Kickstarter for Greater Manchester Budding Entrepreneurs

During difficult times it is often time for reflection and change.  The COVID 19 Pandemic is no different with many finding their circumstances changing dramatically.  Whether furloughed from work, finding themselves out of work for the first time in a long time, or juggling multiple roles, it will no doubt have meant many are questioning whether now is the time to look at a different way of working.

Self-employment for many is a dream they keep in their back pocket wondering if they could ever take a leap.  The draw of managing their own hours, being their own boss or driving a business in the way their values see fit can be appealing.  But knowing how to go about it and understanding what is involved can sometimes be daunting.

For residents of Greater Manchester the opportunity to pull this dream out of their pocket and truly evaluate whether starting a business is the right step for them comes in the form of 'Kickstarter Manchester'.  Part funded through European Regional Development Fund as part of the 'Excelerate Labs' business support programme, this seven day challenge launches next week and will cover all aspects of getting your idea off the ground.

With a mix of live zoom mentoring and bitesize online learning that can be picked up at your own pace, the flexible programme invites those living in Greater Manchester with a business dream to see if they can turn it into a reality across a 7 day start up challenge.

Led by enterprise experts Mike Marsden and Ameena Ahmed the Kickstart Manchester programme will include:

Day 1


Morning - LAUNCHPAD 11am-12pm


Welcome and Introduction. Live on zoom, meet your expert mentors, set some 7 day targets, network with other Greater Manchester residents looking to start a business


Afternoon – SET YOUR STRATEGY


Led by business growth expert, use business strategy tools to set out your business vision and goals. Take part in this activity at a time that suits you.


Day 2 – SUPERCHARGED SOCIALS


Let’s Get Social 😊 Two stage Twitter course. From the Do’s & Don’ts to winning business on Twitter and harnessing it as a tool for PR. Join in at a time that suits you.


Day 3 – FINESSE YOUR FACEBOOK


Are you confident you would know how to build your audience on facebook ? We will show how to beat their algorithms in everything from set up a to how to generate enquiries for free! Flexible learning time.


Day 4 - I CAN INSTAGRAM


Instagram is fast becoming a tool businesses can't ignore. But how do businesses stand out and ensure they are reaching their client base? Join this expert session to find out at a time convenient to you!


Day 5 – SAFEGUARD YOUR STRATEGY


Strategy Planning – Every business needs a plan to get ahead. A fancy marketing plan is great, but what underpins your model to ensure it survives and thrives? Join this session to find out.


Day 6 – SEO MADE SIMPLE


Whether using a website or web presence how do you get your business found online? Unpick the mysteries of Google with our expert.


Day 7 – MENTOR ME 11am-12pm


Final group mentoring session to re-cap learning, including and expert Q & A, let’s celebrate our completing the programme and get your questions answered.


Anyone interested in booking can do so here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/kickstarter-manchester-the-7-day-start-up-challenge-tickets-109290107654

Turning Things Around: Leah's Journey

The gym saved Leah Clyne once – and following the Coronavirus outbreak, the gym has come to her rescue once again.

Eight years ago, Middleton mum-of-three Leah was in a stressful media sales job.

Leah Clyne

Lack of sleep and a constant cycle of stress saw her sink into depression and turn for solace to the comfort of a drink; before she knew it, the reassurance of a glass of wine had become a daily habit.

Under treatment by the doctor for depression, she said she didn’t mention her habit because she didn’t consider it a problem.

Then, when the weight piled on, she admits she lost her self-esteem and her self-confidence.

“I was in a mess,” she confessed.

Life threw Leah a further challenge when her son, who is now 29, was diagnosed, with ADHD and autism as an adult. Leah said the family had battled for years to look after him, oblivious of his condition.

With a daughter who was about to leave school and unsure of her future, as well as caring for her youngest who was aged just two, Leah had a lot on her plate.

Then, dealing her one further blow, her partner left the family home, leaving Leah to face these challenges as a single parent.

Leah knew that something needed to change; she dug deep, and took the first step in completely transforming her life.

She said: “One day I woke up, opened my eyes, I'm not sure what happened, but I decided to join a gym.

“I started classes, and after months of hard work I started to feel better.

“I stopped drinking, and a year later I decided to help other people get fit and healthy and show them that there is a way through.”

Leah then moved to set up her own business, V Gymwear, producing a range of outfits for avid gym-goers.

She said: “Being a fitness instructor and personal trainer, plus a busy mum, I realised that quality, affordable gym wear was a must for me and began my journey to find these products, and that's when I realised I could share this with other women in my industry and clients.”

Eager to learn valuable entrepreneurial skills and develop her business even more, “rather than be the lady with a bin bag of gym wear for sale”, she enrolled with Excelerate Labs, a business support and advice project run by The Women’s Organisastion, in Manchester.

Her advisor, Mike Marsden, guided Leah towards setting up an online shop and helped her achieve her targets, advising her on how best to advertise her business on social media to reach an even wider audience.

Then, the pandemic hit.

Leah said: “It stopped me in my tracks.

“No gyms open. No classes to teach personal training. It was like the world had ended.

“I was actually devastated.”

Faced with such a massive obstacle so early on, she admits that at one stage she even felt like going back to her old ways of using alcohol as a soother.

However, her gym wear website pulled her round and gave her the focus she needed to get her routine back on track and in order.

“I focused on the website, the online sales, the advertising, and this has been proved to work.

“Sales are coming through. My Instagram has grown tremendously, and I actually feel overwhelmed – but in the best possible way,” she said.

Leah has also expanded her services through her laptop by offering free online exercise classes via Facebook live, in aid of a Manchester charity.

“Instead of asking people to pay for the classes, I decided to find a local charity to send their donations to.”

Leah chose Home-Start Manchester, which helps vulnerable families, a charity she feels an affinity with: “I’ve been there,” she said.

She added: “Knowing I could help someone who is in a situation I can relate to meant a lot to me, so it comes from the heart.”

So far, Leah has raised nearly £400 for the charity, and has set herself a target of £1,000.

Her business mentor, Mike, is still around to offer a guiding hand. He said:

“It’s been absolute delight working with Leah, and what a roller coaster it has been. We have seen her Instagram following increase from a few thousand to over 17900 followers; the web enquiries are up, conversion is up, sales are up and number of customers returning is up.

“The products are getting better and better and Leah tirelessly works to improve them. It’s not just nice-looking gym wear for women, its gym wear that actually works in the gym.

“Nobody is working harder than Leah right now. Sometimes Leah can send me 5 texts a day, and it’s always positive: new sales, new targets reached, her products have been improved and it’s just a pleasure to watch.

“We can’t wait to see what she does next!”

https://www.vgymwear.com/

Excelerate Labs are part funded by European Regional Development Fund to support businesses in Greater Manchester.  Continuing to work with local businesses shifting their model to continue to grow despite the challenges presented by the pandemic, Excelerate Labs offers FREE professional business advice.  To find out more contact exceleratelabs@thewo.org.uk

Manchester photography business adapts to raise funds for NHS

A small photography company, who has had all photoshoot bookings cancelled for the foreseeable future due to the Coronavirus outbreak, has been raising money for frontline NHS workers through the sale of limited-edition prints.

Photographer Katherine Gammon

Based in the heart of Manchester, Katherine Elizabeth Photography specialises in photographing pole dancers and aerial artists around the country, from complete beginners to famous performers. Having built up a name for herself within the community, owner Kat Gammon spends much of her time travelling around the UK visiting different dance schools, shooting with the dancers who teach or study there. She also receives regular commissions for editorial work.

Since initially embarking as a freelancer straight out of university three years ago, Kat has been looking at how to take her small one-woman operation to the next level, with support from business advice service, Excelerate Labs.

Just before the Coronavirus restrictions came into effect, Kat had made the huge business decision of taking on her freelance assistant as a full-time employee. Contracts were signed, and her assistant handed in her notice at her job – and then the UK government announced social distancing measures and lockdown restrictions.

‘All my shoots have been cancelled for the foreseeable future, and unfortunately, due to bad timing, I am unable to get any help for the government, as the date for furlough doesn’t cover my assistant’s start date’, says Kat.

‘Her previous employer has taken her on temporarily during this time, but only as a freelancer one and a half days a week, so they can’t furlough her, either’.

An example of Kat's work

Not only this, but as Kat is the sole director of a limited company, she does not qualify for the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme that was laid out by the Government, or the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. This is the case for many directors like Kat, who have found that they fall outside the support net that has been put in place.

Taking these things into account, Kat knew that she had one option to keep her hard-earned business going: adapt to this new world which we have found ourselves in. Kat quickly put to use her array of photography skills, and began to edit photos from the safety of her own home, creating commissioned silhouettes for dancers using images from her signature smoke photoshoots – with part of the sales donated to the ongoing NHS effort to tackle to virus. The prints have proved very popular within the community, and Kat has raised over £300 so far.

Kat's smoke silhouettes have been raising money for the NHS

‘When I was experimenting with my new ideas to do at home, I felt like I wanted to give something back. I didn't want to just fund for myself, I wanted to help where I could too,’ says Kat.

‘The pole and aerial community have always been so kind to me and a lot of the clients who were messaging me with their words of support were frontline workers, many for the NHS.

‘I'm so proud of them for continuing their work when faced with such a scary task and still finding it in their hearts to show compassion for myself and others who are struggling with this new world.

‘It just felt right to donate part of the sales when I started the smoke silhouette commissions, it just came as part of the idea.’

Mike Marsden, Kat’s business advisor from Excelerate Labs, said:

‘Before lockdown, Kat was genuinely booked up for the year, and most of the business was repeat custom. That says an awful lot about how she has started the business, built great relationships, and developed her offer so her customers are delighted.

‘When the pandemic hit, I knew that Kat must have been hit the hardest.

‘However, Kat has pivoted the business, completely changed how she works, taken on a member of staff and is going to come out of this kicking and screaming. I am so pleased for her and cannot wait to watch her continued success!

‘We want to help more businesses! When this pandemic is over, we need people like Kat to drive the economy, to grow their businesses and take on employees.’

Despite the setbacks she has faced over the past few months, Kat is more determined than ever to continue to develop her business, and keep her employee in work.

‘Taking risks has been a huge part of growing and developing my business.

‘Even though I have taken a huge hit in hiring my first employee, I still hope in the future to embrace the hurdles I am face with, and continue taking risks!’

http://katherineelizabethphotography.co.uk/

Excelerate Labs are part funded by European Regional Development Fund to support businesses in Greater Manchester.  Continuing to work with local businesses shifting their model to continue to grow despite the challenges presented by the pandemic, Excelerate Labs offers FREE professional business advice.  To find out more contact exceleratelabs@thewo.org.uk

5 tips for successful virtual meetings

It’s no surprise that, given the events of the last few weeks, more and more businesses are moving online. Thanks to modern technology, there is no end to the tools you can find to continue to communicate effectively, despite being at home. But what makes virtual meetings successful? 

Keep it simple

First and foremost, identify what tools are right for your business and stick to it. It’s easy to get swept up and overwhelmed with the amount of technology that is on offer, opting for too many platforms and things becoming unclear to your team. 

When choosing a service, think ‘small’. The most efficient video conferences come from those that only use the technology that is necessary: if you’re a smaller business, you may only need a service such as Skype or Zoom (which has free options) in order to keep in touch. There’s no need to pay over the odds for technology that you don’t need!

Use a ‘virtual watercooler’

On a normal day at the office, it’s inevitable that we end up having a chat with our colleagues in the staff room when making a cuppa or grabbing something to eat. Trying to maintain this semblance of normality will help your team become more comfortable using digital channels (and feel less awkward too!) Making time for casual conversation as well as work-related chat keeps everyone feeling engaged with the team and with work tasks, as well as keeping them all-important relationships going.

Be sure to follow up

Remote working is a new concept to many, and some things can get lost or misconstrued in a way they wouldn’t in most face-to-face meetings. Make sure that everyone leaves the meeting knowing exactly what their objectives are, who they need to speak to if they are unclear of anything, and where they can reach their manager. Send a follow up email or message to reinforce this – much like you would with ordinary meetings.

Minimise distractions

Distractions can easily cause meetings to run off course. Make sure all participants are in a quiet room, with proper internet connection and headphones. If it’s an important meeting with one person doing the majority of the talking, it’s worth asking everyone to mute their microphones so that the sound doesn’t cut out.

Again, much like a normal meeting, creating and sticking to an agenda is very helpful in minimising distractions in virtual meetings, and prevents them from running on for too long. Agendas become even more important in digital meetings, as we are going without the social cues we usually take from face to face contact.

Make sure everyone has video turned on

Phone calls are great for solving quick queries, but for anything that requires more time and concentration, video chats are the way to. The temptation may be there for some people to leave their camera turned off and only chime in with audio, but encourage everyone to have their video on. Not only does this help you feel more engaged with your team while you’re talking, but it also holds people accountable for paying attention and interacting with the meeting, and resist the urge to multi-task while on a call!

If you would like to benefit from the support delivered under the Excelerate Labs programme, including advice regarding accessing government business grants and loans during COVID-19, then please contact: exceleratelabs@thewo.org.uk.

Cooking Up a Storm: Food Sorcery's Journey to Success

Food Sorcery Cookery School was born out of a passion to get people cooking. After delivering big plans during their start-up phase, owners Helen Jacks and Mark Seymour Mead needed advice on how to grow, and receive recognition for their achievements at the prestigious Cookery School of the Year Awards.

Food Sorcery offers cookery classes for all abilities

Founded in 2016 in the peaceful suburbs of Didsbury, Food Sorcery Cookery School provides a fun-filled, hands-on approach to cooking.  As well as giving students the opportunity to cook up a storm, the school also offers top-quality barista training, holiday camps, and bespoke training for all dietary requirements. In addition, Food Sorcery is available to hire as a venue space, and makes a valuable contribution to Manchester’s buzzing nightlife.

Helen recognised the need for her business to stand out, especially as Food Sorcery provides an unparalleled service with high-quality standards. As well as having two resident chefs who have worked in fine dining and lectured globally, the company also welcomes renowned guest chefs, and incorporates nutrition and wellbeing with an on-site nutritionist for a holistic, wrap-around approach to food.

Food Sorcery were runners up in the Cookery School of the Year Awards in 2018, which galvanised Helen to reach for the top prize the following year. However, with the pressures and lack of time due to being a working mother, plus her sizeable business operations to oversee, Helen struggled with translating her visions into an award-winning bid. At this point, she approached Excelerate Labs for some advice and support.

Working with our business adviser, Ameena Ahmed, for a 12-week period of funded support, Helen addressed the key ingredients of her business, with Ameena providing a sounding board and expert advice on how to write a winning bid. Helen submitted her application, and won the coveted Cookery School of the Year Award 2019, going on to then win The Food Awards England 2019 soon after. A successful year all in all!

Helen and Mark at The Food Awards

Since the support of Excelerate Labs, Food Sorcery has seen their turnover steadily increase, and has created 2.5 new jobs. This growth is only expected to continue as the company goes from strength to strength.

Looking to the future, Food Sorcery is building towards becoming more sustainable, eliminating single use plastics, using local produce and donating spare food to charities and hotels. They are also promoting healthy lifestyles and tackling childhood obesity by working with schools and parents, showing that healthy food is easy to make and needn’t break the bank.

If you would like to benefit from the support received under the Excelerate Labs programme, then please contact: exceleratelabs@thewo.org.uk.

FREE Start Your Business Workshops - Dates & More

This two-day course is the starting point for thinking about a business plan and marketing strategy in a friendly environment.

The thought of setting up a business can be frightening, whether it is worrying about tax and finances or the daunting task of writing a business plan. 

In this training session, our team will support you with:

Market research – the essential starting point for any business.

Marketing – how to get the word out about their business

Learning about the different social media tools available for business, blogging, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn – understanding which platform is best for their business

Building a social media strategy

Finance – business start-up finance, sales and cash flow forecasting

Understanding your customers and competitors

This course is completely FREE to residents of Greater Manchester who are not yet self-employed. We have a number of upcoming 2-day sessions in the following venues, running 9.30am - 4.30pm:

FULLY BOOKED - Pomegranate, The Lexicon, 10-12 Mount Street, Manchester - 11th & 12th March

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/93890945345

FULLY BOOKED - Confucius Institute, University of Manchester, Oxford Road - 20th & 27th March

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/91592308059

NatWest, 1 Hardman Boulevard, Manchester M3 3AQ - 22nd & 23rd April

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/93892445833

Booking is essential.

If you would like to speak to us, and find out more about this course, you can email us on hello@thewo.org.uk or ring us on 0161 327 0967

5 Tips to Grow Your Business with Digital Marketing

Digital marketing is one of the most powerful tools in your marketing repertoire. Digitisation is impossible to avoid; it’s present in every level of our lives, and enables us to target specific demographics like never before. We’re bringing you 5 top tips on how to grow your business with the help of digital marketing.

In-App Advertising

Ultimately, advertising ties into your visibility, and right now you’re probably invisible to most of your target market. Increasing your visibility and tapping into your desired market can be difficult, making in-app advertising a boon for appearing to your audiences. Unlike traditional advertising avenues, in-app advertising is pretty affordable – you make it as expensive or inexpensive as you like, and you have control over who is targeted by your ads.

Studies today show that users engage with apps more than websites, and mobile devices were used for more than 50% of web traffic in 2018. Consider what platforms are best to connect with your customers, and for placing yourself in the minds of your buyers. For example, if you run a wedding cake business, using visual platforms that brides frequent such as Instagram and Pinterest would be best for capturing your target audience’s attention.

Understanding SEO

Search engine optimisation (SEO) is getting your digital presence to appear highly in search results. It can be a difficult game to play, but it’s a powerful tool when you know how to use it. You could take all the time and energy in the world to make sure you have a functional, well-presented website, but without proper SEO, there’s a chance no one will ever see it.

Start by researching the most highly-searched keywords in your industry, and write some blog posts that add value to these topics. Again, though, SEO is difficult to master, so you may want to outsource your needs to someone who is SEO-savvy to get the most out of your strategy.

Establish a Strong Social Media Presence

It’s not impossible to grow your customer base solely through social media networks, so establishing a strong social media presence is key. It opens up a line of communication between yourself and your customers like never before, giving you access to valuable customer feedback and the chance to make a lasting good impression.

Building your brand on social media does require frequent posting and engagement, but you don’t need to spend half your time scrolling through Instagram and tweeting incessantly. Scheduling tools such as Hootsuite and Buffer allow you to plan your content in advance, but it is a good idea to do some live engagement with your followers every once in a while, too.

Build and nurture a mailing list

Having a solid email list offers you direct access to your customers and audience. In the age of ever-changing algorithms, when you post on social media, there is no guarantee that your posts will be seen by your followers.

Gathering information from your customers allows you to directly contact them with any upcoming events, promotions, or news, and cut through the noise of social media. There are plenty of tools out there, such as MailChimp, that allow you to send out blanket emails to your customers and split them into groups according to their interests. It also allows you to see the proportion of emails opened and links followed through – be careful you don’t send too many emails, though, or you’ll risk being consigned to the spam folder!

Create Shareable Content

The content you create can make or break your marketing strategy. High quality content can help build your brand and improve your relationship with your target audience, whereas low quality content can damage your image. Additionally, you don’t want your good content to go to waste by not being seen, so it needs to be shared by the right people to reach as widely as possible.

Make your content useful and practical to your audience, and make sure it’s engaging and relatable so that people are more likely to share it. Dry content isn’t going to evoke a reaction from your followers!

If you are a woman running a business in the Greater Manchester area that is working through these dilemmas and other business growth pains, our Excelerate Labs team may be able to help.

Part funded by European Regional Development Fund, Excelerate Labs can link you with a local adviser to explore growth strategy and help you to get all your ducks in a row.

Contact excleratelabs@thewo.org.uk for more information.

5 Tips on How to Grow Your Business

You’ve done it: you’ve finally started a business. You’ve got clients and money coming in, but how do you take that next step to make your business grow into something bigger and better?

Here’s five to tips on how you can successfully grow your business:

Get to know your customer base

Your existing customer base can provide you with invaluable information on how you can make your services better. Encourage honest feedback, and really get to know their needs – that way, you can develop your services with the knowledge of what your customer really wants. Be sure to nurture your existing customers, too, maybe by offering a loyalty scheme or survey incentives, to encourage them to provide that much-needed feedback on your business. You can gather contact information and send them regular updates through several email marketing platforms, making it simple for people to see what’s going on, and allow them to opt out if they wish to.

Look for new customers

It’s all fine and well nurturing your existing customers, but you will need new ones in order to grow. Use market analysis to see where the people you want to sell to live, work, socialise etc., and get to grips with what social media is most popular amongst the market you wish to break into. Opportunities are everywhere, so always be on the lookout for trends that you can get on board with that may open up your customer base to a wider market.

Use social media

On average, people spend at least 2 hours and 15 minutes on social media per day – that’s one minute out of every three!

It’s impossible to avoid social media if you want to create and grow a successful business. It’s now the most powerful tool for marketing, and it’s free! It’s easier than ever to promote your services and reach a massive potential customer base.

Social media allows you to gain a valuable insight into social trends through ‘social listening’: what are your customers thinking? What do they want? What appeals to them? Using social media allows you to stay ahead of the trend and provide your customers with what they really want.

Plan, plan, plan!

There is truth in the old adage: ‘fail to prepare, then prepare to fail’. If you fail to plan for the future, you may well be caught unawares of dips and trends in business; there will always be obstacles that you can’t foresee, so plan for every eventuality. Do plenty of research, and be aware of the possible risks that may affect your business.

It’s not all doom and gloom, though. Planning your milestones for where you want to be in 1, 5, 10 years helps you stay motivated and driven towards making your business successful, and helps set a benchmark for you to know if your business is improving.

Think innovatively

If your current model isn’t working, then change it! Fundamentally, innovation means introducing something new into your business. Is there a way you could diversify your business to make it appeal to a wider market? For example, a wedding cake maker might make ‘how to decorate a cake’ tutorials, or provide workshops for those wanting to learn. You could collaborate with another business to introduce new services, or learn a new skill which you could incorporate into your business model. Whatever you decide, innovation is key in making sure your business remains new and exciting.

If you are a woman running a business in the Greater Manchester area that is working through these dilemmas and other business growth pains, our Excelerate Labs team may be able to help.

Part funded by European Regional Development Fund, Excelerate Labs can link you with a local adviser to explore growth strategy and help you to get all your ducks in a row.

Contact excleratelabs@thewo.org.uk for more information.

Supporting MM Business Services through Excelerate Labs

Double M Business Services Ltd provides Business saving advice from business energy experts offering brokerage support to help all sizes of businesses save money and maximise energy efficiencies.

Many SMEs have all intention of saving energy and reducing energy costs, but the truth is that they simply don’t have the time, expertise, resources or relationships to pursue strategic energy portfolio management. This is why it’s beneficial for businesses to use the services of an energy broker such as Double M Business Services Ltd. Through tailored advice, it’s the  Company's  mission to match each of their customers with the best possible contract for their needs. They do the legwork, with the customer  doing the saving.

• Help your business save time and money
• No additional fees for using the service
• Fast and easy quoting service, with a whole-of-market price comparison
• Help secure better rates with your current supplier
• Sells in an ethical and compliant way

As Third party Broker, Double M have long-standing relationships with reputable suppliers. As Brokers they  are able to negotiate, procure, and compare energy quotes on your behalf and ensure contract terms best-suited to your needs. With their  industry knowledge and expertise, brokers can secure the most affordable energy contracts. They can also advise on other energy-related services such as smart metering and invoice validation.

Double M  brokering  can assist you in setting up a strategy to monitor and manage your gas and electricity. They  will implement best practices for on-going benefits and energy savings, helping you rollout energy-efficient measures sensibly and strategically.

Along with reducing energy tariffs, businesses can also look to reducing actual energy consumption within the business environment

We discussed Double M Business Services business growth pains mainly . They did not have a Business growth Action Plan. We, therefore, set about to put together a plan for improving the business process in the supply chain and increasing clients on the books as well as developing key relationships with key partners. We worked with Sue Chatton in strategic planning all aspects of the growth areas of the service thoroughly, which was put down into a 3-year action plan and SWOT analysis of the business.

• To scale up the offer, there is need to for Double M to
• Increase the staffing resource.
• Utilise an improved CRM system to be able to cross-sell and upsell services.
• Work in partnership with a variety of stakeholders
• Secure retainers and preferred provider status to build unrestricted funds
• In implementing major strategies to grow the business, they will see sales revenues of over quarter a million by year 3. 
• Any business looking to take up on savings advice can quote DP1 for a discounted rate.

If you would like to benefit from the support received under the Excelerate Labs programme, then please contact: exceleratelabs@thewo.org.uk.

Kiddy Cook on Evolving and Expanding a Franchise

McDonalds, Pizza Hut and Marriott International are some of the worlds biggest companies that have moved to a franchise model in order to successfully grow. We spoke to Nikki Geddes – Founder of local franchise Kiddy Cook about her business journey and the learning curves she’s overcome. 

Nikki Geddes

Launching in 2005 with the dream of inspiring children to have fun with food, Kiddy Cook works by delivering award winning school workshops, after school clubs, classes and parties to encourage healthy choices and to give young people the knowledge and skills they need to thrive in a challenging world. Nikki Geddes started the business before deciding to franchise, she told us “I really enjoyed baking with my daughter and as a new mum frequenting every toddle group going, I recognised a gap in the market when it came to teach small children about food and cooking. The more I thought about Kiddy Cook, I got excited about the positive impact it could have”

Nikki spent a large part of her career working in corporate roles. She started her working life as a freelance journalist for BBC Radio Leicester, moving on to a role at British retailer Freemans and most recently she spent 12 years working for a high-profile marketing agency in London. Relocating to the North West with her family, she started to think about the possibility of starting a business that would involve making a difference to kids lives, as well that of their parents.

“I’ve always had a franchise model in mind because I knew there were other entrepreneurs out there who felt as I did about kids and learning”

Franchising allowed Nikki to expand her business without big financial costs. With money tight and a family at home, it was important for her to keep costs to a minimum... something which at the start of her journey was a struggle. “I tried to do everything myself without having a real understanding of how to franchise my business. I wasted a lot of money. Furthermore, my business was not as robust as it could have been. I recruited the wrong people for my business, I didn’t take the time to see if they were right for me and the Kiddy Cook brand and some of these franchisees proved unqualified to run a Kiddy Cook franchise resulting in some real lows and a business that remained static for a long time”

If Nikki could offer a piece of advice for anyone looking to start a franchise - Invest your time and money into talking to a franchise consultant right from the start!

Kiddy Cook is now evolving and expanding with 7 areas covered across England and Wales. They continue to collaborate with partners who share the same commitment to causes which encourage health, wellbeing and education and are now in conversation with one of the biggest school sports providers discussing the possibility of partnership to deliver the Kiddy Cook Food Foundation Programme to more schools across the UK.

The business worked with The Women’s Organisation through Greater Manchester based Excelerate Labs Programme. Receiving coaching and support from Senior Business Advisor Mike Marsden, Nikki told us: “The Women’s Organisation have been absolutely fantastic, and my mentor Mike Marsden continues to be a real asset to the growth of Kiddy Cook. From the free courses I’ve attended (How to get your Business seen on Google was my favourite) to the continued support and networking opportunities, they have been a real motivator for me moving forward.”

“It’s still early days for me, but I have no doubt that the work I am doing with The Women’s Organisation will be a contributing factor to my business growth and profit. I have spent the last couple of months evaluating my business model and processes and I have been able to add real value to the existing franchise network.”

Kiddy Cook are currently looking for an entrepreneur to deliver their programme of workshops in the Liverpool and North Wales areas. Kiddy Cook presents a fantastic opportunity and one that can be a great way to build a business using an existing company as a foundation.

If you’d like to find our more get in touch 

Tel: 07976 619 648 e: hale@kiddycook.co.uk www.kiddycook.co.uk

If you would like to benefit from the support received under the Excelerate Labs programme, then please contact: exceleratelabs@thewo.org.uk.

#BusinessGrowthTips: Capacity Planning

Over the last month we've been asking our Excelerate Labs business growth advisers to offer us some key tips on how to maximise your business potential.  If you follow @ExcelerateLab over on twitter you will catch our series #BusinessGrowthTips

Capacity planning is a key part of strategising for growth.  Without the right team and resources your business with soon grow out of hand and beyond your control.  Below are some key tips from our advisers looking at this element of growth in more detail.

• Let Go to Grow

"As you grow, you need to let go" says business adviser Mike Marsden. "Eventually your staff will reach their limits and your will outgrow some of your connections.  Just make sure the next people on your journey are better than the last".

Sometimes in business we can get sentimental about both our staff and those in our network.  But actually when capacity planning it is crucial to identify what roles and connections we need for the next phase of the business and be honest as to whether those we already have in our circle match the business need.  If not we may need to let go in order to grow. 

• Systems Give You Space

"Systemise your business. Get your business working for itself, creating money.  If the business is reliant on you, you have a job" says Mike.

Unpacking this tip from our growth adviser Mike, it shows that you need to give yourself space away from the business in order to grow.  If you are basically the engine that keeps every cog turning then you essentially work for the business instead of having it work for you.  You need to be able to step out without everything falling apart or how can you ever have those essential meetings and strategy hours to move it on? Putting systems in place, which can be everything from handbooks that ensure staff know what to do, digital tools, automation etc. that will keep everything running while you aren't there is the best way to do this.

This is a massive part of capacity planning.  List everything you do, and everything that relies solely on your expertise.  Then plan and research ways to fill these gaps to ensure you can free up enough of your time to get the business growing.  Some of these systems may have a cost attached to implement, so these should factor in your business growth budget planning. 

If you are a woman running a growing business in the Greater Manchester area and would like support with capacity planning or any other area of business growth, please get in touch with our Excelerate Labs team.  Part funded by European Regional Development Fund the programme is FREE for your to access (subject to eligibility) and will offer advice and support tailored to your business need.

Drop a line to exceleratelabs@thewo.org.uk to find out more.