Thinking of starting a business?

Aspiring entrepreneurs have been finding out how to get going on the path to success with an event run by a major new business support programme.

A drop in event held at the Town Hall in Leamington last week saw start-ups get impartial, quality advice on a range of issues crucial to starting a small business.

The Coventry and Warwickshire Business Support Programme is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund with further support from Warwickshire County Council and Coventry City Council. It is delivered by the Coventry & Warwickshire LEP Growth Hub, County Council, City Council and a wide range of specialist delivery partners.

Firms representing a range of industries from quantum computing to cleaning services attended the event and found out more about accessing finance; business planning and social media through free workshops, in addition to meeting the many services available to support businesses to start up, develop and grow.

Vanessa McCulloch was one of the entrepreneurs who attended the 'Thinking of Starting a Business' seminar run by Tanya King from the Chamber of Commerce.

Vanessa trained as a lawyer but while she was waiting in a bank, which she says will remain nameless, she noticed it wasn't properly cleaned. She set up Kay Gees Insights cleaning contractors, who specialise in high-quality commercial and domestic cleaning contracts. The company, which operates in Warwickshire, Coventry and the wider West Midlands, is also taking on contracts in Manchester and London.

Vanessa said: "The Business Support Programme Event has been very informative, easy to access and helped to demystify starting up a business."

Another event is taking place in Atherstone on Thursday 13 October at the Memorial Hall. 

Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce is delivering the start-up service in Warwickshire as part of the Coventry and Warwickshire Business Support Programme. As well as ERDF, it is also funded by Warwickshire County Council, North Warwickshire Borough Council, Rugby Borough Council, Stratford-on-Avon District Council and Warwick District Council.

For further information please contact Coventry & Warwickshire Growth Hub, Tel: 0300 60 3747; Email: contact@cwgrowthhub.co.uk