To celebrate the launch of the new YTKO Business Accelerator programme, the team held a series of inspirational conferences across the county. A host of guest speakers attended, including James Averdieck, founder of GU Chocolate Puddings, who spoke of his extraordinary entrepreneurial journey and how he created and established his luxurious dessert brand within the UK market. James said:

“I am honoured to be here and sharing my experiences with Outset clients. Some the business owners here today are determined, passionate and deserve every success on their path to self employment.”

For information on any of the YTKO Business Accelerator sessions, please contact Outset Cornwall on 0800 917 4324.

In addition to opening this year’s event, Phil hosted a special workshop on leadership, discussing his career to date and kick starting the day’s celebration of business in Cornwall. Phil said

“I am always excited to come back to Cornwall. No matter where I go, I will always tell people that I am from Cornwall and what a wonderful place it is to live. The people that make this county so great are the business owners and the public that support these growing enterprises. We should be proud to live here!”

New elements , such as workshops and speakers were  introduced to this year’s Fair under a new collaboration between ERDF Convergence funded Outset Cornwall and the Cornwall Chamber of Commerce. Both organisations worked together to hold Cornwall’s key business event, which will celebrate enterprise in the county. Chief Executive of Cornwall Chamber, Kim Conchie, explains:

“This year’s Fair has been an exciting time for both organisations. We are working with Outset to create a stronger business community within a growing Cornish economy. The event has provided both Chamber members and Outset clients with the opportunity not only to promote their businesses within a wider network, but to showcase the fantastic enterprises that Cornwall has to offer.”

In addition to this, attendees took advantage of a host of free workshops enhancing their knowledge in the areas of social media, sales and marketing. Guest speakers include Julian Summerhayes of Brand You, Dr Michelle Lawrence of Cornwall College Business and Tim Bryant of Outset’s parent company YTKO.

The Fair forms part of the Cornwall Business Week celebrations, culminating in the Cornwall Business Awards taking place on Thursday 17^th May 2012. Kate McEwen, Outset’s Head of Operations for the South West, said:

“The Cornwall Business Fair is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the achievements of our clients. To date, 205 new businesses have been started in Cornwall with Outset’s help. Working in partnership with the Chamber will provide new networking opportunities for Outset clients, and cements the start of a legacy that Outset Cornwall is putting in place for them for future years.”

For more information on this year’s Cornwall Business Fair, visit www.cornwallbusinessfair.co.uk

“I had a very stressful job in the voluntary sector. One day I borrowed a sewing machine to make a tote bag for my daughter. Five hours later, I had produced something that I was proud of, but most importantly, I felt totally relaxed and that five hours had flown by. It was then that I knew my future lay in sewing and making things.”

All she needed to decide on next was exactly what she would make. It was when her 11-year-old daughter showed her an online blog all about bunting that the idea for her unique business was born.

“I knew I wanted to specialise in one area and after doing some online research the idea to concentrate solely on bunting materialised. Sometimes when I tell people what I do they say, “Just bunting, is that all?” and that’s how my business name came about!”

With her 40th birthday looming, her day-job becoming increasingly difficult, Karen decided it was time to make a life changing decision and took the brave plunge into self-employment. With the mantra ‘You don’t know what you can do, until you try’ leading the way to her successes.

Despite years of studying in a field she didn’t enjoy, Karen decided to push her recently obtained degree to one side, and follow her passion to run her own business. That’s where Outset Cornwall were there to help.

“I found out about Outset Cornwall in 2010 at the Royal Cornwall Show. As I was just starting out in business, one of the main attractions was that the course was free as money was tight. I was very nervous when I first joined the women-only group in St Austell but soon relaxed and made some fantastic new friends; all like-minded businesswomen who believed in my business and products. Twelve months later she still keeps in contact with quite a few of fellow participants. The Outset advisors were knowledgeable, approachable and most of all understanding of how I was feeling about going it alone.”
Karen now plans to add to her bespoke bunting (made from a collection of recycled, new and vintage fabrics) by expanding into making other products, such as cushions, tote bags and fabric canvas art pictures.

Karen has recently started teaching others sewing skills from her kitchen workshop and runs pop up sewing workshops in various locations across Cornwall. She is always delighted when participants can take away something that they are proud to have made, especially when some tell Karen before the workshop that they “don’t have any sewing ability whatsoever”!

The highlight of Karen’s first year in business happened in February 2012. Karen gained recognition on a social networking site from a ‘re-tweet’ by BBC Dragon Theo Paphitis as part of his Small Business Sunday #sbs Twitter initiative. She was invited to Birmingham alongside 300 other winners to meet Theo and to receive 2.5 hours of mentoring, advice and encouragement from him.

Karen’s future plans include expanding the business to be able to sell to the gift trade, open up her own workshop / studio and become the name in Cornwall and beyond for producing high quality, affordable bunting and other hand sewn products.

“Without help from Outset Cornwall, I would never have got this far, and have enjoyed every single moment of running my own successful business.”

• Have you launched your new business through Outset Cornwall?

• Want to promote your products or services to the 100,000 expected show visitors?

Outset Cornwall has booked a high profile stand at the Royal Cornwall Show (7^th, 8^th and 9^th June 2012) and has six spaces to allocate to a handful of lucky Outset clients. Demand for this opportunity will be very high, so the team has decided to run a competition to decide whom to bring with us.

To enter, please complete the online form below and click the submit button to enter and you will receive a confirmation email. Simply tell us in no more than 100 words what you will do to drive show visitors to your stand. Closing date for the competition will be Friday 18^th May, and we will be announcing the winners on Friday 25^th May.

Submit your application here

Good luck!

The Fair is excited to welcome special guest speaker and former England captain, Phil Vickery MBE, who will be opening the day’s event as well as hosting a very special workshop themed on leadership. Guests will also have the opportunity to attend a host of workshops run by local experts in the areas of marketing, sales and social media. For further information and to book a place on any of the workshops visit www.cornwallbusinessfair.co.uk.

The awards commitee also keen to have more entries in the following categories:

International Trade

Entrepreneurship

Radio/Audio/Music

Marketing & Advertising

To find out more about the awards visit http://www.mediainnovationawards.com/ or  please contact:

Media Innovation Awards
9 Branson Court
Plympton
PL7 2WU

Telephone/Fax: 01752 346530

Email:info@mediainnovationnetwork.com

The fair will be an opportunity for you to showcase and promote your business amongst established enterprises within the Cornish business community. The day will include networking as well as a host of exciting seminars. With 60 stands, this year’s Cornwall Business Fair promises to be a truly inspiring exhibition.

The fair will take place on Lemon Quay, Truro, on Wednesday 16^th May 2012 between 10am and 4pm. Within this pack you will find all the necessary information you will need to apply for a stand at this year’s exciting event.

As a valued Outset client, we are able to offer you a subsidised rate for your stand at the fair. Please note that some stands are priced higher than others due to the positioning within the marquee. Rates are shown below.

BAND A  £300 Including VAT  (£80 Including VAT for Outset clients)

BAND B  £279 Including VAT  (£60 Including VAT for Outset clients)

BAND C  £240 Including VAT  (£40 Including VAT for Outset clients)

To book your stand please complete the forms enclosed and return these to the address stated at the bottom of each form. Please note that all stands are allocated on a first come first served basis.

If you’re an Outset Client who can say yes to the following, you can apply for a stand:

• I have started my business

• I have submitted my Business Declaration Form

• I have submitted my evidence of start

If you would like any further information about this year’s Cornwall Business Fair please contact a member of our expert team on freephone 0800 917 4324 or email info@outsetcornwall.co.uk.

We look forward to seeing you at this year’s fair!

You can benefit from daily content, forums, books, eBooks and kits as well as weekly classes and national conferences.

For more information their website.

Amy added that being able to take charge of employing her own PA is “brilliant” but that becoming an employer caused her worry and stress; and she wasn’t alone.

“I had been working in the health and social sector for the Local Involvement Network as its research and involvement officer. I helped people in Cornwall influence the health and social care services they received and ran focus groups to enable people to work with the organisations that plan and run care services to make positive changes. It was while I was there that I learned what people thought of the services on offer and what further support they felt they needed. Many people were worried and frightened about all that employing a PA involved even though they wanted to be able to do so to ensure they had maximum control over their care.”

It was the desire to make things easier for others in a similar position to her that inspired Amy to create her fledgling company, the PA Agency.

She said: “My business aims to assist anyone who wants to employ a PA, whether they receive money from the Government via Cornwall Council or pay out of their own funds. But to make sure my business idea became a reality I knew needed to expand my knowledge and confidence. That’s where Outset Cornwall came in.”

Amy’s self-belief soon began to grow in relation to business with peer support in the group sessions and through working with the intensive start-up programme’s advisors.

“By joining Outset Cornwall I was also able to challenge my thoughts and to make sure that I was planning correctly and not overlooking crucial parts of running a business.  I do like to plan and be prepared but I am quickly learning it is not always possible when running your own business.”

Amy has now put all that she has taken from the Outset Cornwall course to good use by taking the worry and anxiety about employing someone to care away with The PA Agency.

Its support will include: recruiting a PA; matching a registered PA from the Agency’s bank; advertising and recruiting a PA if one not found through bank system; and covering human resources and legal aspects of employing a personal assistant.

Along with this provision Amy’s new company will also take care of writing contracts and job descriptions; running Criminal Record Bureau checks; getting the right insurance in place; payroll; holiday leave entitlements; and PA’s induction and reviews.

Amy added: “We will also answer any questions about employment law as well as so much more such as managing your ‘personal budgets’ bank account and accessing training for the carer and their PA. It’s all about making things easier. I like to make sure that everyone is treated equally and believe that everyone has something to offer.”

She found that the one-to-one support provided by Outset Cornwall was invaluable, saying that “Without this support I would not have even started to believe that I could be running my own business full time and exploring my full potential”.

Amy now hopes to attend some post start up training sessions, such as the ones she went along too all about social media, which she found “superb” and with her year’s complimentary membership to Cornwall Enterprising Women, subsidised through Outset Cornwall, she has also gained excellent PR coverage in the local media thanks to its women’s enterprise co-ordinator, Josie Purcell, a former local journalist.

By employing a ‘personal assistant’ people will have maximum control of their care, be able to build a one-to-one relationship with their PA and use their PA to enable them to live the life they want.

As a very new start up Amy is now looking forward to having her first customer and building excellent relationships with Cornwall Council to enable it to refer people to her.

Looking to the future Amy smiled: “I want to be known for offering a superb support service that helps people to retain and expand their independence and I would like my business to develop into a family business that can employ me full time.”

When not looking after business Amy loves to be out and about exploring Cornwall and making the most of what it has to offer along with cooking and spending time with her friends and family.

“It was also important to me to create something that would enable our family to work together in our local area where there is a strong feeling of community even though it is rather rural.

“The idea for creating a hub through a community café seemed the ideal way of bringing people together and potentially providing a secure future for my family.

“Historically, this type of café has been seen mainly in urban areas, but at Apple Tree we believe that rural communities need them even more, to serve as a meeting place to exchange ideas and provide information, as well as sharing skills and utilising local talent; a place where we can appreciate and inspire each other.”

To get things right from the beginning Helen knew she needed guidance. She had met a number of mums during her former work with Sure Start who had accessed business start-up support through Outset Cornwall.

She said: “I wanted to give my business the best chance I could. I knew I had a lot to learn and needed space and time to talk through my ideas.  Taking part on the Outset Cornwall programme helped me to believe in myself and gave me the confidence to follow my dream. Through doing all the market research myself, seeing how it all linked together and looking at the bigger picture it made me realise my plans would work. The most memorable part for me was learning that I am a risk taker after all.”

As someone who describes herself as adaptable, determined and up for a challenge Helen set about creating the Apple Tree Café.

Not only does it act as place for locals and visitors to get together and enjoy great food, including special dietary options such as gluten and wheat free, it also holds theme nights, provides space for artists to display their work, runs creative activities and classes, and is a showcase for her husband’s bread making skills.

“Everyone is welcome at the café including children, dogs and muddy boots,” Helen smiled.

“I hope to build a venue that supports local people and producers and that becomes a big part of the community. In future I plan to build a micro-bakery on site to expand our bread-making element and possibly supply other outlets, while also developing our green credentials.

“At the Apple Tree we want to tread lightly on the earth. We compost our raw food waste and use it to help grow our salad veg, while other food waste goes to our hens. All card, bottles, cans etc are taken to be recycled and nothing is wasted. We want to lead by example through running courses on topics such as composting, while also growing our own salads and herbs.”

The Appletree Café is open all year, serving breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea.

Pop in for a bite to eat and a natter or visit www.theappletreecafe.co.uk for more information.