top this up to £50,000 and you should contact your original provider for further information. You can have either a BBL or a CBILS but not both. CBILS can also be applied for and used to repay a BBL. If you want to apply for either of these loans you need to do this before the schemes end on 31st March 2021. 

In the first instance, our best advice is to try your own bank first for CBILS/BBL support. If they are unable to help, then you can apply to other providers. MSIF as an example is able to support businesses with a CBILS loan through both their dedicated Coronavirus Recovery and Resilience Fund in addition to the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund - NPIF Microfinance, jointly managed with GC Business Finance.

 

Investment readiness

Before you look to access external funding, make sure you have a full business plan ready – including an explanation of how your company has been adversely affected by the Coronavirus pandemic, your plans for recovery and what you intend to use the funds for.

Cash flow forecasts also need to be incorporated and be as realistic as possible. For example, if your business is connected to the hospitality and retail sector, you may want to assume that there could be a further delay before trading is back to normal. It will also be useful for a funder to see a sensitised version of your forecasts that takes account of possible further lockdowns or slower recovery – say reducing revenues (and associated costs) by a prudent percentage per month.

The cash flow forecast will serve to both highlight the amount required, building in some headroom as it is only a forecast, and help to evidence ability to meet the loan repayments. It is also important to detail any assumptions you have made in the cash flow. At a time when funders can’t get together face to face to discuss your financial workings it is crucial that you explain how you have arrived at the amount of loan you are looking for. Communication is key!

 

Benefits of funding

There are some real benefits of securing funding during this time. It can help create additional headroom and breathing space for your business, but you need to be sure to apply for sufficient funds to get through the next 6 months and beyond.

Additional funding can also help with the retention of staff and could avoid the need to retrain new staff in the future if unnecessary redundancies are made.

Of course some businesses are seeing growth opportunities during the pandemic and as long as they can show they have been adversely impacted by COVID in some way, then BBLs and CBILS can also be used for investment purposes.

Overall, you are best preparing yourself to hit the ground running when Covid restrictions are eventually eased and we can all return to ‘normality’. Now is the time for recovery and resilience.

If you are successful in applying for BBL or CBILS funding the government will cover all fees and interest costs for the next 12 months allowing you breathing space to focus on getting your business back on track. You can also use the funding to repay any delete ‘any’ existing funding if it will help put your business on a more stable financial footing, but lenders do have a limit attached to the amount they can refinance in this way.

Implementing new finance into your business

Only you, as the leader of your business will truly understand what your priorities are and where the extra funding will be needed most. This will vary from business to business, including covering business rates and rent, paying suppliers and, despite best efforts from the government, staff costs.

The key thing is to ensure that you have explored all options to make the most out of any assistance available.

By having these conversations, you are not only best preparing your business to re-start or continue to operate, but you are putting yourself in the best position possible for success when applying for additional funding. Make sure you have a clear plan of where that money needs to be deployed, to mitigate the risk of asking for too little or too much investment.

Be open and be honest in your conversations with any potential funders, during a time of continued and increased social distancing. It is imperative you include as much detail as you can to supplement your application.

Yes, there is light at the end of the pandemic tunnel but we need to be prepared for the financial challenges 2021 may present as a result.

Mia’s Cocktails are shaking up the lockdown

For Mia Williamson, the national lockdown in March could not have come at a worse time. Having worked in the bar industry for 5 years, she had decided that 2020 was going to be the year of change for her, and had just packed in her full time job to concentrate on her newly registered business ‘Shaker Shaker’ specialising in a bespoke mobile bar service. She had joined the Enterprise Hub programme at the Wirral Chamber and was busy working on her business plan when the announcement came.

Mia up and running

Mia was faced with two choices, to call last orders on her new business or to take the plunge and adapt to survive. Fortunately she decided on the latter and, realising that her target customers were now confined to their homes and unable to socialise, she took to social media and launched #14CocktailsIn14 Days. “I decided to capitalise on my cocktail-making skills and post a video a day for 14 days showing people how to make a different cocktail each day!” By keeping people’s spirits up – literally – and posting engaging content, Mia soon saw her number of followers increase. She says, “I totally underestimated the power of social media. Initially I found it very daunting taking and posting videos of myself, but I soon realised that my posts were triggering engagements and people wanted to see what I was up to each day!’

Having built up a healthy following on social media, the ease in lockdown restrictions enabled Mia to launch her cocktail delivery service. ‘I announced it on the Wednesday’, says Mia, ‘and by Friday my week was fully booked’. Unlike other competitors, Shaker Shaker’s delivery service provided DIY cocktail kits containing all the ingredients and instructions, so clients were buying the experience as well as the drink – and this quirky twist went down a storm.

The combination of her products and her social media activity soon attracted the attention of other businesses within the catering and events sector and Mia found herself networking and collaborating with other local independents who provided support, cross-referrals, re posts and friendship during the difficult summer months.

Mia’s advice to other start-up businesses would be ‘to focus on the journey and not the destination, move out of your comfort zone – challenge yourself and explore every opportunity!’ She admits that when she first started, she didn’t know how to run a business but through the Enterprise Hub programme she not only enjoyed the workshops that were on offer but felt that she particularly benefitted from bouncing ideas around in the one to one sessions and the encouragement she received from the advisers Heidi and Paul.

So what does the future hold for Mia and Shaker Shaker? Well the support she received over the summer from her client base and fellow independent businesses has left her in no doubt that it is only a matter of time, when restrictions regarding gatherings are lifted, that the full potential of Shaker Shaker will be realised. She already has bookings for next year for her all-inclusive mobile bar package and cocktail making classes, but in the meantime, she’s back to her DIY cocktail deliveries – adding a bit of sparkle and fun to her client’s lives!

For more information on Shaker Shaker you can contact Mia on: info@shakershaker.co.uk / 07708 777 990 or follow her cocktail making antics on https://www.facebook.com/shakershakerbar or her Instagram page.

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.