Style Guide
Business Startup
Description and aims
To provide support, facilities and accommodation for a new business.
About Style Guide
Katharine Armstrong-Short, who provides an interior design and home staging service, knew that she had a talent for design but giving up her job and setting up her own company was a daunting prospect.
How the project is being undertaken
Kathryn learned about the services offered by Sparkhouse Studios via the website and approached staff for details of the Virtual Office scheme. The scheme, which provides a business address and can also offer a telephone answering service, was just what Katharine was looking for. In addition, staff were able to identify and bring to bear funding, which supported the service during the important initial stages. Membership of the scheme also brings free access to regular training and networking events and access to the wide range of business expertise provided by EMIN (East Midlands Incubation Network).
Close links with academic staff across all Faculties at the University of Lincoln, provides an expert pool of mentors to assist and collaborate with Sparkhouse businesses. In this case, two mentors from different faculties gave advice to the company. The marketing academic and students worked on some challenges which they identified through consultation and put together a marketing strategy which they presented to the company in the summer of 2007.
As the business grew, Katharine applied for full Sparkhouse tenancy, was successful at selection panel and moved into the Centre in Oct 2007
Impacts and benefits
Over the last year, Katharine has gone on to win a competition for an innovative business idea using IT. As a result she received £10,000.00 in funding for a new website based around interior design.
She was also a finalist for the category for the Most Promising Business of the Year at the 2008 Lincolnshire Echo Business Awards ceremony. The company now works with hotels, estate agents, property management agencies, a property developer and schools. In addition, it has branched out into the provision of murals and now aims to develop a range of printed materials.
For more information about the project
If you would like to hear more about how we help businesses grow, please contact Carol Gardiner, Centre Manager
Email: cgardiner@lincoln.ac.uk
Tel: 01522 837214
www.sparkhousestudios.co.uk
University
Academic Lead
Nick Taylor and Chris Hay
Business & Law, and Art, Architecture & Design
Contact
01522 837214