2 Case studies of businesses that have benefited from support, advice and guidance from Ten Sixty Six Enterprise:
A Bite of Africa
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Butcher Chris and his wife June Bouwer recently moved back to the UK from South Africa. Re-tracing June’s roots, they ended up back in St Leonards where they opened a café specialising in South African foods generally and Chris’s award winning Boerewors sausages (similar to a Cumberland sausage and extremely tasty) in particular. Unfortunately, their friendliness got the better of them and the café faltered as people were coming in only for a quick cup of tea and a long chat. Not exactly the formula that massive fortunes are built on. They needed a new angle to prosper and decided on creating a MiniMart specialising in foods and products from South Africa. |
Their existing turnover did not inspire their bank to
become involved and they believed their dream would go nowhere. Until
they contacted 1066 Enterprise.
They met up with Mike Trotter, the Loan Fund Manager from Capitalise Business
Support, one of 1066 Enterprises’ schemes to help young businesses.
After a number of meetings Mike helped Chris and June develop a structured
Business Plan, and make a successful application for a loan.
With the help of the new finance, the café was
transformed into an appealing MiniMart with chillers, freezers and display
shelving replacing the tables and chairs.
Chris produces his popular sausages in a new preparation area and is kept
busy supplying demand through the retail outlet and via their online shop.
Chris and June are extremely grateful for the help they received from
1066 Enterprise and Capitalise Business Support.
“We would not have been able to do it without
them” said June. “The whole process was plain sailing. We
did find the business plan the biggest bugbear, but Mike helped us through
the process and even assisted us with the application”.
Due to the success of the shop, they now want to expand. “I am looking
at taking my Boerewors sausages to the regional farmers’ markets
and need to invest in a mobile unit. I intend to see Mike again because
I know he will listen”. Said Chris. “Even though, funnily
enough, the bank looks at us now!”
Telham Training Ltd
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When a change of direction beckoned, Sarah White approached 1066 Enterprise to help with a seamless transition from being an educational computer trainer to creating Telham Training, a commercial computer training operation. Sarah already had already prepared a structured business plan but 1066 mentor Jeremy Green believed that additional technological knowledge and business advice would pay dividends. Sarah attended 1066 Enterprises’ three day Business Start Up workshop, which she found extremely helpful, “as the only commercial experience I had was as a horse trainer!” she said. “It taught me the benefits of proper business planning, marketing and accountancy. It also gave me access to other information routes”. |
Sarah started Telham Training two years ago, the business
is going from strength to strength and Sarah still keeps in regular touch
with Jeremy. “He has given me excellent advice since I started.
If you are a sole trader, you don’t have someone to bounce ideas
or problems off…and you certainly have a few problems in the early
days! Jeremy and 1066 Enterprise filled that void.”
Jeremy is a great believer in networking and recommended Sarah regularly
attends the Hastings and Rother Business Luncheon Club and the Hastings
Chamber of Commerce, both organised by 1066 Enterprise. She is now also
a member of the local area ProfitNet group and networking has gained Sarah
substantial quality business.
Telham Training now services business as far afield as Liverpool and South Yorkshire and has a PA and two freelance trainers under her wing. Sarah has refined her service and now offers four core packages: tailored one to one training; on site support with specific projects; ‘desktop’ services such as database cleansing; whilst Sarah is also a recognised QuickBooks Professional Advisor.
She is still in regular contact with 1066 Enterprise and doesn’t think that that situation will change in the near future. “I’m always going back to 1066. They have a good understanding of employment and health and safety laws which really helps, and what they don’t know, they know how to find out. Most of all they are free. When I started out, I couldn’t have afforded such professional advice. But it made a real difference and you can’t put a price on that” Sarah concluded.