An entrepreneur a day created through Rochdale Enterprise Coaching service
An entrepreneur a day created through Rochdale Enterprise Coaching service
Leading Rochdale business support agency Blue Orchid is celebrating helping more than 600 people on the path to enterprise since September 2009.
Blue Orchid delivers the Rochdale Enterprise Coaching service, which is funded by Rochdale Borough Council. The start-up specialists have delivered more than 350 enterprise skills workshops in the area, leading many attendees to go on and launch a business.
Blue Orchid managing director Heather Hayes said the aim of the coaching is to raise the level of enterprise activity of under-represented people within Rochdale.
“Since September 2009 we have helped the equivalent of one or more people a day start their entrepreneurial journey,” she said. “We offer workshops, business support, one to one advice and networking opportunities for anyone in Rochdale. With the number of redundancies rising we want to encourage anyone with an entrepreneurial idea to contact us. We have a team of highly experienced advisers who can guide you through the journey of setting up in business.”
The service has many achievements to boast including the establishment of more than 30 businesses, with many more planning to launch this year. One recent start up success is husband and wife team Lee O’Keefe and Nicola Nyland from Rochdale. They contacted Blue Orchid in August last year while launching classic car parts mail order company World of Parts Ltd.
The company, based in Caldershaw Business Park, sells to classic car enthusiasts and trade businesses.
“The support we received from the enterprise coaching service was excellent,” said Nicola. “Having a one to one business advisor to go through things such as financial forecasting and marketing has been such a help. The past six months have been a daunting but enjoyable period, and becoming self-employed has given us the work / life balance we wanted.”
The Rochdale Enterprise Coaching service feeds into the Intensive Start Up Support (ISUS) programme, which Blue Orchid also delivers in Rochdale. ISUS is part of Solutions for Business, the Government's package of publicly funded business support designed to help companies start and grow. The programme is funded by the NWDA, European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and Rochdale Borough Council.
If you would like to find out about how Blue Orchid can help you call 01706 515 710 or email startup@theblueorchid.co.uk
