Jane and Marie, founders of new VA service provider VirtualEase Assists, joined the new NextGen Start Up Programme following its launch in July. The duo got immediately stuck in with the programme, helping increase their confidence in their new start up.

Getting started with your new business idea can be daunting, and one of the common questions we get asked is where to start once the initial idea has been formulised.

An accountant based in Leek has launched his own business with support from Staffordshire County Council’s Get Started and Grow scheme.

Richard Prince is among more than 200 business owners from Staffordshire to receive expert support through the programme.

His new company, East Ecton Accounting Services, specialises in book-keeping, VAT return and self assessment services for rural businesses.

Re-evaluation that Changed the Course of her Career

After 25 years as an NHS nurse, Lynn transitioned to academia before founding Healthcare Communication Matters in 2018.

Lynn’s story of how her business came to be, will leave you speechless.

After serving for 50-years between them in the police, Clifford Tompkinson and Darren Williams took the plunge into setting up a car sales business in the beautiful South Staffordshire village of Wombourne. The duo, recognising that there was huge opportunity to drive business growth through social media but there were some gaps in their knowledge, contacted South Staffordshire Council who were able to refer them to Staffordshire County Council’s Get Started and Grow Scheme.

Joanne explains that after years of enduring difficult work environments and challenging bosses, she realised it was time to take control of her own destiny. Hear what she has to say about her time in business and the lessons she has learnt here.

Kate made the move into starting her own business, Let’s Talk Brows, after her twins were born, enabling her to work more flexibly around their needs, follow her passion for giving people a confidence boost and helping them to feel at their best, whilst also maximising her earning potential.

Virginia is the latest to satisfy our curiosity into the entrepreneurial journey, giving us an honest and authentic peek behind-the-scenes of how she kept moving forward even when it would have been easier to throw the towel in.

Virginia’s journey in business has been far from easy, and her dogged determination to empower others in their health combined with her awe-inspiring resilience has helped the business to navigate incredibly testing times such as the Covid-19 pandemic and the current cost of living crisis and economic instability. Find out how she has tapped into funded support via Staffordshire County Council to help.

Let’s hear what Anna has to say about her entrepreneurial journey so far, made all the more unique by coinciding with an incredible physical journey to the other side of the world to travel in New Zealand.

Founded by father-daughter duo David and Amy Rudd, Rudder's Rum emerged from their vision to craft a unique, handcrafted artisanal rum collection reflecting their passion for tradition, family, and exceptional taste. Their signature flavours, including chocolate and raspberry, challenge traditional perceptions of rum by offering a broader range of options to appeal to various palettes.

At 30, Amy is keenly aware that their business not only challenges traditional perceptions of rum but also people's assumptions about its origins.

Our ambitious programme, designed to empower a new generation of thriving start-up businesses across Staffordshire, is being launched to drive growth across the county.