JumpStart project team expands to meet demands of pandemic

"It’s a really exciting time to join JumpStart considering this is the highest level of interest we have seen in the workshops since they began five years ago."

A programme established to support people considering setting up their own business has recently expanded due to its ongoing success and the high demand during and since the start of the pandemic.

The JumpStart project, part-funded by Warwickshire County Council and delivered by Coventry & Warwickshire Reinvestment Trust (CWRT), is a series of informative and free workshops designed for individuals who are thinking of starting a business but are unsure of how to go about it.

Since the pandemic hit, many people have started to consider new career directions and JumpStart has assisted 65 individuals since March 2020, to find out whether being a business-owner is for them. A round of JumpStart workshops in September was over-subscribed so spaces have been released early for November’s workshops to ensure that maximum support is available to potential start ups.

The business support side of CWRT has dealt with a big influx of enquiries due to the pandemic, so has expanded to meet the increased demand with the addition of another member of staff to the project. Dominic Richards, who works within the start up loans side of CWRT, has been appointed to support JumpStart as a Project Officer alongside existing Project Officer, Keely Copson and to get all clients booked in to attend the workshops.

The high level of interest in the JumpStart project shows emphasises the need for a high level of pre-start support at this time, particularly in regards to the recovery from the pandemic where many of our clients have been affected through being made redundant or on furlough for a significant amount of time.

Dominic Richards said: "It’s a really exciting time to join JumpStart considering this is the highest level of interest we have seen in the workshops since they began five years ago. We are keen to assist as many people as possible in helping them understand how self-employment and being a business owner can be an alternative career route that many may be hesitant to consider."

The November workshops, which start on Wednesday November 17th, will cover a range of topics including:

• Action Planning to Achieve Your Goals; overcoming barriers, addressing your mindset and how to change your mindset to an entrepreneurial one

• Market Research; Establishing the viability of your business idea, how to conduct market research and find out who your target customers are

• Business Planning; Understanding the importance of a strong business plan and how this can be used as a tool to grow your business and set goals for the future

• Cashflow Forecasting; Finding out why a cashflow forecast is integral to your business, how to use one for both personal and for business use

• HMRC and How to Register: Everything you’ll need to know in your first 12 months of self-employment, including vital tax dates and different business structures

• Social Media Day: Basics of setting up business pages on social media, along with how to create engaging content and drive customers to your pages

• One to one mentoring: 3 confidential support sessions with a business support specialist

For more information on JumpStart, please call 02476 551777, or visit: www.cwrt.uk.com.