Ask for help when starting a business

A Nuneaton man who launched a new business to give his family a better life has urged others who are thinking of doing the same to seek support.

Joe Foster is celebrating being in the second year of running his own company, EA Digital, which specialises in the installation of TV, telecoms and security within both domestic and business environments.

Joe had worked for many years as a satellite TV engineer but decided to go it alone after the birth of his second child and hasn’t looked back.

As the business was growing in the local area of Galley Common. Joe decided to increase his business’ potential and received start-up business support, which forms part of the Business Growth Warwickshire programme.

The support was delivered by Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce on behalf of Warwickshire County Council and Warwickshire’s five district and borough councils. The support is part funded by the Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (via Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council), and Warwickshire County Council.

EA Digital received free business advice from the Start-up Programme which comprised of regular one-to-one meetings with a business adviser. The bespoke support covered all aspects of business foundations including growth strategies, financial management, and extensive marketing planning.

Joe said: “I just wanted a better life for my family both financially but also being able to work my hours around them so I was keen to get all the support I could.

“The company vehicle is now fully branded, I’ve grown our presence on social media and have just launched a new website.

“The help has been amazing, and I can’t thank the Chamber and the council enough for giving me this backing.”

The business advice gave Joe an insight into how to market and brand his business to increase the growth potential and from there he was able to win further work and focus on his business full-time.

He said: “I’m really pleased at how far we’ve come; word-of-mouth was massive for me in the early days and now I’m building on that. I really want the business to grow and, potentially, look at taking on staff of my own in the not-too-distant future.

“Sarah was a brilliant sounding board and someone I could check-in with if I had an idea and got me to think about where to invest my time and money as the business is growing. I would 100 per cent recommend anyone to make sure they ask for support when they are starting out because it has made a massive difference to me.”

Sarah Humphreys, a business adviser at the Chamber, said: “Joe has been brilliant to work with from day one. If I’ve given suggestions or actions, he’s worked on it straight away and has made significant progress in his business growth.”

Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Economy & Place Cllr Martin Watson said: “The Start-Up programme is a perfect example of how collaborative support can work brilliantly to offer businesses exactly the help they need.”

The Chamber is delivering free-funded business support on all aspects of business, email businesssupport@cw-chamber.co.uk or visit https://www.cw-chamber.co.uk/business-support/business-start-up/