Pictured above: Kez Tagg
The regional Business Link service is encouraging people with
disabilities to consider starting up their own business.
After a life changing accident, one entrepreneur decided that
running her own business would offer new opportunities and suit her
lifestyle needs. Kez Tagg is Managing Director of East
Midlands-based Close Encounters Travel which specialises in
creating personalised holidays, weddings & honeymoons in
Southern & East Africa. She says: "After being injured in
a car crash and undergoing two years of spinal surgery I knew that
finding employment would be very difficult so I had to re-evaluate
my plans - obviously I couldn't continue with my Masters degree in
social science so I took the positive step to set up my own
business."
Kez turned to the regional Business Link service which gave her
advice on marketing her own business and assistance with applying
for a grant, help she describes as invaluable: "My local Business
Link adviser provided excellent support and advice to help me raise
the capital I needed to set up and run the business. Their input
helped us to identify and secure a loan of £40,000, without
which the business would never have got off the ground."
Starting her own business was definitely the right decision for
Kez as the company has gone from strength to strength, almost
doubling turnover year-on-year since starting up. Kez says: "It's
been hard work but all the systems are pretty much up and running
now and we have helped over 500 travellers to realise their
dreams.
"While being disabled has been difficult it hasn't held me back
from doing what I wanted to do and becoming my own boss.
Business Link has been a source of great help and support; I
would definitely recommend other entrepreneurs - disabled or not -
to contact them."
The Business Link website provides business advice in a user -
friendly, accessible format for disabled businessmen and women. AA
(Shaw Trust Web Accessibility Accreditation) approved, the site has
the online resources and information to help businesses
succeed.
Stephen Smith, Chief Executive of EMB Ltd - the organisation
responsible for delivering the regional Business Link service says:
"Having a disability shouldn't hold you back. Business Link caters
to all groups of society. We receive over 5,000 business enquiries
a month and some of these are from people with a disability. Of
course it can be more challenging being disabled, but we recognise
that many other groups also face challenges - particularly during
these difficult economic times, which is why, our advisers don't
ever assume that 'one size fits all' but try and meet
individual needs, which might include directing them to other
providers of specialist products or services."
The Business Link website www.businesslink.gov.uk/eastmidlands
includes information for disabled entrepreneurs and employers
including dealing with disability in the workplace, the latest
relevant legislation and funding opportunities for entrepreneurs
keen on starting up their own business.
Accessing the right support and training can make all the
difference to the success of a new business. With the
regional Business Link Start-Up service you will also benefit from
FREE access to the following services:
• Web based information and tools
• Telephone and email support
• Self help material
• Structured workshops covering all the basic elements of
starting a business
Business Link run a series of FREE structured workshops in
critical skills development for those people looking to start their
own business. The popular workshops are held throughout the East
Midlands region and cover the core elements required to increase
your chances of successfully starting your own business.
These workshops cover the core areas of business
including:
Is it for me?
This workshop is aimed at people thinking of starting a business
or working for themselves and covers what is involved in running a
business and the various types of businesses that exist. It will
help people decide what they want from their business and whether
starting a business is right for them.
Getting the basics right
This workshop is for those people actively committed to starting
a business and developing a business plan. The workshop covers
various topics including employing people, compliance and business
ideas.
Managing money
This workshop is for people fully committed to starting a
business or running an early stage business (up to 6 months).
Finance is the key to this workshop and differentiates between the
various types of finance. The workshop also looks at the subjects
of financial planning, bookkeeping and cash flow and credit
control.
Finding and keeping customers
This workshop is for people fully committed to starting a
business or running an early stage business (up to 6
months).
It is important that anyone looking to start their own business
understands their market i.e. what their customers want and who
their competitors are. This workshop covers these important areas.
This workshop also looks at how you could reach your customers, the
positioning and price of your offer and how the internet could be a
valuable sales tool.
Running a successful business
This workshop is for people fully committed to starting a
business or running an early stage business (up to 6 months) and
looks at a number of topics key to running a successful business.
It covers how to employ people and getting the best out of them.
Another important area for consideration is that of ensuring that
your business has the right skill sets to develop and grow your
business. Other topics covered include time management and
understanding systems and processes.