For women the New Year is pivotal - it often means the perfect time for a new start. But it’s not always looks, relationships or even diets that get an overhaul.
Sometimes it’s just the spark needed for a new direction to that other major influence on lifestyles - work.
Experts in the industry say the New Year is a key time for people changing career and even launching their own businesses.
Here three Shropshire women describe how they launched new solo ventures and the inspiration behind their lucrative ideas.
Name: Julie Mellors
From: Church Stretton
Business: The Truly Useful Company
It was a gap year spent travelling to far flung places that gave Julie Mellors the time to think about what she really wanted from her career. Having worked in library and information science for 15 years, she was keen to seek out new challenges not available in a 9-5 job.
Julie decided to assess her skills and produce a plan on how she could use her talents to make a living out of them. Acknowledging that her strengths lay in managing information, systems and time, she realised that she got greater satisfaction from having direct customer contact, and helping people on a one-to-one basis, rather than handling projects for public sector clients.
And so Julie’s business, The Truly Useful Company, was born. Offering bespoke organisation services and professional decluttering to individuals and small businesses, Julie markets her business as: “Helping you to manage your greatest luxury - time.”
“And that’s effectively what I do,” says Julie. “When I’m helping a client to organise their home or office, what I’m essentially doing is helping them to make better use of their time, which, in turn, means they regain control over their lives, save money and achieve a sense of well-being.”
While researching her business idea, Julie heard about the Opening Doors programme being run by WiRE. She admits that it wasn’t just the offer of free training that influenced her decision to join the programme but also the opportunity to meet like-minded women. “It can be very isolating working from home,” she says.
“But joining Opening Doors has allowed me to network with other businesswomen. We all help and inspire each other.”
Month-by-month Julie is building up her client base and adding other services to those that she offers. One that is proving popular is her Employee Personal Assistant service which allows employers to buy a block of time for each of their employees.
Julie will then help them with their ‘to-do list’, whether that’s running those time-consuming errands or carrying out more involved activities such as planning events or assisting with relocation. The result is that the employees are less stressed and therefore more motivated in the workplace.
“Join Opening Doors. Even if you’re only at the thinking stage of your business, you’ll meet people who are inspiring. And their ‘can-do’ attitude is sure to rub off on you,” said Julie.
Name: Tracy Johnson
From: Shifnal
Business: Divine Health and Beauty Spa
Tracy had dreams of being a dancing queen in her bid to travel the world. But it was the beauty industry which provided her ticket to visit foreign shores and far flung places.
As an All-England dance champion Tracy always had ambitions to work on a cruise ship and spend her days and nights globe-trotting. But she discovered that training as a beauty therapist opened even more doors.
Once she had answered the call of the travel bug Tracy settled back in Shropshire but she still wanted the thrill of a challenge.
She had started work for a beauty salon but decided she was ready to fly solo with her own venture.
“I did feel tied down and a little hemmed in,” said Tracy.
“I couldn’t really try new things or make my mark because it wasn’t my business.”
With a significant amount of help from the Prince’s Trust, Tracy opened the new Divine Health and Beauty Spa at the Park House Hotel in Shifnal last September - at the grand old age of 22 years old.
“It may seem quite young to be running your own business but if you are ready for it you want to take on that challenge,” said Tracy.
“But it does help a great deal to have back-up and support, not the least of which is the advice of someone more experienced which is where the Prince’s Trust proved invaluable.
“They helped me with all kinds of issues when it comes to setting up on your own including how to deal with your finances and how to market the business. I had my own mentor who still comes to see me to talk through any concerns or plans I may have.
“It makes such a difference. I was just so delighted to open up Divine and know that all the effort I put in would be for my benefit.
At the moment my career is a significant part of my life and I am happy to devote time to making it a success. It is very rewarding to see what you can achieve when you put the effort in.”
Tracy has already built up a significant client base and admits that she was lucky to be able to work in partnership with the Park House Hotel.
“I feel very fortunate to be at the Park House Hotel because it means that I have a growing client list of guests who come to stay and it is great for those who get married here to know that they can book treatments. But I am also taking calls and there is a lot of interest from people who are not residents, which is very encouraging.
“I just love doing what I do and feel so delighted to have been given this opportunity. I just think that if someone has something they really want to do with their lives they should do it.
“There is help out there to make it work and to get a venture off the ground.”
Name: 
From: Church Stretton
Business: Garden Corners
After being forced to end her 28-year teaching career due to ill-health, June Holloway was dismayed to find early retirement staring her in the face.
“I wasn’t ready to retire,” said June. “I knew I had to find something to do. I’d always been interested in gardening so I decided to do enrol on a garden design course.”
Two years on, and with an RHS Certificate in Horticulture under her belt, June has started her own business.
Garden Corners is a professional garden design and advice service for problem areas in a garden. Rather than designing a whole garden though, June’s speciality is working on areas of a garden, such as a border, hedge or rockery, and advising on colour schemes, patio areas and even metalwork.
Not only will she come up with creative inspirational ideas, backed up by an illustrative plan, but she will also do practical tasks, such as planting and pruning.
A change in circumstances is often the catalyst for starting a new business.
“It’s daunting to leave the security of a job and become self-employed. But I’m so glad did it. I love the freedom that being my own boss gives me and I enjoy being outside, working in different gardens and environments and meeting new people.”
Indeed, meeting with clients and helping them turn their gardening ideas into reality is something that June relishes and she will often revisit their gardens six months down the line to check that the plants have flourished and grown to her original design.
Like any owner of a small business, June understands the importance of networking.
“Being able to talk to other women has been instrumental to my belief that I could set up Garden Corners,” she said. “Just listening to other women who have developed successful businesses has been so inspiring.”
June is slowly and steadily building up her client base. Ever keen to improve her service, she is hoping to develop her design and plant knowledge by further study and by keeping up-to-date with current gardening trends.
June’s advice is: “Don’t give up when things don’t turn out the way you expected them to.
“It’s so important to be flexible and to change your ideas as you build the business.”
The Prince’s Trust Business Programme
How do I get started?
The Prince’s Trust Business Programme provides money and support to help the people start up in business. For people:
- Aged 18-30
- Unemployed or working fewer than 16 hours a week
- Living in England or Northern Ireland.
Help includes:
- A low-interest loan of up to £4,000 (up to £5,000 for a partnership)
- Ongoing advice from a business mentor
- Access to a wide range of products and services.
- A grant of up to £1,500 in special circumstances (subject to local availability)
How can I apply?
Call 0800 842842 or take a look at www.princes-trust.org.uk
Top start-up tips
Sarah Roberts, Opening Doors project officer for Shropshire, has given Star Woman her top 10 tips on launching your own business for anyone needing a new start for 2008.
- Have a plan so you know where you are going and how you are going to get there.
- Have a reason so you know why - motivation is a powerful tool.
- Research your market and know who your customers and competitors are.
- Have terms of trade and stick to them.
- Do what you are good at and delegate what you’re not as soon as you can afford to.
- Be honest and ethical.
- Get help if you need it - phone a friend!
- Manage your money and know where it is.
- Be nice - customer service isn’t rocket science.
- Keep changing with the changes.
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