This Art Of Mine – Create something to be proud of!

gemma-blacker-this-art-of-mine-rectangle-549Client: Gemma Blacker

Business: This Art Of Mine

Description: A friendly arts and craft studio set in the Kent countryside. All ages and abilities welcome.

Telephone: 01622 735 312

Website: http://www.thisartofmine.co.uk/index.html

How was This Art of Mine launched?

This Art of Mine was launched in 2010. The start up costs were funded by personal loans from myself and my other business owner Kate. We put in a lot of hard work to get it up and running, visiting many suppliers, designing a website, numerous trips to Ikea and buying our first lot of stock. After two months of planning the doors were open for business.

What is This Art of Mine?this-art-of-mine-studio-rectangle-609

This Art of Mine is an arts and crafts studio where customers can attend craft workshops, art lessons and courses. Teaching all the workshops and courses is an expert team of staff and for that extra sparkle the occasional guest tutor. The main crafts on offer are ceramic painting, jewellery making, sewing, knitting, t-shirt, bag designing and watercolour. The studio is inspiration in itself residing in a beautiful converted barn in the heart of the Kent countryside. The fantastic scenery and relaxing atmosphere come at no extra cost.

Are you creative yourself?

Yes I’ve always loved doing arty crafty things and I’m so lucky that I can now do a job I love full time.

this-art-of-mine-child-class-rectangle-611Where do you see your business in the future?

I would like the studio to be one of the top tourist destinations in Kent with the studio to be renowned for it’s teaching. Anyone then wishing to improve their art and craft skills would immediately think of This Art Of Mine.

Pigs with Personality? Find out more…

What support have you received?

Gemma is linked with a Business Mentor and said “My Mentor has been really great. Although we are very busy, we catch up on a regular basis to evaluate how things are going and to set some future actions.”  Developing a marketing strategy involved Gemma spending time in her Mentor’s own company, shadowing the sales team helped her to understand different elements of business.

kent-foundation-interreg-content_large-444

The NETFORCE 2 mentoring project was selected as part of the France (Channel)-England cross border European cooperation programme INTERREG IVA co-financed by ERDF. This project was launched in January 2011 and ran until September 2013 in Kent and the Upper Normandy region. It gave the opportunity to test new tools to support the entrepreneur in their journey to create a new or take over an existing business.

Business Tipthis-art-of-mine-craft-class-rectangle-610

Keep on top of your admin and remember to take a break from the business once in a while so that you can reflect on where it’s going and come back with loads of exciting ideas to take it forward.

Strengthening our Business Mentoring Service

mentors-for-young-entrepreneurs-rectangle-706Kent Foundation for Young Entrepreneurs has amplified its flagship Business Mentoring service.
After recent training 17 Kent business owners and professionals have joined the ever growing team of Business Mentors who volunteer their time to support young entrepreneurs.
Business and entrepreneurship are hot topics at the moment and becoming an entrepreneur is an increasingly popular career choice amongst young people – you could almost say it is becoming fashionable. It is critical that there is a response to this rise in young entrepreneurs with the delivery of appropriate business support.
With over 60 trained Business Mentors and such a broad spectrum of knowledge between them, Kent Foundation is well placed to deliver truly tailored business support. Since 2010 the service has gone from strength to strength and has accelerated in popularity between young people and the voluntary support offered by the business community of Kent. Young entrepreneurs are matched to a business mentor that meets their specific business needs. They meet for one hour per month and receive expert business guidance which, in turn, increases the chance of business success.
Paul Barron – Director of Kent Foundation was overwhelmed with the expressions of interest for the latest Business Mentor training course and had this to say about it:
business-mentors-in-kent-rectangle-705“Time is precious because it is something that can never be returned. That is why I am ecstatic at the sheer number of people we had in attendance at our latest Business Mentor training course. The time, expertise and skills they offer to young entrepreneurs is without a doubt a valuable resource to Kent Foundation.”

I would like to become a Business Mentor

I would like to apply for a Business Mentor