Pictured above: Tony Marsh
Many a happy day has been captured on camera by Nottinghamshire
based Tony Marsh Photography and many more key moments will be
captured in the future, thanks to a little help from the Business
Link Outreach Project.
Tony's business was launched in 2010 and mainly covered the
wedding market. However, with more and more photographers moving
into this market, competition was becoming increasingly fierce so
Tony made the decision to diversify to maintain growth.
Following the purchase of specialist equipment he moved the
business into new areas including fashion and product promotion and
has quickly earned an excellent reputation for his work.
Accessible support
Tony found out about the Business Link Outreach Project as it is
based in the same building as his studio. He met one of the
advisers to discuss the issues he faced and it soon became clear
that without specialist equipment, the company's market place would
be limited. "It was a really useful meeting," explains Tony. "This
impartial advice helped me to think clearly about what I needed to
do to grow the business and identified some possible funding
options for the purchase of new equipment."
The Business Link Outreach Project is delivered by EMB Ltd, the
leading enterprise and economic development company that delivers a
range of business improvement services. The project is funded by
the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and aims to help
local businesses and entrepreneurs to gain access to the support
they need to grow their business.
Onwards and upwards
Through the Outreach Project, Tony was able to access a grant
for the equipment needed which meant he was able to enter a much
bigger market as a direct result. "This approach is already paying
off," adds Tony. "The new equipment and increased marketing have
opened up a whole host of opportunities for me. Work continues to
increase and potentially the business could double its turnover in
the next 12 months."
Tony's top tips:
o Stick to your business plan
o Research the available help from organisations such as
Business Link
o ALWAYS over deliver!