To support more people to start their own business, WSX Enterprise has launched its own online Startup Tool, Success 2 Startup (www.success2startup.org.uk). The tool takes budding entrepreneurs on a journey in 5 steps starting with asking the question Startup: ‘Is it for me?’ through to planning, attracting customers, finances, and legal matters.

The steps feature a host of useful resources including integrated business planning forms, factsheets for additional reading, calculators for working out your finances, and product price calculations for example.

Supporting wider audiences

The tool has been developed with support from the Inspiring Enterprise project which is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and the European Social Fund. The idea took shape after involvement in WSX’s One Stop Shop project, a European project looking at improving start up environments.

To date Inspiring Enterprise has supported over 1000 who want to become self employed.

WSX Programme Manager for Inspiring Enterprise and developer Henriette Reinders comments: “We have supported many people with their startup journey over the years and this tool adds another dimension to the support we provide. It not only makes it possible for more people to start a business with expert guidance, the tool also appeals to wider audiences who might want to work on their plans online and in their own time.

In addition, Inspiring Enterprise advisers can follow participants’ progress and give feedback on our project participants’ plans.”

The Success2Startup tool is only accessible to people engaged in WSX Enterprise’s startup projects across the South of England such as Inspiring Enterprise and Starting & Succeeding in Business. For more information, please contact connect@wsxenterprise.co.uk

Julie Stevenson has recently joined the Inspiring Enterprise team as a Business Specialist, helping participants along with their journey into self-employment.

Julie has loads of experience in helping start-ups, she worked in banking for many years before becoming a self-employed Finance Consultant, assisting businesses raise the finance to help them grow. Subsequently she became a small business advisor and has been doing this for 10 years!

 Julie’s favourite thing about working with Inspiring Enterprise is the people and the variety.

She says “In this role I get to meet lots of clients who all have very different backgrounds, skills and business ideas.  It never gets boring and it is so rewarding helping them turn their ideas into viable businesses”

Julie loves being outdoors in nature, walking, cycling, swimming and Kayaking, she fosters rescue dogs and enjoys spending time socialising and training them. If she wasn’t helping small businesses and start-ups she would love to work in woodland and wildlife conservation and help educate people about how to change their habits to protect our planet.

Julies top business tip:

“Do thorough research to verify the business idea is sound before committing to it and use that information to map out the finances by means of a sales and financial forecast. Validating the finances can save disaster in the early stages”

​             

Vessie Naydenova is a holistic nutritionist and weight lost specialist who founded her company Healthy and Confident in 2020.

Vessie studied for a  B.Med.Sc. of Nutrition 20 years ago. Which she hoped to use to help hospital patients speed their recovery through their diet, unfortunately, there was not opportunity for her, as a nutritionist to work with the patients at that time.

She completed a master’s degree in accounting and pursued a successful career as an accountant, all the while she continued studying and developing her nutritional knowledge and advising friends and family about the impact of healthy eating and living.

A few years ago, Vessie took part in a health summit and realised that she really wanted to use her nutritional knowledge to help women grow and thrive, and when the company she worked at as a financial controller was sold the following month, she decided to set up her nutrition practice.

Through Healthy and Confident Vessie works mostly with women, looking at nutrition and weight loss through the lens of a whole person perspective and applies both a mind and body approach.

Vessie says of her work: “Weight loss is very interesting topic for me. I believe that weight gain is a symptom, just the tip of the iceberg. It shows that something wrong is going on in the patient/client’s life – could be emotional stress (in most cases), lack of knowledge and understanding how to give their body and mind the best care they deserve, etc.

I have created the unique 6 and 12 steps Happier & Slimmer programs. Together with my clients we check and positively change different aspects of their life, step by step, focusing on health & happiness, (never on restrictive dieting!)

We decrease the stress and add a lot of nourishing food, positivity, self-esteem and joy.”

 Vessie got in touch with Inspiring Enterprise and has worked with Enterprise Specialist Susan Reviere who helped her to create her marketing plan for her business, understand important legislation as well as offering emotional support through lockdown and checking on her progress and sending helpful resources.

Vessie says “I am grateful for all the support that Susan and the Inspiring Enterprise team has given me”

Vessie is now working with clients on a 1-2-1 basis and says her happy clients are her pride and joy. She has been running online workshops through the national lockdown and has received fantastic feedback. She also has a growing facebook group where she posts weekly challenges and health tips.

She is planning on adding group slimming coaching as well as delivering ‘5 Steps to a productive and joyful day’ webinars to companies and working with communities.

Vessie would like to invite everyone to spend at least 30 mins a day focusing on their wellbeing by:

• Adding more fresh food to their meal plan,
• walking to the nearest forest, field or beach,
• dancing
• smiling
• appreciating little things in life,
• actively looking for beauty and positivity.

Prevention is definitely better than the cure.

When we have our health and positive attitude, we can achieve anything!

Please feel free to join our Vessie’s FB group for weekly health tips and recipes.

Or subscribe to the website for health news.

W:  www.healthyandconfident.co.uk

FB: Happy Healthy and Confident

E:   vessie@healthyandconfident.co.uk, M:    07389 871221

Be Green Cleaning

In 2019, Shaun Brogan left his job with a cleaning firm after 25 years to be his own boss and offer a different, much greener solution. He felt that many cleaning companies used too many chemicals that are harmful for the environment. 

Looking around for support to start his own business he was put in touch with the Inspiring Enterprise project @ the University of Winchester. Within weeks he was on his way with support from mentor Jane Buswell. Shaun says: “Jane was great, creative, knowledgeable, and the perfect sounding board. She really gave me the confidence to start and carry on.”

Shaun now runs the Be Green Cleaning business aimed at small to medium sized businesses. He won’t use products with volatile organics compounds (VOC’s) in them, as they negatively affect the spaces we live and work in. They have developed cleaning practices that virtually eliminate the use of chemicals in daily cleaning. They utilise recycled paper products and when they do need to use cleaning products they are environmentally sound.

The business is doing well. Their main base is in Winchester but now they are cleaning premises as far away as Derby.

Shaun can recommend people starting their own business…and his main tip to budding entrepreneurs is: Don’t be frightened to ask for help!

https://begreencleaning.co.uk/