Workshops help get businesses off the ground

Participants in the two-day event are launching new enterprises ranging from a property development company to an equestrian products firm.

The workshop was fully funded by the 'Start in South Staffs' programme – a new comprehensive package of business support currently on offer from South Staffordshire Council.

The programme is managed by South Staffordshire District Council and is backed by a grant from the government’s shared prosperity fund programme, part of its Levelling Up agenda. A similar programme is also being delivered for Dudley Council in Dudley borough.

Eddie Allan of Bridgnorth-based business consultants Good2Great said that they were working with the councils to deliver a comprehensive programme of support for small businesses to get them up and running with their ideas.

“Over the next 12 months another five two-day workshops will be delivered, in various locations both in the South Staffs district and Dudley borough, “ he said. “The same course can also be accessed online via live modular courses delivered three times a week.

“Once completed, people can access up to four one-to-one support sessions with our experienced business advisors, all of whom have a range of expertise and experience,” he said.

Participant Mike Darlington, who is launching Sober Society, a support group for people who want to reduce alcohol intake, said: “I thoroughly enjoyed the two-day Good2Great course.

“It provided very useful guidance on a range of topics and I would recommend this for anyone thinking of starting a business or who has just launched one.”

The next two Good2Great workshops will be held for Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council on February 6 and 7, in Dudley and, for South Staffordshire, on February 20 and 21 in Wombourne.

Anyone interested in joining the business start-up course, which is free to attend, can apply at https://bit.ly/SSDCSTART1 for South Staffordshire and https://bit.ly/DMBCSTART1 for Dudley borough.