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Business Strategy

Flush it Plumbing has new wave of growth

I really enjoyed taking part in the Start Smart course. I got to meet some great people and it helped me to get everything set up properly, so I could focus on then getting my name out there and attracting customers.

Joe Duncan

Joe Duncan is a former operations manager that was made redundant at the age of 51 from his job at a smart card company. With 20 years of his working life ahead of him and having grown tired of the constant travel in his old role, he decided it may be a good idea to set up his own business for the first time.

Joe and other participants looking to start their businesses attended sessions where they were taken through different steps of setting up a business, while also receiving bespoke personal support from their business advisor Sheryl Clare.

With support from GC Business Growth Hub’s start-up business support program, he set up Flush it Plumbing.

Joe benefited from previously working in the building trade when he was younger, however, he needed guidance when it came to the day-to-day aspects of running a business. Sheryl put him in touch with an accountant and he attended workshops focused on social media platforms so that he had the skills to market and promote his business effectively.

As a result, Flush It Plumbing can now be found on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Sheryl also helped Joe to access the New Employment Allowance available to people in his situation.

Joe said: “I really enjoyed taking part in the Start Smart course. I got to meet some great people and it helped me to get everything set up properly, so I could focus on then getting my name out there and attracting customers.  Sheryl was fantastic at sitting down with me and identifying where I needed help most to make the business a success. She knew people use the internet and social media nowadays to find a workman, and so spent time making sure I had the skills I’d need so I wouldn’t miss out on potential customers.”

Janine Richardson, Self-Employment Project Manager from GC Business Growth Hub said: “Joe found himself in a position that a lot of people, unfortunately, have found themselves in recent years; losing his job through no fault of his own.

"Nonetheless, he had the wherewithal to take stock of his career-to-date, think about what he had enjoyed doing earlier in his professional life, revive those skills and turn them into a viable business that means he can continue to make a living.”

GC Business Growth Hub’s Start Smart programme provides support for Greater Manchester residents who want to find out if self-employment is right for them and for those who have recently started their own business.

To find out how you can access specialist start-up support you can make an enquiry here.

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