Going It Alone: Northwest Entrepreneurs on Sharing Advice and Skills

From financial forecasting to marketing strategies, starting a business can be daunting, especially for those with creative skills. It's a world full of baffling business-speak like 'scalability' or 'drilling down', and where years are divided into quarters. But as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution and the cooperative movement, the Northwest has a long heritage of industry, innovation and generally making things happen – and though the mills have become boutique hotels, the work ethic and self-determination still exists. Nationally, self-employment is at its highest since 1992, with 4.5 million people in the UK registered as their own boss – and across Liverpool, Manchester and everywhere in between, people are developing their passions and hobbies into viable businesses.

The School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE), based in Liverpool's Hope Street quarter, supports those aiming to start a business that not only turns a profit but also does some social good. The Brink, a nonalcoholic bar on Parr Street, began as an SSE supported project. Lisa Mairah, SSE's Learning Manager, is keen to emphasis that entrepreneurship doesn't require qualifications. Anybody with passion, commitment and an idea can do it. “SSE is a people-powered learning programme for individuals who want to transform communities through social enterprise,” she explains. “We work with a diverse range of people, from those who have just had an idea up to those who want to grow their existing social enterprise.”

During a period of unemployment, Chorlton-based Sally Thirkettle began crocheting to “stay sane while job hunting.” After selling her handmade accessories and homewares at craft markets, she found business support through Blue Orchid. Training in social media management and bookkeeping helped her business, SallyStrawberry Creations, to grow. Thirkettle found the financial training especially helpful: “I had had a stab at this myself,” she says, “but my advisor assisted me in changing my system so that it would stand up to inspection should the Inland Revenue pay me a visit.”

Un- or underemployment can make anyone feel a bit, well, rubbish, but Thirkettle refers to crafting as “a lifesaver” – for her, the satisfaction of developing a business and the positive impact on emotional wellbeing is obvious. She relates a time spent, out of necessity, without internet, just the radio and crocheting: “It gave me focus, a sense of achievement.”

After travelling around Australia and New Zealand, computer programmer Ian Moss decided to turn his love of adventure into a business by setting up 196 Destinations, a website for finding cheap air travel. For Moss, support from Business Growth Hub, who offer a range of support from their central Manchester office, has been crucial. “It's reassuring to be able schedule in an appointment with a qualified professional,” Moss says of the mentoring he's received, “and to receive constructive critique from someone on your side.” For Moss, defining his own working patterns outside of the traditional nine-to-five slog has been the clincher. “Who hasn't thought on a sunny mid-week day, 'I wish I could go for a walk or cycle.' As long as you've not got a client deadline, you can do this.”

The dream, for many of us, is to quit our day jobs, tell The Man to stuff it, and be your own boss. The reality is that, despite support available, starting a business doesn't immediately lead to drinking artisan coffees in your tastefully decorated home office – many of those starting out as entrepreneurs fit the demands of running a business around other work. Thirkettle works part-time in a cafe, while Moss still takes on freelance work. However, both believe the hard work is worthwhile. Thirkettle has expanded into tutoring others, and emphasises that what she learned from Blue Orchid “gave my business direction, and the motivation to push it forward.” Moss, meanwhile, now runs Founders' Assembly, a networking event for digital business startups to collaborate and constructively criticise – demonstrating that skills, once learned, are to be shared.