Trades Get Help To Start Up Businesses

ANY householder who has needed a builder, electrician or plumber knows demand outstrips supply, but the good news is many qualified trades people are now setting up their own businesses in Cumbria with the support of Cumbria Rural Enterprise Agency Business Start-Up courses.

Even those who have been self employed before have found the five day course covering everything from marketing to cash flow a useful exercise.

Andrew Allison worked for an electrical retailer in his home town of Appleby installing TV aerials as well as running his own mobile disco business. With some experience of being self employed with the disco, he thought about working for himself full time, and together with his wife Helen decided to take the plunge.

Andrew said: “I am 38 years old and I knew that if I didn’t do it now I never would. Once we had decided to set up the business we contacted CREA to see if there were any business start up grants available.

“Though there were no grants they did tell us about the Business Start-Up course which we decided to go on together at Penrith. The evening sessions were useful not only as a refresher course for how to run a business but also providing an opportunity to meet other people in the same position as ourselves.

“I also found the session on handling difficult situations most helpful, as I go into people’s homes to install the aerials and meet so many different sorts of people.

“The CREA course gave me a general understanding of everything, and even if you are employing other people such as accountants, it is useful to have an understanding of what they do. I had an accountant for the disco business, and I did ask him for his advice about starting up this new business. We followed his advice and set up a Limited Liability Partnership.

“Since starting the business 18 months ago it has gone much better than expected. I still do the odd day for my former employer, but I am also looking at gaining my qualifications to do complete house wiring and I’ve signed up to do this with NAPIT and hope to have completed the course and be registered by the end of the year.

“I am working longer hours as a self employed person, but I know I am doing it for the family business. There are the books and invoices to do at the end of the day, but I enjoy it. I am glad we decided to set up on our own.”

Brothers Anthony and Stephen Chaplow set up their partnership in November 2007. Anthony and Stephen Chaplow Landscaping and Groundworks Ltd was formed as Anthony wanted to expand his own business and Stephen was looking for a new job.

Anthony, 38 explained: “We had worked together a number of years ago for a local family firm, and we knew we worked together well which is a very important factor. After 18 years working for that business I set up my own firm in April 2004. After three years of building up that business I was ready to expand but it was difficult finding labour who I felt I could trust to do the work to my own standards if I was called away. I wanted to move into more extensive groundwork which needed people who were qualified to use big equipment.

“My brother, Stephen was just coming to the end of his contract with another firm. He was looking for a new job and had all the heavy machinery qualifications and I knew I could trust him and work with him.”

Stephen, 43 said: “I was looking to do something different and setting up a limited company with Anthony seemed the right thing to do. We contacted CREA to see if there were any start up grants available. Unfortunately there weren’t any at that time, but I was able to take their business start-up course. Though Anthony does the paper work for the business I was able to get an understanding of what was involved and also see some of the pit falls of starting a new business. The course has given me an insight into the running of the business. It was interesting and I am now thinking of taking a computer course so I could help with the office side of the work in the future.”

CREA currently has funding from South Lakeland District Council to provide Business Start-Up support in South Lakes. Lynne Fox is the Business Support and Planning Manager based in Kendal: “Our approach has always been to develop a relationship with people who are thinking of starting up or those in the early days of their business. We try to offer a flexible package of benefits to reflect different business needs and this has included workshops, practical start-up courses and events as well as one-to-one business advice and, when funding allows, access to start-up grants.”

CREA is currently offering pre-start-up business counselling and workshops for new businesses in South Lakeland and will be holding the next new Business Start-Up evening course in September. They also have sponsorship from Barclays to run some one day start-up workshops in Eden.

Lynne Fox
Cumbria Rural Enterprise Agency
01539 726624