Outset Cornwall is celebrating its double century of helping local people start up their own businesses.
The Convergence-funded scheme’s 200th entrepreneur signed up for the intensive start up-support programme earlier this month and is now well on the way to starting her business.
Viv Stanton, who trained and worked as a home economics teacher before selling her own wedding dresses, will shortly be opening Notnats and putting all her new skills into practice. The business will offer tailor made recycled clothing, hats accessories and homeware, and she hopes to develop the business in the future to include workshops to share her skills with others.
Outset Cornwall offers a flexible, practical and completely free service providing personalised support, training and mentoring to Cornish people who have the drive and passion to take the leap into self-employment.
Bev Hurley, the CEO of YTKO, is the driving force behind Outset Cornwall, and also founder of the national Enterprising Women network. She is delighted with the achievement, and especially proud of our Cornish entrepreneurs: She said “The success of the Outset Cornwall project in less than six months has been phenomenal. YTKO has built a great local team who know what Cornish people need to turn good business ideas into strong and sustainable enterprises.”
Carleen Keleman, director of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Convergence Partnership Office, the funders of Outset Cornwall, is delighted to see the programme smash the 200 target. “This is one of a raft of Convergence investments aimed at supporting people and businesses and strengthening our economy,” she said: “The 200 people supported by Outset Cornwall since September have been given access to the opportunity to realise their ambitions and start the journey in developing successful businesses.”
The Outset Cornwall programme welcomes enquiries from anyone in Cornwall who would like to find out more about the support available to develop and launch a business idea. Call now on 0800 91714 324, or email info@outsetcornwall.co.uk.
