A Blast! creates a real buzz about business start-up in Kent

On Tuesday 10th June Kent Foundation for Young Entrepreneurs in partnership with The Enterprise Foundation hosted a whole day of business support activities in Maidstone under the working title ‘A Blast!’.

Wilkins Kennedy

The sequence of events kicked off with the Maidstone Business Breakfast, followed by two business start-up workshops all topped off with a large business networking evening to celebrate business in Kent.

The Breakfast was kicked off by guest speaker Paul Nixon, Wilkins Kennedy who told the audience:

“The most enjoyable clients I work with have to be business start-ups. I get a lot of satisfaction from seeing a seemingly small idea transformed in to something much bigger. Being a part of that process on the way is highly rewarding.”

More than 30 people who were looking at creating their own employment through starting a business attended workshops. A range of people attended from the unemployed right through to students from Mid Kent College who were considering their career options after their studies.

Amy McManus AM Marketing

To conclude the day young entrepreneurs, business start ups, established businesses and professionals from all across Kent joined a celebration of business at A Blast! The room was a real hive of activity with 10 young entrepreneurs exhibiting and three of them being interviewed on stage. Gemma Blacker – This Art of Mine kindly took charge of the stage to interview Amy McManus (below) and Lucy Hall of Kent Social Media.

Young entrepreneur, Amy McManus of AM Marketing expressed her gratitude on Facebook saying:

“What a great evening with some fantastic Kent businesses exhibiting! A fabulous event with the gang from Kent Foundation for Young Entrepreneurs. Some great businesses and people showing off their products and services!”

Philip Gearing of Foster Gearing the guest speaker for the evening spoke about his journey in business and how the support from Kent Foundation for Young Entrepreneurs back in 1990 spurred him on to never give up.

Philip Gearing Guest Speaker “It all started off at a small market one day where my business partner and I had sold next to nothing. But we learnt something special that day; never to be beaten. To always get back up again, never say no, try again and you will succeed”

Philip who is the man behind the WW1 memorial arch being opened by Prince Harry in Folkestone on 4thAugust this year went on to say:

 “Don’t be scared. I don’t think anyone is ever completely ready, so the moment to do it is now. If you don’t ask you don’t get. I remember calling up my first potential large client with a proposal to rebrand their business and what did they say – YES” 

None of these events would have been possible without the funding and support from Community First, Golding Homes, Wilkins Kennedy, Let’s Do Business Group, Maidstone Borough Council and Kent County Council.

 A picture says a thousand words…Click here to watch the event unfold in pictures thanks to Photographer Tom Phillips. 

Check out the young entrepreneurs that exhibited:

All of our services are provided free of charge to Kent’s young entrepreneurs, so if you would like to support our work please donate through Charity Choice.

Donate Now Button

Flowbox: Star Business of the Month – February 2014

flowbox_logo@2x

Star business web_RGB

 

 

 

 

The Stars: Ed Cradock and Will Beeching

Description: Working with companies and individuals to build brands and relationships with their customers through digital and print design.

Get In Touch: Website       Facebook            Twitter           LinkedIn

Hello, we’re Ed and Will from Flowbox we run a creative agency based in Maidstone.

We started Flowbox in 2012 with a simple but captivating vision: to build a creative agency that transforms bold ideas in exceptional design. Our ethos is to develop a unique relationship with our clients, then handcraft a brand or idea around them. We believe in a one size fits none mentality, we approach each project differently and work with our clients to get it right for them.

775652_570739609621363_917626476_o

The process of starting our business wasn’t without tribulations. We had just finished our final year at school and were faced with University options. It was a leap of faith we took in the end to decline our offers and start the business off the back of a small start up loan. We moved into our office in January 2013, just above a local printing company. We never felt that working for someone else was satisfying, we wanted to build something ourselves and create a success from it. It is the best decision we have made.

At the start of 2013 we had very few clients, but plenty of enthusiasm. By the end of the year we had built up a portfolio of almost 100 clients ranging from small start-ups to international brands. In one year we have transformed from ‘new kid on the block’ to one of Maidstone’s top agencies.

2014 is an exciting year for us, we have big plans to grow and develop. Our goals for the year are to expand into larger offices and take on an employee or two. We’ve met loads of innovative new companies and are working on some really exciting projects already this year, keep an eye on our website and the App Store.

Our Business Tip: Never give up, it is the times when everything seems to be going against you that it is paramount to persevere. Even through the long hours and sleepless nights – it’s worth it in the end.

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.

Stepping Stones Success!

kent-foundation-emma-whittal-kei-winner-2012-rectangle-563Client: Emma Whittall

Business: Stepping Stones Studio

Description: A community arts centre to showcase emerging local talent

Telephone: 07787 470495

Website: www.steppingstonestudios.co.uk/

Emma Whitall Founder and Managing Director at Stepping Stone Studios, graduated from Cambridge University and the University for the Creative Arts.

Emma was introduced to the Kent Foundation via contact with one of our Trustees & Chairman of Kent County Council. In order to help develop her ideas, she accessed the Mentoring Service to help her develop a business plan for Stepping Stones Studio. Emma subsequently entered the Kent Entrepreneurs Initiative (KEI) and went on to win. In return she received a package of free support from a range of business experts from across Kent.

Why did you decide to launch your own business?

I wanted to create an artistic studio in Maidstone which aims to reflect the ethos of the community I am working with in new and interesting ways.  I want to realise and develop innovative ideas with profitable and original results.    I just love collaborating with people from diverse backgrounds, utilising my own skills but also honing the interests of others to achieve maximum success.

Stepping Stones Studio is a community interest company and I am passionate about promoting aspiring and established artists in Kent. 

What support have you received?

Stepping Stones Studio is a self-designed arts initiative and received initial sponsorship and funding by Kent County Council.

Emma entered Kent Foundation’s 2012 KEI-Business Challenge and as the winner received a package of support from Kent Foundation’s business partners, including accountancy support from Wilkins Kennedy

Emma is linked with a Business Mentor and said “The Kent Foundation has been a great help and my mentor, Rob Bird, has been brilliant”

“For a young entrepreneur making your idea a reality is the first big step. Writing a business model that works is one thing- putting it into action is another. Kent Foundation helped me put my business idea into a real-life context, helping me make it a reality by giving me a business mentor with real experience, real connections, and real encouragement.”

What do you hope to achieve in business? 

I want to encourage and enable visual artists by providing, affordable studio space, cafe, gallery and shop.  In five years I hope the studio will have become a real artist hub, with tourists coming in, lots of events, open mic nights and art at its core.

kent-foundation-interreg-content_large-444

The NETFORCE 2 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 his journey to create a new or take over an existing business.