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Doggy Food Business

Doggy Food Business is a Real Forest Treat

When Sue Murphy first thought up her doggy treats business concept, she knew she would need help. So, when Sue enrolled on the Dean Entrepreneurs Programme, she had come to the right place for the perfect mix of business start-up training, advice and mentoring.

Dean Entrepreneurs is a Forest of Dean based business start-up programme, funded by the Local Action Group and dedicated to supporting the creation of new businesses across the area. The programme runs for four months, and for a few hours each week, delegates are helped to develop their business ideas from concept to launch.

All the support is delivered by Gloucestershire Enterprise at The Main Place in Coleford and is tailored for local people specifically looking to explore self employment. Sue attended the first programme which ran from November 2010 to March 2011 and was one of eleven people to benefit from the programme.

Sue had been making doggy treats for many years for her own dogs and a friend suggested she made a business from it. Sue added; “I had a small grain of an idea for a business and no understanding of how to make my plan into reality, I found the information on the Dean Entrepreneurs programme in the public library and contacted the number given, I had unfortunately missed the first session but have to say that I did not miss a single one afterwards!”

The programme is supported by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development: Europe investing in rural areas. The project is being delivered through the South West of England Regional Development Agency with Defra as the Managing Authority.

Lydbrook based trainer and course leader Miranda Jenkins from Skills To Go commented: "The course adopts a practical approach to starting up a business. One of the first sessions concentrates on whether each budding entrepreneur really feels they have the commitment to launch and run a business. Whilst some people haven't thought through what it takes to run a business, others have so many ideas that they need help in sorting them into a logical framework from which a solid business can emerge.”

Sue agrees that without the course she would not have had the courage to take her idea any further and did not have the knowledge to take her original plan and make it into a reality. Sue believes that the one to one sessions were most useful in helping her focus on her business goals and the whole course gave her the confidence to go forward with her ideas. Sue says: “The support focusing on how to deal with tax, business planning, marketing and all aspects of starting a business, helped me to take the plunge without fear. A huge bonus point is that I have made a number of lovely friends and fellow entrepreneurs who are so supportive of each other.”
 

To find out more about business start up training, please call 0845 838 9963 and speak to one of the Business Support team or alternatively email businesssupport@glosenterprise.co.uk