Name: BrochurCom
Based: Stockport
Website: www.brochurcom.co.uk
BrochurCom is celebrating its first year is business, thanks to the government’s New Enterprise Allowance (NEA) scheme. Based in Stockport, Greater Manchester, and unemployed, I was thrown a lifeline when Stockport Jobcentre Plus referred to me to [business startup consultants] Blue Orchid.
With the help of Blue Orchid, I prepared my business plan, including cashflow projections, and presented the idea to Gaynor Leigh who is a business mentor at Blue Orchid. After a few tweaks and nurturing the plan, I was accepted onto the scheme and launched my Stockport-based, BrochurCom website design business in February 2014.
Although the NEA startup loan could have been applied for, I was keen to focus my marketing attention on free social media platform Facebook instead.
It’s been a hard 12 months but I have loved every minute of it. With the help of my family providing meals and the NEA weekly support payment of £53, I have managed to keep my head above water.
To celebrate the achievement I have expanded my website design packages and now include four options – all targeted at new startup companies, sole traders and those looking to move into online.
My goal for this year is to move the business out of my lounge and into rented office space.
Paul Marshall is the owner of BrochurCom
