Having had a successful career as a lorry driver, catering manager and most recently a builder, Newquay-based surfer, Mike Dennick found his life was turned upside down when he was diagnosed with Cancer and forced to leave his employment. Recovery was a long, slow process with severe side-effects which meant that coming back to familiar employment was no longer an option.

“I am a happy-go-lucky surfer who has finally realised that it is time to grow up! I thought that working for myself would be a great idea and after having such as extreme wake-up call in life, I thought it was time to look after myself.

Mike was referred to Outset via the Jobcentre and after attending a couple of the session soon realised that the programme was exactly what he was after. “I found the programme extremely helpful. Jan and Spencer have taught me the fundamentals to business in a way that was interesting and informative. Not being particularly academic, the way the sessions were structured worked well for me and kept me looking forward to the next one.”

Mike’s new business is a professional carpet and upholstery cleaning service based just outside Padstow which works using environmentally friendly practices

Outset Cornwall has been funded by the ERDF Convergence programme which invests in activities that will have a long-term impact on the growth and develop of the Cornish Economy.