They came with queries on marketing, business plans and finance. For Bristol’s budding entrepreneurs last week's visit by the StartUp Britain bus – its first stop on a nationwide tour – was just the ticket to help them get on the road to business success.
Business mentors were on hand to provide all manner of support. Proving that the city is a hotspot for innovation, the area around the double-decker bus was buzzing with conversation between would-be business owners and advisers during its visit to Paintworks, Bristol’s creative industry quarters.
Established entrepreneurs Rob Law, the Bristol-based designer behind the Trunki child’s ride-on suitcase, and Jamie Murray Wells, who founded the Glasses Direct website while still at the University of the West of England, chatted to visitors keen to pick up some tips while organisations such as Outset Bristol and SETsquared offered advice on starting up and growing a business.
Outset Bristol provides free training and support to Bristol residents looking to start their own business. SETsquared provides support for hi-tech, high-growth start ups and step-up businesses and runs an acceleration unit at Bristol University. Other advisers on hand provided help on issues such as finance, tax, payroll, and IT.
Among those visiting the bus was Jill Hatton, who is launching Port Out Starboard Home, a bespoke jewellery and headwear business, on September 1. Jill, a former executive assistant, decided to turn her hobby into a business making mid-to-high end brooches, headbands and similar products after getting fed up working 60-hour weeks in her previous job.
She said: “An event like this is really useful for us because there’s so much to do when you set up a business and it’s great to hear from people who’ve already done it.”
Another visitor, Maff Rigby, has recently set up his social marketing software business ITSmartDesk and was visiting to get a few tips on issues such as marketing.
“I’ve never run a business before and there’s a lot to do once you’ve got your product,” he said.
“Bristol is a great place to start a business because there’s a really good network of organisation who can help, like SETsquared.”
The city was the first of 14 entrepreneurial hotspots across the UK chosen for visits by the StartUp Britain bus.
The tour aims to celebrate, inspire and accelerate the nation’s latent business talent and encourage more people to start up and grow their own companies.
