From Student to Award-Nominated Business Owner: Heather's Mentoring Journey

Starting a business is exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming. For Heather, founder of HW Marketing Studio, what began as a passion project while studying for her degree has grown into a thriving marketing business supporting SMEs across Kent and beyond.

We asked Heather a few questions about her business journey so far...

Tell us about your business...

I'm the founder of HW Marketing Studio, where I work with SMEs across Kent and beyond to help them take a more strategic approach to their marketing. We become an extension of our clients' businesses, supporting them with everything from social media and content creation to LinkedIn, email marketing and wider marketing planning. My aim has always been to make good marketing accessible to growing businesses that aren't yet ready for an in-house marketing team.

Why did you start your business?

I started the business because I genuinely loved marketing and could see that so many small businesses were either overwhelmed by it or investing in activities that weren't helping them grow.

When I launched the business, I was still studying for my degree and had no grand business plan. I simply wanted to help local businesses tell their stories better. As I gained more experience, the business naturally evolved from offering social media management into providing much broader strategic marketing support.

What has your business mentor helped you with the most?

My mentor has helped me step back and look at the bigger picture.

When you're running a business, it's very easy to become caught up in the day-to-day, but having someone to challenge your thinking, ask the right questions and offer honest advice has been invaluable. They've given me confidence in the decisions I've made and encouraged me to build a business that reflects the life I want to create, rather than just chasing growth for the sake of it.

Are there any milestone achievements you have experienced since working with your mentor?

There have been quite a few milestones over the past few years that I'm really proud of.

I've grown the business from working on my own to building a small team, incorporated as a limited company and moved into my own office. I've also had the opportunity to create Rookie CEO, a business community that brings local business owners together to learn from one another and share their experiences.

Along the way, I was also proud to be named a finalist in the Kent Women in Business Awards, achieving runner up for the Young Woman in Business of the Year and Entrepreneur of the year. Looking back, it's rewarding to see how much both the business and I have grown since those early days.

What advice would you give to someone thinking about starting a business?

Don't wait until you feel ready because you probably never will.

Be prepared to learn as you go, ask for help when you need it and remember that everyone starts somewhere. There will be setbacks, but there will also be moments that remind you exactly why you started. Surround yourself with people who genuinely want to see you succeed because having that support makes all the difference.

What is your favourite part of being a business owner?

It's the people.

I love building relationships with clients, watching their businesses grow and knowing that the work we do has made a real difference. I've also met some incredible people through running my own business, many of whom have become close friends as well as trusted peers.

Owning a business has challenged me in ways I never expected, but it's also given me opportunities I could never have imagined.

At The Kent Foundation, we're proud to support entrepreneurs like Heather as they build successful, sustainable businesses. Through mentoring, young business owners gain access to experienced professionals who can provide guidance, encouragement and an outside perspective when it's needed most.

If you're aged 18-40 and based in Kent, our free mentoring programme could help you build confidence, overcome challenges and achieve your own business milestones.

Get in touch today!