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| Katie as pictured by ST84Photogrpahy |
“I knew it wouldn’t be easy,” said
Katie, “It’s hard being a single mum and running a business, but it all just
comes together, especially if you have the help of a supportive family.”
With ideas buzzing around her head
Katie knew she would need some advice to make sure she started her business off
on the right foot. Her first stop was the local community centre.
Katie said “I got in touch with
Kirkdale Community Centre, because I was looking for advice around funding. The
woman there mentioned that they had an empty kitchen there fully fitted ready
for someone to take on. The centre is
right by my house, by my daughter’s school so it felt like ‘maybe this is where
I am meant to be’.”
Katie was keen to ensure she was
making sounds decisions, and wanted to look at any help she could get with
getting her business up and running.
“Someone told me about The Women’s
Organisation, so I went along to get some advice. My adviser gave me loads of
help to put me in the right direction. With that support and having found the
right place, setting up the business, although it was a hard slog, has not been
a stress to me, I’m in a groove with it.”
Being a local resident, Katie had
watched businesses start and fail on the site, and she felt she could see where
they went wrong and how to learn from their mistakes.
“The café premises has been there for
years. I’d seen it open and close a few times.
I knew it just needed someone to be consistent, so I dedicated to open
every Monday to Friday. That way people know exactly when we are there, and I
get to spend the weekends with my kids.”
“I am local myself," reflected the LMH resident, "so I
am glad that local people are my customers – without customers I wouldn’t have
a business. I like chatting to the young kids that come in. I want to instil
goodness in them and let them know I’m not there to judge. We also have local pensioners
pop in, and I am glad to be there to check on them and give them their scouse
to take home for their tea. It’s not just a café, it’s a part of the
community.”
Having faced real lows in her personal
life, Katie knew the timing had to be right and told us:
“I opened the café when I was ready,
and it was what I wanted. I wanted to achieve my goals. I’d had a very unhappy
few years, I’d been in a bad place, but I have come out the other end and know
now if I give my best to everything I can achieve. The things I have been
through have made me the strong woman I am.”
Things are going well so far for Katie
and her business ‘The Gordon Café’ which offers outside catering as well as a
community café.
The mum of two told us “I love working
for myself. It’s hard work, but everything is falling into place. I work with
great girls, there are two part time staff (one is my cousin) and me. I enjoy
it that much it’s like work is my social life. Saying that, I am a
perfectionist. A business is like your baby. So I take it seriously and make
sure everything is how I want it to be.”
Since opening the doors of the café
Katie has felt the real life changing effect of taking charge and working for
herself.
“Time has flown. Every day that a
problem comes up, I just get on and deal with it. It makes you stronger and you
can learn from those experiences. My kids are really proud of me”
To experience The Gordon Café for yourself
pop in Monday-Friday at Kirkdale Community Centre on Stanley Road, Liverpool.
Katie’s motto is “A day at a time, we
can achieve anything”.
If like Katie you feel the time is
right to achieve your goal of running your own business, why not contact The
Women’s Organisation for advice, grants and support on 0151 706 8111 or info@thewo.org.uk
From building confidence to developing
a business plan and accessing business start-up grants, The Women’s
Organisation offer a friendly FREE and supportive service to help you make your
dream a reality.
