Meet our businesses
Be Seam is a unique fashion brand formed by Adrienne Heslin and focusing on all things sustainable, brought to life during her Enterprise Placement Year (2020/21).
Be Seam has one main purpose: to keep second-hand clothes out of landfills and upcycle them. Adrienne’s inspiration came from her passion to be a designer dating all the way back to Year 9 when she was introduced to fashion textiles at high school. However, Adrienne stressed that she wanted to be a designer but didn’t want to have a huge impact on the environment and wanted her customers to have something unique to them.
Adrienne reflected on her time on Enterprise Placement Year by thinking about the challenges and benefits of running her own business. She highlighted the difficulty of trying to get the momentum to be productive when she was stuck in the same room – thanks a lot, Covid!
Overall, Adrienne has enjoyed being her own boss because it is something she has always wanted to do. She could never envision working under someone else. With support from the Enterprise Team, Adrienne stated that “They are always there to listen. When we had meetings I got a lot off my chest”. Looking to the future, Adrienne has plans to expand her business; she wants to transition into a made-to-order business, where her customers can get fully made garments that suit who they are.
Tell us about your business?
Perpetuity means ‘lasting Forever’ My business is about helping customers treasure their precious memories. Perpetuity handcrafts memory custodians made from customers cherished garments and textiles which hold memories. Memory custodians are made to order soft animal sculptures, which can be made from almost any clothing such as a baby's first outfit, a child’s school uniform, a university hoodie, a pair of jeans, or that dress you wore when you met your future partner for the first time, even wedding dresses!
The business is still in its beginning stage. I have been working a lot behind scenes, and once my final year of university has been completed, I am looking forward to fully emerging myself into the business.
What year did you start your business?
The business started in 2020/2021 during my Enterprise Placement Year.
Where did the inspiration to start your business come from?
The inspiration for my business was developed through a collaborative project with Oxfam in March 2020, where I created handmade heirloom shelf sitters from old clothing and textile remnants.
The idea around the brief was to use old rejected clothing provided by Oxfam and upcycle them into a brand-new product incorporating Oxfam’s brand values around sustainability and poverty.
One month after the project was finished, I was contacted by a customer through social media who asked me if I would make an heirloom bear made from their baby’s clothing, and this was when the idea of Perpetuity began to develop.
What are the main challenges of running your own business? How have you overcome these?
The main challenge of running my own business is time management, there are many components to running a business and it starts out like a tangled ball of yarn. Throughout my EPY journey I have developed an understanding in how I work and have developed my skills in managing and organizing my time more effectively.
Tell us about a rewarding moment / highlight for your business
One of my biggest achievements throughout EPY was winning the branding competition with The Bigger Boat. I have never in my life won a competition, especially a competition which is to do with my creative work and ideas. I was so thrilled that my application was chosen, and I am so over the moon with what The Bigger Boat has done for my branding, I feel very lucky to have had the opportunity.
What are your future plans for your business?
I have many ideas for the business, one of which is to expand my product offering.
How have the Enterprise Team supported you with your business?
The Enterprise Workshops run by Catherine Brentnall and Phil Clegg were really fun and enjoyable, they were a great way of breaking things down and making them feel less scary and easy to understand. I remember a workshop about the word ‘Innovation’ which I found beneficial; I thought Innovation meant highly creative inventions and life changing technology I never considered that I was innovative until now.
Attending Pitch Club has given me confidence and knowledge on how to write presentations and present in front of an audience, Sarah Agar-Brennan is always supportive and generous with her time, and Leigh Morland is brilliant at observing and unpacking what you are trying say.
Nicola Walker is always encouraging, helpful, organized and is the glue that keeps everything together.
Where/how can we find your business? Social media accounts, website etc
Instagram: perpetuity_memorycustodians
Alexandra Field is the creator of Al Illustrates, a commission service in illustration specialising in pet and family portraits. With a knack for illustration at university, Alex wanted to push this further and join Enterprise Placement Year (2020/21) to combine her love for the craft with solving problems for people that struggle to find gifts for their friends and family.
Alex started her EPY journey in the heart of the pandemic, so working from home was a challenge for her as she likes to keep her work life and personal life separate. Beyond this though, there has been a lot of personal development for Alex; “I have improved my skills of resilience and communication. It just builds up confidence".
When asked about the support she has received from the Enterprise Team, Alex spoke about the hour-long daily drop-in sessions that she has and mentioned how valuable they are. On top of this, she spoke about how Pitch Club has been extremely helpful.
Currently focusing on B2C, looking to the future, Alex would like to focus on B2B services as well. We’re rooting for her all the way!
Azonic Films knows no bounds when it comes to video production and motion filming, an ethos that founder Joe Warnes abides by when creating bespoke films for his clients. Using drone technology and high quality cameras to capture different perspectives for a three-dimensional finish, Joe’s unique productions have already attracted some big names to his client list.
While still studying at the University of Huddersfield, Joe landed his first project for Cannonball 2000, which kicked off his career in video production and saw him travel all over the world. As well as working on Redline247, his work has also seen him produce numerous promotional and music videos.
His biggest achievement is setting up his own business straight out of university, growing it and sustaining it. Joe plans to build a ‘team’ to help drive the business forward over the next few years.
Joe had support from the Enterprise Team when he first set up his business during his degree. As a graduate, he still taps into the support when he needs advice, whether it’s input on marketing and branding or business growth.
Graduate Ben Bowden is a freelance graphic designer and the founder of BB Graphic Design, specialising in branding, advertising, illustration, and 2D animation. The main body of work behind Ben’s powerhouse business comes through white label work outsourced by marketing agencies. Ben also has personal clients and works primarily with start-up businesses.
For Ben, Covid-19 was a blessing in disguise. Ben recognised that the pandemic created more demand for outsourcing and therefore more demand for his line of work. Combining his passion for design and recognising the potential, it made perfect sense for Ben to form BB Graphic Design.
When asked about the challenges and benefits of owning your own business, Ben explained that “the worst bit is being your own boss, and the best bit is being your own boss. There is so much I wouldn’t know about running a business if it wasn’t for the support from the Enterprise Team”. Adding to this, it was the help from Business Advisors Catherine Brentnall and Sarah Agar-Brennan which allowed Ben to move his brand forward. With support creating a business plan, Ben became a part of Business Network International, the world’s largest networking organisation.
Moving forward, Ben has been able to establish his line of work full-time and looks to eventually recruit as he recognised that he can only go so far on his own.
Find out more about Ben and his business on Instagram
Discovering the potential of virtual reality (VR) and how it can enhance the gaming experience, Louis Hughes set up Bad Imp Studios, and is now on the verge of publishing his first game.
Already an avid games developer having studied it at college, Louis fell in love with VR when he deferred his mechanical engineering degree. Playing around with 3D animation and modelling sparked a bigger interest and led him to study games development at the University of Huddersfield. He established the company in 2017 as part of his Enterprise Placement Year.
Putting the final touches to his game requires him to check its progress using VR equipment, which he can do both at home using his own headset, as well as having access to one through the DOYYEC.
Finding a publisher to market his game is next on the agenda. Louis also wants to support the games development teaching staff at the local college, alongside running his own business.
Through his Enterprise Placement Year in 2017/18, Louis received Proof of Concept grants enabling him to purchase 3D models and sound effects from other placement students. Having access to technology, a professional environment to meet people, as well as business-related workshops have also been of great benefit.
Barnsley Barbell Ltd was built from a shared passion to help people achieve weight loss, strength and confidence-building goals, by keen weightlifter Peter Shaw and his business partner Ashley Beaumont.
Based in Barnsley Town Centre, the private training facility has gone from strength to strength since it launched in February 2016. Financial backing from various funding resources has enabled them to invest in equipment and move to bigger premises. The business has seen over 100 beginners and fitness enthusiasts alike through its doors, 80% of which are women.
Specialising in private personal training, Olympic weightlifting coaching and bootcamps, future plans for the innovative gym are to become bigger and better. Barnsley Barbell is already embracing the increasing popularity of powerlifting and Olympic weightlifting sports with the training they provide. A second gym may also be on the cards as the business continues to grow over the years.
Peter accessed the support from the Enterprise Team during his degree and still benefits from advice from the business advisors. Peter is appreciative of the opportunities the Team has provided, from business support to forming relationships with other student businesses.
Rebecca Rose founded Becca Buttons back in 2012 before starting at The University of Huddersfield studying Textiles with Surface Design.
During her time at University and completing her Enterprise Placement Year in 2014/15, within the past five years Becca Buttons has developed into teaching crafts, sewing and much, much more!
Becca Buttons runs craft clubs and sewing classes for both adults and children in her home town of Liverpool. Alongside Becca Buttons workshops, Becca also holds a range of themed craft fun days for children and children’s craft parties, hen do events and baby shower parties.
Becca Buttons is also available for commissioned projects such as personalised cushions, bunting, Christmas decorations and memory cushions, all finished at a high quality.
Tell us about your business?
I am Bethan, global craft social media influencer and founder of Pretty In Paper By B. As the world's leading iris folding paper crafter, I aim to promote positive mental well-being by embracing playful mindfulness and creating unique, contemporary pieces of art that inspire and build a loving crafting community. I also manufacture and sell my own brand of craft products (Pretty In Paper By B) that specialise in iris folding, which include iris folding craft kits and PDF patterns.
When did you start your business?
May 2020
Where did the inspiration to start your business come from?
In March 2020 I was furloughed from my job as a manager at a gym in Huddersfield. As someone who hates not having a project, I started making iris folding cards for friends and family (a hobby I used to do when I was younger). After some persuasion, I started sharing my work on Instagram and grew a large following very quickly! I never went back to work at the gym and have been running Pretty In Paper By B fulltime ever since.
Warrior by name, warrior by nature, social enterprise Betty Virago was created through owner Joy Pocock’s passion for supporting those in vulnerable situations to upskill them and earn money to survive.
Growing up with parents in the craft industry and both Salvation Army officers, Joy’s business is in her blood. Profits from the sales of her crafts go straight to running workshops for vulnerable people, such as the homeless and those in prostitution, to build their confidence and help them develop craft skills they can use to generate their own income.
Joy undertook Enterprise Placement Year 2016/17 to realise her passion for running her own business. She won a place at the School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE), using the pitching skills that she picked up during EPY. She also secured a contract to produce a craft kit for children suffering from bereavement which goes to every hospice and hospital in the UK.
Eve Cunningham is the brilliant mind behind By Eve Poppy, a handmade, sustainable and upcycled swimwear clothing brand. Eve began her business venture in May 2020 and sought further support with her business by joining Enterprise Placement Year 2020/21.
Since November, the brand has branched out and now sells lingerie clothing. Eve explained how she has closed her orders for Christmas 2020 in response to a high demand of her new lingerie items, to ensure that her customers receive their products on time by Christmas. This is great to see!
Three months into her Enterprise Placement Year, Eve states that her experience so far has been great. “It’s been really good and really supportive”. Eve has received support on managing her social media channels and re-branding. Eve has been to every Pitch Club session, an insightful workshop run by our Business Advisor, Sarah Agar-Brennan, which has has allowed for her to be pushed out of her comfort zone and become more confident.
Eve described that she loves the benefit of being her own boss but finds the responsibility that comes along with this to be a challenge. Eve explained how being your own boss restricts you from having only one job role, because there is so much to do, but continues to keep her head up and stay dedicated to make her business the best it can be during EPY. The future is looking bright for Eve and her business and in the new year 2021 she plans to focus more on her re-branding by creating Valentines Day designs. We can’t wait to see Eve’s transformation for the remainder of her EPY journey.
Inventra is a subscription crafts service for children aged seven to ten.
Brought to life by Caitlin Barton during Enterprise Placement Year (2020/21), Caitlin has used the programme to prototype her craft kits and begin to establish her business. Her inspiration to start Inventra during EPY came when Caitlin was searching for alternative placements but struggled to do so due to the Covid-19 pandemic. That’s when she stumbled across EPY, and the rest was history.
When thinking of the challenges of running her own business, Caitlin spoke about how working from home and creating your own schedule that you stick to is difficult. However, Caitlin saw the benefits of this as she described that being your own boss gives you creative freedom.
Caitlin spoke about the help that Pitch Club gave her for herself and her business and she enjoys the EPY coffee mornings as it allows her to get to know others.
Local digital marketing agency The Bigger Boat helped Caitlin to establish her brand; something that Caitlin describes as an immeasurable amount of support.
You can find out more about Inventra on Instagram
Hula & Co, founded by Charlie Hulejczuk, specialises in three distinct areas in the music business world. Charlie offers his services as a freelance musician which gives Charlie the ability to express and teach his musical knowledge. The second area of his business is the record label itself, where Hula releases their music online and performs live shows. Finally, the final area of the business is studio space.
Charlie recognised that young aspiring professional musicians are faced with difficulties in finding an affordable studio to work in, so this is something that Charlie works to provide. Charlie explains how running a music business is interesting as he is balancing a strong passion but also turning it into his bread and butter: “It is a fine line to walk, and you have to hit the right balance”. When summarising his thoughts on being his own boss, Charlie states that “it is awesome. I am getting paid to do what I love”.
When reflecting on the support that he was given from the Enterprise Team, Charlie wanted to give our Business Advisor Sarah Agar-Brennan recognition: “Sarah is so great and really helpful. She is great for being so generous with her time and advice”. To be specific, Charlie spoke about receiving support on his business plan and access to funding to help his business.
Talented artist Chloe Baxter found her passion for surface pattern design during a workshop as part of her arts degree at the University of Huddersfield.
Focusing on nature, her hand-drawn, colourful patterns and illustrations contain a hidden element, such as cats or turtles, which is Chloe’s USP and one she hopes will help her stand out among other designers to carve out a long career in pattern design and merchandise.
Selling at craft markets and online on Etsy, her collection includes tea towels, cushions, aprons and bags, with future plans to create prints as artwork and larger commissions for customers. Chloe has dreams to open her own studio that enables her to have creative license over her own designs.
Taking part in Enterprise Placement Year 2017/18 helped boost Chloe’s confidence enabling her to present in front of people. Chloe has secured numerous funding that has helped get her business off the ground, as well as accessing business support.
https://chloebaxterdesign.co.uk/
Niall Crabtree is the mastermind behind Crab Studios, a board game development company based in the UK. Niall’s ambitions stemmed from his time as a game design undergraduate at university, where one of his assignments was to create a board game. Niall was passionate about taking his creative ideas forward and creating board games that are easy to get into but do not alienate experienced board game players. He applied this to his latest board game, Food Time Battle in Space. Niall spoke about the game having a lot of depth but only containing one A4 page as a rule book.
While running his own business during Enterprise Placement Year 2020/21, Niall spoke about the advantages of being your own boss, saying that “you can make all the decisions yourself, set your own hours and have more freedom”. However, Niall recognised the challenges that come with this, as he learnt that “in business, you either succeed or you learn” and that you can’t blame your boss if something goes wrong because you are your own boss.
From receiving great help primarily from Sarah Agar-Brennan, one of our Business Advisors, which involved support with the overall direction of Crab Studios, Niall is looking to break into the crowdfunding market in a way that hasn’t been done before by providing rapid fulfilment. Niall said that he can make games in the UK that do not heavily emphasise on profit, which means he can make good games and get them to people within two or three months instead of a year.
You can find out more about Niall and his business on his Instagram page
Daniel Hamer specialises in audio services within industries involved with moving image, including film, tv, animation, and videogames. Daniel’s mantra ‘Poor sound can make a good picture look bad, but good sound can make a poor picture look good’ epitomises his audio production business model.
Daniel set up the business whilst studying a Masters at University of Huddersfield. Since then he has worked on many UK and American independent films, repairing and enhancing audio in post production. He also creates a series of ‘how to’ webinars, and breakdown videos on the use of sound behind popular video games, film, and animation to share his expertise across a wider audience within the industry and make people aware of the power of good sound.
Daniel plans to build up a network within the industry, with the long-term aim to start his own social enterprise, providing year-long placement opportunities to help students gain valuable real work experience, giving them a step up into the industry and their independent careers whilst working alongside him.
Dechell Vontee is a premium clothing brand primarily aimed at 18 to 24-year olds. The idea behind the business is to bridge a gap between the luxury and high street market.
International Fashion by Management student, Devonte Brown, recognised that there is currently no brand that sits in the middle of that market opportunity offering luxury clothing at a more affordable price. With a strong interest in fashion, in 2015 Devonte started on the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy programme studying business at Kirklees College. It was there that he combined his interest in fashion and his business name together to create Dechell Vontee.
During Enterprise Placement Year 2019/20, Devonte focused on market research to see what the public think to his business idea. Devonte conducted surveys that validated the name and logo for his business. He worked towards producing a sample product and allowing customers to see and get a feel of the products, and will be launching his products very soon.
Sharing a passion for creativity, couple Matthew Jones and Nicole Rawson set up graphic and motion design company Ink in 2015 while undertaking Enterprise Placement Year, to gain an insight into self-employment under the safety net of the University’s Enterprise Team.
Invaluable business support from the Enterprise Team helped them secure work with big names such as the NHS, NUS and universities across the UK. Proof of Concept grants allowed the company to gain traction in its early stages, and winning Santander’s 60 Second Pitch competition enabled them to buy powerful computer hardware, an essential tool for their animation work.
Long term plans are to grow the business over the next few years. Matthew and Nicole hope to continue their freelance work alongside an industry pathway, gaining valuable experience and credibility to strengthen their business portfolio.
During Enterprise Placement Year 2015/16, Matthew and Nicole learnt the basics of running a business and they still access support from the Enterprise Team as graduates.
Caleb Scott is the musical mastermind behind DJP Coaching, a 1:1 coaching business on music production with the goal to move to DJ work in the near future. Caleb delves into podcasts and Youtube to provide tutorials and create a conversation with current musicians to find out more about their craft and generate inspiration. Combining a passion for music, Caleb’s inspiration came from the fact that he learnt that he wanted to work for himself and be his own creative driving force for his work. Caleb also noticed that those who did the same as him charged a lot of money for their services, so it only felt right that he stepped in and provided coaching that was affordable.
Caleb described his experience of being his own boss as heart warming; “It’s so rewarding being able to teach someone and be invested in their journey”.
With support from the Enterprise Team, Caleb received an Enterprise Grant that allowed him to buy new equipment for his work and collaborate with one of our previous Enterprise Placement Year businesses, Infinite Vibrations, undertaking a music project to raise money for charity.
Within the next year, Caleb hopes be earning more each month for his lessons to make sure that he can run his business solely on the money from his brand alone and no longer seek financial support.
You can find out more about Caleb and his business on Instagram
Tell us about your business?
I am a creative designer that specialises in supporting companies into effective branding strategies. I produce unique branding identities to help businesses express their true personality. I have had my business for nearly 2 years and am actively trading and consistently booking clients.
What year did you start your business?
I started in June 2020, in the middle of lockdown!
Where did the inspiration to start your business come from?
I started by business by accident! I originally set up my Instagram page as a portfolio for my degree work and I began attracting clients. I soon saw a gap in the market in the design world, that hiring and working with designers was very intimidating and inaccessible to a lot of small businesses. As someone new to the business world myself, I saw that I could fill this gap and provide an approachable and supportive service to other businesses!
What are the main challenges of running your own business? How have you overcome these?
For me the main challenge is having the final say on every decision. I wear multiple hats as the lead designer, head of social media and marketing, and even head of finance. I used to put a lot of pressure on myself to excel in every area of running my business and this just was not sustainable. With the support of the Enterprise Team I have learnt to ask for help more from the advisors, and outsource things that I really struggle with (e.g tax returns). Running a business is hard, but you learn so much!
Tell us about a rewarding moment / highlight for your business
The most rewarding part about running my business is seeing the transformation in confidence that my clients have after working with me. Having professional visuals that meet your strategy and goals can transform how a business owner feels and can even attract more clients and sales. Knowing that I’ve helped them do that is always really rewarding.
What are your future plans for your business?
In future I would aim to scale up my business. I’d love to extend my support to other young designers and hire them as part of my team. I think the entrepreneurial spirit of future generations is growing year on year, so I think the demand for my services will grow exponentially too.
How have the Enterprise Team supported you with your business?
The Enterprise Team have been a great support with all areas of my business. From helping me with my mental blocks that I have faced, to on a more practical level of social media advice and help with pitching my services. All of the advisors have a wealth of experience and expertise and openly share that with you whenever they can.
Where/how can we find your business?
You can find me @eloisejadedesign on Instagram and on my new website!
Golem Games is the brainchild of Peter Sutherland, a games enthusiast with aspirations to make a long career out of doing something he loves.
Studying Computer Games Design at the University of Huddersfield, he came across the Enterprise Placement Year as an option for his third year placement during 2017/18. Running his own businesses had never crossed his mind, however, being given the opportunity to work for himself and the funding to do it appealed to him.
Peter’s flagship game is Cyber Stealth, a first-person stealth shooter game set in a cyber world with espionage missions to accomplish, designed for PCs. The concept of the game was developed as a project during his second year of University and was encouraged by his tutors to develop it further.
With ambitions to design, make and sell games, Peter hopes to join or collaborate with a games design company once he leaves University. Until then he will continue to run Golem Games to gain experience and build up a reputation within the industry.
The Enterprise Team helped Peter set up his business and access funding such as a Proof of Concept grant, which he put towards marketing his business.
A small creative team with big dreams.
What began in 2013 as a media production social enterprise, Fat Panda has evolved into a creative agency which has collaborated with countless talented artists, winning awards and working on video projects and campaigns for brands across the continent.
Social objectives have always been at the heart of what Nic and Stacey do. They offer corporate photography, videography and animated motion graphics.
Forelock and Fringe is a luxury equestrian and lifestyle monthly subscription box created by Emma Hartshorne. The only equine subscription box available worldwide, the boxes contain several products for both horse and rider. Offering products such as horse treats, food supplements and extra alternatives, Forelock and Fringe are currently the UK’s largest equestrian subscription box.
Emma’s passion for horses and beauty started way before her business was established in 2018. From frequent visits to horse shows around the country during her teenage years, Emma learnt that many horse owners spend more time caring for themselves instead of their own horses. And this is when she noticed a gap in the market to provide a service that treats equestrians directly.
Enterprise Placement Year 2018/19 allowed Emma to kick-start her idea and build the foundations of Forelock and Fringe whilst developing her confidence through networking events and meeting new faces. Since then, Forelock and Fringe has gone on to attract many customers worldwide and continues to grow its presence digitally and in print with positive social media reviews and magazine appearances.
Tell us about your business?
Fox & Windmill is the UK’s first indie publisher for British South Asian writers. We publish adult fiction, fantasy and Sci-Fi stories from writers of SA backgrounds. We have published and launched our first book, an anthology of short stories and poetry, debuting fifteen writers.
What year did you start your business?
We began our business in 2021 during the second pandemic. But it was a conversation that we kept having for five years.
Where did the inspiration to start your business come from?
During our third year at University, we had a class that was titled, ‘what we want to do after graduation’. We had to give individual presentations and I (Habiba) gave one in my class where I talked about publishing and how I’d like to work in that industry but wasn’t sure how to get there. I added at the end, that perhaps I would set up my own company for writers our minority backgrounds so they could get published. Sara also wanted to go into publishing and we talked about how we could set up a company together in Bradford. We loved fantasy, sci-fi and young adult stories and we wanted to increase representation for writers in these genres.
What are the main challenges of running your own business? How have you overcome these?
We’re very creative people and we are very lucky to have had guidance and support from successful people in our industry like our mentor of award-winning publisher Bluemoose Books, Kevin Duffy. The main challenge I think is keeping the finances together, I was able to secure mentorship with the Director of Central Finance at Penguin Random House, who helped me understand discounts, returns and budgeting.
Tell us about a rewarding moment / highlight for your business
Launching our anthology at the Bradford Literature Festival, where Sara and I had met as volunteers. It was an incredible and very special moment to come back where it had all started, but now as guests of the festival.
What are your future plans for your business?
We aim to publishing five books a year, running Fox & Windmill full-time and securing a proper office!
How have the Enterprise Team supported you with your business?
They have been absolutely amazing, the wonderful Sarah Ager Brennan helped us to secure a grant with the Enterprise Team. She aided us as we completed out the applications and even put us in touch with web developers, Wildfire. We went on a search for other companies to find the best price and came back to Wildfire. It was incredibly great to have Sarah there was we onboarded the company and she helped us with SEO and everything else that we could have possibly needed or didn’t even think about. They even helped us and put us in touch with Sheards, a chartered account company that have helped us submit paperwork to Companies House and have advised us on many legal and tax compliance work that we didn’t think that we needed to do.
Where/how can we find your business?
You can find us at foxandwindmill.co.uk and @foxandwindmill on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok
Tell us about your business?
We are just beginning our game development studio, Head Empty Studios, setting up our company and getting our 4 employee/directors on payroll whilst we do light development work on the game in the meantime. We are currently seeking further funding from publishers and platform holders to cement us into full-time development on our game, Shuttle Revolution.
What year did you start your business?
We started in 2022
Where did the inspiration to start your business come from?
The Tranzfuser competition gave us the foot in the door and motivation we needed to explore a career as indie devs in the games industry which we were always suited to be.
What are the main challenges of running your own business? How have you overcome these?
So far, the amount of admin needed is staggering, at least to begin with. We are still going through the early stages of setup as we speak. Keeping a level head and a vision of the end goal in mind also keeps us moving through the rougher stages. We are also all developing a much more “business” related attitude towards work and can address real problems when they come up in a much more constructive way than we would have when we were just students.
Tell us about a rewarding moment / highlight for your business
Winning the Tranzfuser competition and seeing ourselves entitled to a cash prize was special.
What are your future plans for your business?
Securing stable funding from a publisher or platform holder is our next steps to ensure we can continue with the company and game. If the game is successful, the next steps would be to make another and support the previous with paid content post-launch. Extra employment could help with managing things later down the line when we can sustain it.
How have the Enterprise Team supported you with your business?
Sarah, Nicola, and the rest of the Enterprise Team have been truly necessary in our process, and I couldn’t imagine how difficult this process would be without their involvement, especially going into the process entirely blind with no prior business experience. The provision of the 3M building to act as a correspondence address was also a really convenient extra that would otherwise be unavailable to those that may not have access to an entire dedicated building for business. Even more so due to us being spread all over the country and working primarily from home.
Where/how can we find your business?
Our most active space is on Twitter at https://twitter.com/TeamHeadEmpty
Applying her 14 years’ experience working with leading international companies in China, overseas post-graduate and risk management expert, Sandy Lu, set up Horizon Risk Consultancy Ltd in January 2017 to support UK businesses.
Sandy provides integrated and practical risk management solutions to UK businesses, helping them access and grow in the Chinese market, as well as reduce business risks and improve efficiency.
Sandy’s ever-growing contact list has enabled her to establish strong links with UK leading awarding bodies such as NEBOSH and HABC (Highfield Awarding Body for Compliance), and academic institutions such as the University of Huddersfield, to name a few.
Continually updating her CPD, Sandy achieved the National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety with distinction and was awarded Technical Member of IOSH (Institution of Occupational Safety and Health). She is also a HABC accredited training provider across a wide range of subjects, such as Health and Safety, Fire Safety, Food Safety and Business Improvement and Lean.
Sandy was on the Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur Visa programme; a Home Office initiative for international graduates wishing to establish a business in the UK following completion of their studies. She has full access to The Duke of York Young Entrepreneur Centre and on-going support from the Enterprise Team that assists her through the challenges of setting up a business as an overseas professional.
Romanian-born Cezar Floroiu set up his sound design business, HUDsound, during Enterprise Placement Year 2017/18.
Using the latest technological trends, Cezar provides a range of tailor-made audio services to create original sound assets, from the recording stage to editing, mastering and sound synthesis, as well as the creation and marketing of sound libraries for those wanting ready-made assets.
Cezar’s niche is creating bespoke sound design solutions for the gaming industry, in particular virtual reality, including recording and creating ambiences, dialogue, Foley and environment interactions, as well as sound effects, such as impacts, explosions, weapon sounds and spot effects.
Cezar benefitted from the weekly workshops and 1-2-1 meetings provided by The Enterprise Team. Start-up grant funding enabled him to invest in his own recording equipment, as well as having access to hired equipment to support his work.
Indie-Shark Games was founded by four students from the University of Huddersfield; Nat Waterworth, Adam Fautley, Ross Smith and Dean Holland. With Adam and Ross coming from a Games Design degree, and Dean and Nat bringing in their Games Programming knowledge, both parties consolidate their expertise together to establish themselves as the brilliant minds behind this indie Games Development Team.
The inspiration behind Indie-Shark Games follows a theme that like-minded gamers might relate to. Adam and Ross spoke about watching their older brothers play video games like Super Mario at an early age and beating challenging levels. This inspiration has manifested into a life-long passion, staying true to Indie-Shark’s authentic gaming persona.
Undertaking Enterprise Placement Year 2019/20, the team used the first two months to focus on planning to ensure they got the most out of their placement year. This time allowed for them to bring Project Outbreak into the works, a top-down perspective shooter with the aim of escaping from a lab to prevent your DNA being tested on by a mad scientist. Indie-Shark are worked hard to make sure that the demo was ready by the end of EPY, with plans for a full release in 2021.
The team took part in Jamfuser at the end of February 2020, a 72-hour game jam where you focus on creating a game to be uploaded for others to play. With no real prizes involved except for the joyous experience, Indie-Shark created Dodge n’ Leap, where you take control of a robot trying to escape a spaceship that is plummeting to its doom.
Indie Shark Games also took part in the Tranzfuser 2020 competition.
Infinite Vibrations is a music marketing agency brought to life in March 2018 by Product Design student Lewis Daggers-Smith and Music Journalism student Josh Murphy, who met at Storthes Hall accommodation during their first year at University. Their passion for music brought them together to form Infinite Vibrations.
Empowering musicians through independence, the idea behind the agency came from something that Josh and Lewis could strongly relate to. They both realised that there is not enough support out there for upcoming musicians, which they found frustrating. This led to the drive of wanting to create a business that gives a voice and a platform to these musicians to help them become successful. In order for Infinite Vibrations to promote upcoming independent musicians, they aim to provide them with knowledge and resources to have a successful career.
During Enterprise Placement Year 2019/20, Josh and Lewis undetook market research to better and properly understand their market. The duo launch their services in February 2020 at an event held at the Parish Pub in Huddersfield. The launch event was an opportunity for Josh and Lewis to showcase what they had been doing during EPY, to network in their industry and announce their services.
Josh and Lewis stated how EPY let them understand market research more, and understand how to communicate with their audience in order to be relatable. Lewis says “Without EPY, we wouldn’t be as successful.” Josh described the support from the team to be “invaluable”.
Isaac Saierre, a musician from the University of Huddersfield is a jack of all trades, specializing in singing, producing, performing and songwriting.
Creativity is in Isaacs nature and heritage, with his father a former dancer and his mother being a music advocate, Isaac first got into music at the age of nine, where his musical journey began with the trumpet. “Music was a massive part of my life. It was my parents who got me into it. They were the initial inspiration. After that, I took my own journey into music.” What began as a hobby would transferred into a career in 2019 for Isaac, where he voiced his talent through live gigs, shows and Spotify streams.
Although Covid-19 has been challenging for Isaac’s musical endeavour due to the cancellation of live venues, he has committed to transitioning his work online, where his Spotify streams continue to rise. When asking Isaac about the benefits of what doing what he does, he simply replied that he gets to do what he loves and be fortunate to make a living from it.
Isaac worked closely with our Business Advisor, Sarah; “she’s been great for helping me find what motivates me. I’m quite a laid-back person, so there’s not always the push I need”. Along with this, Isaac said that the Enterprise Team have helped him with understanding finances and how to advertise himself and the music he produces. He took advantage of Pitch Club, where he has learnt to find an effective way to attract new listeners to his music.
Isaac continues to set new highs. He continues to network and collaborate on projects and is working hard behind the scenes to consistently create the music he loves.
Tell us about your business?
My business is called Olé Spanish Tuition and I provide 1:1 tuition, couples and small group tuition, small language classes and language focused events. My students range from 8 to 80 and I offer language learning online (to as far away as Sweden currently!) and face to face in locations in the HD8 area.
In my first full academic year of operation I provided beginners, elementary, intermediate and advanced language learning to 50 students a week. My goal is to make language learning fun and accessible to all ages, so I have developed services such as Tapas & Fun Nights, where people meet in social venues (for example, a Tapas Bar), giving inspiration for everything Spanish, whilst they eat, drink and have fun.
What year did you start your business?
I have been providing language tuition part-time for 3 years and went solo and full-time with Olé Spanish Tuition in July 2020.
Where did the inspiration to start your business come from?
My absolute passion for all things Spanish began when I was 15 years old and went on a holiday to Ibiza with my parents. I met a pen pal there and I stayed in touch by teaching myself Spanish so I could translate and reply to letters. I visited my pen pal that Christmas in rural, central Spain and found that I had to speak the language to be able to communicate. The warmth of the welcome given by the local people started a lifelong love of all things Spanish: the people, the culture, the food and of course, the language. I returned to school and told my Geography teacher how much I wanted to learn Spanish. At that time, my school didn’t offer Spanish, but my Geography teacher found the relevant syllabus and I went into school early, twice a week for 6 months and then sat the “O” Level exam, achieving a Grade B! I wanted to be a travel rep, but ended up meeting my husband and putting my goals and dreams on hold. My big dream was always to study for a Spanish Degree, which I achieved – First Class – at Huddersfield in 2011. Now I’m using that, and all my experiences of Spain, to pass on and share my lifelong passion about a place I love so much.
What are the main challenges of running your own business? How have you overcome these?
Working for yourself, there are never enough hours in the day. The “to do” list is always long and always being added to! It will never end – there is always something else you could be doing to develop the business or improve in some way. Working on this by yourself can feel lonely, but I’ve never been alone as there has always been fantastic support from the University when I’ve needed it and that has really helped me to keep going towards my goal. I also now have an equally passionate-about-all-things-Spanish university student helping me with Social Media and offering ‘A’ Level and under-graduate students support through Olé Spanish Tuition. Olé!
Tell us about a rewarding moment / highlight for your business
I have rewarding moments every single day teaching students. For example, I recently took on a 9 year old who is a natural linguist and it’s such a pleasure to see her grow and develop her language skills. Or working with a 76 year old who has gained so much from the social aspect of language learning. I love seeing my students do well and improve and also seeing them enjoying their lessons so much. There really is nothing like it for me. I also think that it has been a very difficult year with Covid and lockdown, but my students have said just how much my lessons have supported them through this time; given structure, purpose, interaction and joy! I felt that it was so important to support and be there for them during these difficult months. Seeing what people get out of learning with me is so fulfilling. I feel that running and developing this business is definitely my personal destiny.
What are your future plans for your business?
As well as meeting the needs of my current students, I’m always thinking about how to build connections with new students. Recently I’ve started to work with a final year university student to plan how we can support “A” Level and under-graduate students with learning and social opportunities. I am hoping to run a series of language taster sessions as part of the enrichment program at Further Education Colleges, which will be social and fun. Now that bars are reopening I’m planning the restart of my Tapas & Fun Nights. My website is in process of being created, it’s very nearly done – which is very exciting. I would also love to take small groups to Spanish cities and give them an Olé experience to remember. It would be amazing to think that my teenage dream of becoming a travel rep will finally come true, but I’m doing it for myself!
How have the Enterprise Team supported you with your business?
Starting up can be a rollercoaster and at times a bumpy ride. I really feel that I couldn’t have done it without all the support that I have had. I have had guidance on business development ideas and real inspiration that I have put into practice in some way to create services and increase my customers as well as specific issues such as marketing ideas and increasing the profile of my business. The moral support and absolute positivity means that I don’t feel alone; it has meant that even when times have been really tough that I’ve found a way through and am really achieving what I set out to do, step by step. My dream come true (well, heading that way, anyway!)
Where/how can we find your business?
Facebook @olespanishtuition
Instagram @olespanishtuition
Email olespanishtuition@gmail.com
Keep Real, a registered social enterprise, was set up by Kimberley Robinson following her own experiences with anxiety at University. Already a campaigner for mental health, she featured on BBC Radio 4 about her blog on mental health while studying Counselling at the University of Huddersfield.
With ambitions to become an art therapist, it soon became evident that waiting lists for mental health services were too long. Kimberley wanted to be able to support people quicker at the point of need, as well as combine her passion for art. Doing her dissertation in her third year was the catalyst to setting up Keep Real and following conversations with The Enterprise Team, her social enterprise was born in July 2017.
Originally creating merchandise such as mugs, t-shirts and bags and 10% of the profits going to mental health charities, the business has evolved to provide workshops and events and a mental health magazine with collaborations from other artists. Keep Real’s first live event in Leeds featured live bands, with mental health support on-hand, and attracted over 100 people. Its website also has a live chat that people can access for help and support.
With plans to open-up a community hub in Leeds with a shop floor and another level to host workshops and events, as well as provide access to a counsellor, Kimberley’s vision is to have a Keep Real centre in every city enabling easier and quicker access to mental health support.
The Enterprise Team helped Kimberley receive Proof of Concept Grants, as well as supported with legalities over a trademark battle with another similar named company. The team also nominated her for the Yorkshire Young Achiever award in Enterprise and Management.
Tell us about your business?
D.I.P.ism is the name of my business; DIP is the acronym for Death in Practice. I am an End-of-life Guide, a Funeral Celebrant and a Grief & Bereavement Mentor. I have combined my skills and qualifications to create a service that helps people from the moment of diagnosis to the completion of their grief.
What year did you start your business?
I started my business in October 2020 following the completion of my Sociology degree. However I have been working on the creation of this company since 2015.
Where did the inspiration to start your business come from?
I have been surrounded by incidents of death from a young child. The catalyst for D.I.P.ism came to me following the illness and death of my aunt. I swung into the role of caring for her whilst she was actually in hospital. I sat with her one night and the experience, although heart rending, was positive in the sense that I knew instinctively that this was what I was supposed to be doing. Following the funeral, I knew that I had to be able to conduct my own after establishing a relationship with the departed and their family members.
What are the main challenges of running your own business? How have you overcome these?
The main challenge is that I am not a business woman. My mind generates ideas and I am hands on with practical skills. I am completely baffled by accounting and business structures. My brain can not compute.
Tell us about a rewarding moment / highlight for your business
I have written a book that is being received well; it is for people who are approaching the end of their lives. The book is for the client and their families for generations to come. The moment I received my book in the post was very special.
What are your future plans for your business?
D.I.P.ism is a business that requires many operatives. I can’t be everywhere at once, so the book is my attempt to help as many people as possible. I am in the process of writing more books.
How have the Enterprise Team supported you with your business?
The support I have received from Catherine and the team has been very helpful. I have been constantly encouraged and motivated. At times I have been low and desperate. I have been patiently guided with understanding, empathy and strength. I am truly grateful.
Where/how can we find your business?
Facebook, Instagram, Website
Lokum is Turkish for Turkish delight, a sweet little thing.
Lokum Handmade offers individually handmade, hand painted, unique and colourful jewellery, with earrings being made from polymer clay. The business is authentic and personal to Helena Tavaci, who projects her love for her practice into the jewellery by hand decorating each product.
The idea flourished in Helena’s mind not long before she undertook Enterprise Placement Year 2019/20, and she found a community on Instagram of people who make hand crafted items. Helena utilised the help and support from the Enterprise Team's Business Advisors to figure out how to put her idea into practice and express her creativity. Helena enjoyed her Enterprise Placement Year, and said “It’s been amazing to go and see the Enterprise Team whenever I want. Before EPY, I didn’t have much business knowledge about how to set up a business”.
Helena has showcased Lokum Handmade at various stalls on campus to receive customer feedback and sell her products. Helena’s main priority for the future of Lokum Handmade is to see it grow. She wishes to do more market events as a result of the success around her stalls at University.
Lorna Ellen Design provides large scale design and making services for both individuals and organisations, through unique installations, sets and visual displays using mixed media textile techniques.
Lorna’s business has allowed her to create an art and design discipline unique to her, using her passion for different materials and skills learnt through studying textiles at university. Her work aims to improve lives through activism and social enterprise, whilst advocating for mental health, environmental issues and autistic individuals. She works closely with many local community groups and has a NCFE qualification in understanding autism.
Alongside her predominantly commission-based work, she also creates theatre and retail displays, that highlight important global topics through the use of craftivism and her skills as a textile practitioner. She regularly attends networking events to learn more about her target industries, such as the Visual Merchandising and Display Show, and continuously aims to improve her skills repertoire.
She hopes to set up her own workshop that will allow her to create larger scale work and take on more clients, as well as venture into the world of social enterprise.
Enterprise Placement Year 2017/18 taught Lorna valuable business skills such as protecting her intellectual property and business finance. She still receives support through regular catch ups, funding opportunities and networking events.
Tell us about your business?
I am a freelance music composer for TV, Film and Videogames. I write, record and produce music in a range of genres and have had my music placed on shows like BBC’s Gardener’s World and Write Around the World with Richard E Grant. Recently, a piece I worked on was used for Sky Sport’s Cricket Promotion and is being repeated over 50 times every day until the end of the season. I’ve been steadily growing the business in the last couple of years by expanding my collaborator network.
What year did you start your business?
I’ve been officially trading since late 2018.
Where did the inspiration to start your business come from?
I wanted to write music; this is a way to make that a financially viable career. I’ve been writing music since I was 10 years old, but my interest in music for media became my primary drive around the time of my A Levels.
What are the main challenges of running your own business? How have you overcome these?
One of the biggest challenges is not having anyone explicitly tell me what to do to progress and succeed. While this was something I really wanted from my career, it’s also challenging not having a boss or supervisor to look up to and see where you could be going next. This is why finding senior composers in the industry has been career defining for me. David Tobin and Julio D’Escrivan, two composers who have mentored me over my career, have both maid massive impact on my trajectory and I would not be where I am without them.
Tell us about a rewarding moment / highlight for your business
While this moment hasn’t actually happened yet, it is soon coming around. Alexander Smith, who I collaborate with regularly, and myself have been asked to record a chamber sized (around 14 players) string orchestra in Budapest at the beginning of July 2022. This is going to be the first time I can hear music I’ve written being performed by a large group of players. It is both exhilarating and terrifying.
What are your future plans for your business?
I plan to build up my back-end royalty income from TV work to a level where I can comfortably work on video game projects without having to take on additional music work. I also plan to expand my studio to include more recording capabilities for working with guitarists, drummers and other instrumentalists. I hope to one day work on many projects with a large team of musicians.
How have the Enterprise Team supported you with your business?
Sarah Agar-Brennan has helped me the most to grow my business in several ways. She’s helped me see my business as a brand and assisted in ways to market that brand to potential clients. I have been more mindful of what projects I take on and how that affects my brand.
Where/how can we find your business?
You can find my work for TV on my publisher’s catalogue
You can find info on my website
If you want to see me daily meanderings, follow me on Twitter
Describing his laptop as ‘his orchestra’ and ‘second half of his brain’, Polish-born Michal Czerniak has high ambitions to use his self-taught distinct music ability to compose arrangements and sound effects for films.
Michal is no stranger to the business world, having been self-employed since he was 14. He funded his first Macbook through a paper round and founded the University of Huddersfield’s first film society HudTV (now HudMotion), where he still leads a 20-strong video production team.
Attracted to the University of Huddersfield at a young age for its music reputation, Michal set up his business during his Enterprise Placement Year in 2016/17. His film-making skills formed his current core business to initially generate income.
His long-term plans are to set up a digital media production agency in Huddersfield, given its links to major Northern cities.
Tell us about your business?
Design My Product is a product design consultancy service which helps individuals and businesses design tools, parts and products.
What year did you start your business?
I started the business in September 2021 when I started my Enterprise Placement Year at the University of Huddersfield.
Where did the inspiration to start your business come from?
I always try to find solutions to everyday problems and I ended up designing an award winning ladder safety device with the help of a product design company but the design process was tiring and too complicated. This inspired me to streamline the design process and make it more accessible for inventors and innovators.
What are the main challenges of running your own business? How have you overcome these?
One of the main challenges is to raise funds for operations, equipment and software. I have been lucky to get help and support from the Enterprise Team. They helped me with mentoring, access to available grants, pitching and a business plan.
Tell us about a rewarding moment / highlight for your business
The business is at early stage and hasn’t generated any revenue yet but with the help and mentoring I got from the Enterprise Team, I reached the semi-finals of an national pitching competition organised by NACUE in partnership with TATA.
What are your future plans for your business?
The future plan is to expand and become one of the big names in design industry.
How have the Enterprise Team supported you with your business?
The Enterprise Team have mentored me for everything I require to start and run my business, whether it’s pitching, networking, business planning or application writing for funds.
Where/how can we find your business? Social media accounts, website etc
Design My Product can be found online at www.designmyproduct.co.uk and our social media channels are:
Ocean Spark Studios Ltd takes you on a journey through a fantasy island world in its flagship game Tetra: Element Awakening. Standing shoulder to shoulder with key players in the industry at prestigious gaming events and already forming links with publishers in China, the biggest gaming market in the world, are just some of the highlights in what was an explosive first year for the business. Proving their cynics wrong, top gaming bloggers and vloggers are already naming them as the next big thing in the industry.
Undertaking Enterprise Placement Year during 2016/17 enabled Ocean Spark Studios Ltd to understand how a business works, creating a viable business strategy, as well as provided access to funding opportunities, including £23,000 which they secured from Creative England.
A sustainable eco-friendly womenswear brand, Ocre is unique in its own right. Founded by Fashion Design with Textiles graduate Kayleigh Davis, the authenticity behind Ocre is apparent, as Kayleigh dyes all of her materials from natural plants and does not use any plastics. This process comes together to produce products such as scarfs, facemasks, ribbons and scrunchies to name a few.
Established in February 2020, Kayleigh’s inspiration for Ocre came during her time at University where, despite feeling a disconnect with her course, she developed a passion for print design and long walks outside to improve her mental health. Putting these together built the foundations for Ocre.
Kayleigh explained how, despite how strange it can feel starting a business, she enjoys being a creator. However, she finds that trying to tailor her products to fit customer needs and turning this into a sellable format can be a challenge. Kayleigh explains that things blew up quickly for her “I wasn’t ready for the influx of orders. I had under calculated how much things would cost and struggled with time management”. The Enterprise Team were able to provide support for Kayleigh with this, and she also receieved an Enterprise Grant to aid her business finances.
The future for Kayleigh is a busy one; being accepted onto a PhD path and changing her business model to optimize her time to work on two things at once has been at the forefront of her mind. Kayleigh is in the process of developing a website for Ocre and her amazing work can be seen at https://www.instagram.com/ocre.uk
BA Popular Music Product student, Braddan Everett, is the mastermind behind the unique brand Sharks Circle. Sharks Circle sells branded clothing from screen printed to embroidered products for a variety of different clothing accessories like t-shirts, hoodies, joggers, caps, beanies, and bags. Braddan often collaborates with a brand or music festival to produce an exclusive garment that is only available through his website.
The impact of Covid-19 was the biggest challenge for Braddan and his business to tackle during Enterprise Placement Year 2019/20. Braddan expressed that EPY abled him to spend productive time with his business, allowing him to focus on improving the quality of future releases and dedicate hours researching different styles, artists, and working on honing his own graphic design skills. As a result of this, Braddan released two drops of clothing which were his most successful releases, enabling him to bring his brand to new audiences.
Braddan says “Covid-19 affected the business in many ways, the main being ease of posting things at the post office. At the beginning of the pandemic, I was even unsure if I was even allowed to travel to the post office”. Despite facing these unpredictable changes, Braddan still created an awarding placement year for himself and his business by shipping his stylish garments to countries like Australia, Germany, and the United States of America.
The future for Sharks Circle looks bright. Braddan plans to continue releasing new products to gradually build his brand and a devoted and loyal community that supports his business at every turn.
Tell us about your business?
Give...A Few Words is a Social Enterprise (Community Interest Company) which aims to reduce isolation and build connections. It currently runs a letter writing project sending positive personalised letters to others, a monthly Cross Sector/Industry Network Meeting and Positive Events.
What year did you start your business?
I originally set up what was a community group in July 2020 but the business was formally set up in March 2021.
Where did the inspiration to start your business come from?
I had worked nearly 18 years for a local charity in Huddersfield and during early lockdown when I was contacted by a local care home, who explained that their residents were feeling isolated and could we do anything to help, I felt compelled to help.
What started as a seed of an idea writing letters to others with one care home, quickly grew, sprouted, and became a flower in it’s own right. Gaining funding from Locala for 10 hours a week for 12 months, I left my job in February 2021 to set up Give...A Few Words formally in March 2021.
We now write to many care homes across Kirklees and Calderdale and work with charities and community organisations. We have over 170 volunteers registered and have written over 1000 letters.
What are the main challenges of running your own business? How have you overcome these?
Probably the biggest one is time. There are so many things to do but never enough hours in a day.
I find that my optimum time for working is in the morning, early (about 5-6am) so I normally work at that time. I can probably get more work done up till 12pm than I can all day. It is the time when I am more alert and focused. I also find some aspects out of my comfort zone such as finances, certain policies etc hard and try and avoid them, but, when I spend quality time focusing, they are not as difficult as I thought.
Tell us about a rewarding moment / highlight for your business
Oh gosh, so many things... when you receive a phone call from someone who has been overwhelmed by their post, it has brought them to tears and they wanted to share this with you, has got to be a highlight. Also, when people send post that they have made or write the most beautiful words with nothing expected in return.
Gaining funding from One Community and being able to work with 50 NCS students and volunteers on a Summer Giving positive event (giving out 150 general positive letters) for the whole community in Almondbury, Huddersfield was another highlight.
I am humbled by this every single day, by the kindness of people and seeing the best of humanity.
Appearing on the BBC News at 10pm (and having a film crew turn up in my front garden) in December and featuring in the national papers was also quite a surreal experience.
What are your future plans for your business?
What I love most about running my own organisation is the autonomy and being able to think about creative ideas and bring these to fruition. I normally get most of my ideas when solo walking though green spaces (with an uplifting playlist in the background). I have a few ideas that I am currently swirling around...one of these is to set up an ecommerce site on the website.
How have the Enterprise Team supported you with your business?
I don’t know where to start with how amazing the team have been. I have been blown away by their incredible support. They were with me right from the very beginning when I was at the idea formation stage. Different team members have such a variety of incredible skills and personalities. I have had support around governance, business planning, finances, IP, marketing, policy, strategic planning.... Their support has been invaluable to me.
You meet many people and organisations but for me the core values of trust, genuineness and transparency are really important. I felt that all the team members shared these values and helped me when I struggled at certain aspects and offered their support (they also asked questions, which is incredibly useful). They make quite a formidable team, and I am forever grateful to every single member of the team for all the conversations and support.
Where/how can we find your business?
We are on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @giveafewwords Our website is www.thegive.co.uk and we are also on LinkedIn.
Tell us about your business?
Shyam Patel is a Multidisciplinary Designer and Creative Entrepreneur, running a multi-disciplinary designing business that focuses on photography, film, 3D design/motion, animation, architecture, interior design, as well as the music industry.
What year did you start your business?
Shyam originally had the idea for his business in 2017, but elected to take an Enterprise Placement Year in 2020/21 in order to have the time and space to fully explore the opportunity.
The start of Enterprise Placement Year caused confusion for Shyam, since he is a novice in the business world and initially felt overwhelmed with the learning process. However, through perseverance and support from the Enterprise Team, Shyam explained how he is very much out of his comfort zone, but in a good way “I’ve made a lot of progress. I feel very comfortable with where I’m at, but want to continue to grow as I face new challenges.”
Where did the inspiration to start your business come from?
The inspiration started from having a job in the industry that didn’t fully satisfy my creative needs and or wants, and so the vision to work for myself is where this all began. I always wanted to make a positive impact through my skill set in design and art. For a long time, I searched for what I could do in my medium to achieve that vision and EPY was the vehicle that made this vision tangible.
What are the main challenges of running your own business? How have you overcome these?
I think the main challenges of running my business are to try and tend to everything a business needs. Social media for example is very time consuming but by having a team of freelancers around me who I consider the associates of my business, generating/creating content is infinitely easier.
Tell us about a rewarding moment / highlight for your business
Despite an overwhelming start for Shyam, he stated that the biggest benefit that he has seen during EPY so far is that the skills he is learning are transferable. He knows he can use his knowledge to help other start-ups and how he can take this experience into the design world, including his own business, as well as other design businesses. He believes that a lot of designers from the University would benefit greatly from EPY as it gives them the practical experience that they need.
What are your future plans for your business?
Many know that I am the founder of Merakee7, the business I have been developing over the past 3 years, but something new that's come to light is that Merakee7 is no longer the vision that EPY helped me realise, and as a result, I am starting fresh with branding, company structure and applying all the skills, and knowledge I have absorbed from EPY towards this new business. Currently I am not sure what it is going to be called, but what I do know is that by 2025, I hope to have a physical studio space/co-working space.
How have the Enterprise Team supported you with your business?
Shyam expressed the support from the Enterprise Team as amazing “The advisors have a drop-in session every day of the week which is thoughtful and amazing. If we ever have a problem, we have someone to talk to that day.” Adding onto this, Shyam said how surprised he has been that Pitch Club enhanced his public speaking skills. Through this, he has been able to better understand his business and improve his overall confidence.
In 2021/2022, Shyam hopes to achieve new customer segments and create a new website that reflects effectively on what he has been able to learn during EPY.
Where/how can we find your business? Social media accounts, website etc
My social media accounts on Twitter, Instagram & TikTok all use the handle @theshyamo.
Skate it Yourself provides skateboard lessons and parties for 5-19 year olds at venues in Huddersfield and Halifax. Set up by keen skateboarder Kierhardy Ansell, SIY inspires young people to take up skateboarding and improve skills in a fun and engaging way.
Creating the idea for the business in his late teens, Hardy took the plunge in his second year at the University of Huddersfield and applied for Enterprise Placement Year 2018/19 which allowed him to turn his dreams into a reality. A start-up grant allowed him to purchase skateboards and further funding enabled him to acquire pads, helmets and ramps.
Hardy was runner-up in the Santander Universities Entrepreneurship Awards 2019 and received £15,000 seed funding and a fully paid intern.
Opening up his own skatepark where he can host classes and provide access to the public for extra revenue is part of his future ambitions for the business. Plans also include opening up a shop selling skateboarding gear, as well as his own bespoke merchandise.
As an extreme sport, complying with regulations and achieving the right credentials proved challenging, but the support of the Enterprise Team ensured Kierhardy is fully compliant, insured and qualified.
Smart Takeaways Limited was set up by Iranian-born software engineer Mohammad Sheikholeslami to offer a more cost-effective alternative, providing takeaways with the right tools to take back control of their customer base, while benefitting from around-the-clock support to maximise use of the app.
Mohammad moved to the UK with his family in 2013 to study an MBE at the University of Huddersfield and kick started his business in 2014. The business now has a team of six staff and approximately 130 clients across the UK.
Smart Takeaways Limited is placed within the top ten providers of takeaway support apps. Mohammad plans to expand the consultancy side of the business to provide a range of support services from marketing consultation to accounting services and negotiating energy and phone contracts.
Mohammad received invaluable advice from The Enterprise Team when he set up his business enabling him to make informed decisions.
Tell us about your business?
Concert Pianist Stephen Gott has a growing reputation in the classical music world following his appearance on BBC News. He finished his master’s degree at the University of Huddersfield and has performed concerts nationwide in Halifax, Huddersfield, and London to name a few.
What year did you start your business?
Stephen has been performing professionally since 2018.
Where did the inspiration to start your business come from?
He started learning the piano at a relatively late age of 14 after a chance hearing of early Debussy piano music which then persuaded him to learn more. Stephen has since discovered a passion for the music of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Liszt, and Debussy to name a few.
What are the main challenges of running your own business? How have you overcome these?
The pandemic was a challenge as public performances were halted. Stephen overcame this by adapting performances for social media pages.
Tell us about a rewarding moment / highlight for your business
Stephen reached the UK Liszt Society international Piano Competition Finals in 2019.
More recently, Stephen recorded on Broadway, New York, in November 2022 with composer James Sizemore who is known for his work producing music for films including The Hobbit, Hugo and Spotlight. On the same visit Stephen also competed in the NTD competition at Merkin Hall, the Kaufman Center
What are your future plans for your business?
Stephen is planning to release a debut album.
How have the Enterprise Team supported you with your business?
The Enterprise Team have supported Stephen to put on public performances and offer invaluable advice.
Where/how can we find your business?
Meet Holly Ramsay, the Founder of The Neighbourhood Threat. Specialising in bespoke homemade homeware such as cushions, lamps and kitchen mugs to name a few, Holly's unique brand offers everything you need to satisfy the comforts of home life.
The Neighbourhood Threat was established in 2017 when Holly began by reselling vintage clothing during her studies at college. Since then her business has taken a new direction and she is doing a pretty good job of it too!
The Enterprise Team were aided Holly and her business venture with starting an e-commerce site, providing financial support and obtaining useful equipment like banners and business cards. Holly explained that "it all keeps getting better" and that she is "getting more sales which keep going up and up."
We're extremely proud of Holly, and we're even happier to share stories like these to stress the importance of supporting smaller independent businesses during Covid-19.
Gemma Newsome graduated in 2019 in Costume and Textiles and went on to create Tiger & Bear Design. Covid-19 had an adverse effect on Gemma, where losing employment as a freelance Theatre Costume Textile Artist came at the start of her new business venture. Her products include scrunchies and headbands that allow her to utilize her passion and interest in experimenting with dyes. Although Gemma sometimes struggles to devote all of her time to her business due to working part-time, she very much enjoys creating her own vision and having her full control in what she likes to create. Like a true entrepreneur!
Gemma has spoken about the support that she received from the Enterprise Team. From grants that allowed her to experiment with more dyes, to our Business Advisor Catherine Brentnall providing help with social media and photography, Gemma has been extremely grateful for the help on her brand. Gemma is looking to the future and wishes to provide more products and create more awareness of her products by using social media influences to help promote her amazing work.
You can find out more about Tiger & Bear Designs on Instagram and see her products on Etsy
Formed by two aspiring student entrepreneurs attracted to the University of Huddersfield for its Enterprise Placement Year opportunity, Torchbearer Interactive Ltd is a software development house making apps that solve problems and make customers happier.
Torchbearer won the Shooting Star Award from Huddersfield Town Football Club in 2016 and secured £15k from Creative England. Now based in the Media Centre, the firm provides website design, games development and mobile apps.
Through their Enterprise Placement Year in 2016/17, Jon and Pete grasped the business world, collectively developing a solid business plan and a streamlined way of working. The team continues to benefit from support from the Enterprise Team and regularly contributes to the Enterprise Workshop programme by sharing their journey and experiences with future business owners.
Uncommon Alchemy was formed by Fashion Brand Marketing student Anna Watkins. A sustainable materials design and innovation studio, Anna’s business is brought to life through experimentation with different natural, discarded or everyday materials to try and find ways that they can be repurposed, to be redefined through fashion or home accessories. Anna has worked with industrial textile waste from the local Huddersfield area, recycling it into a leather alternative and using seaweed extract to produce a high-shine bioplastic.
Whilst undertaking Enterprise Placement Year 2019/20, Anna identified three ways to kick start her business venture. EPY let her understand what she doesn’t want for her career, what she does want, and ultimately, where to go from there with her business. Anna was challenged by her indecisiveness during the start of her EPY journey. She knew that she didn’t want to do fashion design, but she didn’t know what to do instead. EPY was a unique opportunity to explore the things that interested Anna, discover new things and generate room for creativity. “Having the support of the Enterprise Team was brilliant when I was feeling lost”.
Currently, Anna is focusing on product development and was awarded £5000 from the Young Innovators awards. She’s improving prototypes and conducting market research in preperation for her business launch, to ensure that her business and her products will be the best that they can be. For the future, Anna wants to be a part of the bigger sustainable movement, helping consumers to see that sustainable solutions are all around us.
Focusing on sustainability, Upcycily reduces textile waste by upcycling unwanted clothing pieces from the Oxfam Wastesaver Warehouse, which would otherwise end up destroyed. By slowly developing a better sustainable solution to repurpose unwanted clothes without using any unnecessary resources, the products aim to encourage customers to embrace their own personal styles rather than following trends.
Upcycily is run by Virag Erdelyi, who runs a variety of workshops including ‘Jazz it up’, which focuses on hand embroidery. Another of her workshops is called Keep Sale Crafting and is primarily aimed at mums, where they encourage their kids to bring unworn clothes and turn them into a piece of keep safe wall art piece.
By discovering Enterprise Placement Year at an Open Day at the University, Virag jumped on board during 2019/20 and was able to research and grow her business with help from the Enterprise Team. Virag has learnt to not be afraid to make changes to the business if necessary, no matter how scary it can be. EPY enabled Virag to enter a competition that resulted in her winning the opportunity to establish her brand with support from creative digital marketing agency The Bigger Boat.
Having been a keen knitter since she was 7, knitting and selling scarves to friends at school, Emily Warburton is now weaving out a knitting career through her business YAM Knitwear, inspired by the Cumbrian countryside where she grew up on a dairy farm.
Emily takes photos of Cumbrian hills, lakes and valleys and then cleverly knits them into garments, such as scarves and jumpers. Using a knitting machine for her intricate designs she can create products quicker and sell them at more competitive prices. A short scarf can take up to 13 hours, including design, measuring, knit time, sewing ends, and wet blocking.
Emily launched YAM Knitwear in September 2020. Using wool from the Romney sheep that she rears on the farm, mixed with Alpaca wool, to make her garments, she hopes to eventually run her own company full-time with a small team.
Undertaking Enterprise Placement Year in 2017/18 enabled Emily to find out if working for herself would be a success, learn how to make garments, but more importantly get constructive criticism from potential customers. She gained lots of transferrable skills that will be of benefit when she goes self-employed.
Young Boy Hustle (YBH) is an independent online clothing brand, launched in 2016, set out to remove the stigma of mental health.
Known as ‘The Black and White Brand’, it was created by University of Huddersfield marketing graduate and fashion designer Ibrar Ahmad Razaq, who designs the distinctive black and white apparel. The brand is targeted at 18-24-year olds who struggle to speak out on their personal issues with a fear of being judged or singled out.
Starting out through a series of sketches, the designs have been transformed into a clothing and accessories line that Ibrar sells through his website www.youngboyhustle.com with one of his first sales being in New York City. Through Enterprise Placement Year 2017/18 (EPY), Ibrar received funding from Santander which he put towards operational costs, such as keeping his website up and running.
Ibrar’s plan is to pursue a career in Marketing and expand the YBH brand and grow its blog, YBH Entertainment, as well as expand his product selection to poetry books, vintage music CDs and paintings. He hopes to launch stores in the UK and New York and has ambitions to create ‘YBH Productions’, a filming service that writes and creates its own short films.
Horizon Risk Consultancy Ltd
Health, safety and environmental risk management consultancy
Tell us about your business? (What is does, what stage you are at, etc)
Néu Mode Is a British luxury womenswear brand launching in 2023. The aim is to work as sustainably as possible with product designed and made in the UK, using UK sourcing avenues. Néu Mode takes a slow luxury approach, escaping trends and transcending seasons though timeless designs, evolving classics and investment pieces made to last.
I am at the infancy stages of the business with proto samples being made for the launch collection. I need to research into manufacturers based in the UK for production options. Alternatively, research into machinists to make-to-order.
What year did you start your business?
I started creating the foundations in 2022.
Where did the inspiration to start your business come from?
Launching my own fashion business has been a dream of mine since I was a child, working in the industry for 10+ years at high end fashion houses and leading commercial fashion brands, I have an urge to bring back the values of fashion with a conscious approach, research, perfection into every detail and superior quality materials combined, elevating wardrobe classics that provide versatile styling for every occasion with a timeless approach.
What are the main challenges of running your own business? How have you overcome these?
The main challenge up to date is finding the right people to build relationships with that will help and support me on my journey, being introduced to the right people with the right facilities to help kick start the business. The enterprise team at university has helped me resolve these by introducing me to the right people.
Tell us about a rewarding moment / highlight for your business
The most rewarding moment is seeing my CAD designs coming to life, being made into physical samples – I just can’t wait to see the final production samples and the collection as a whole!
What are your future plans for your business?
The aim is to have my own studio, shop floor, machinist and pattern cutter working for me, all in one place, to build a team of creatives that work together to make good quality clothing. I want to connect with buyers at Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, and Harrods to see my product in the major high-end stores.
How have the Enterprise Team supported you with your business?
The Enterprise team have supported me through my business plan, growing my network to help kick start my business off and also financially supported me to help with the costs of initial first sampling stages.
Where/how can we find your business? Social media accounts, website etc
Néu Mode will be set up to be an online retailer at the beginning of launching, I need to create a website and social media accounts once my collection is made, and I have a confirmed plan for production stages.
Tell us about your business?
At Allette, we are a modern sportswear brand that combines northern streetwear style with luxury utility. Our clothing is designed and crafted in West Yorkshire, UK, using sustainably sourced materials and fabrics.
Our brand is rooted in a rich cultural heritage of garment creation. With a Caribbean family background of tailors, textile workers, and menders dating back to the Windrush era in Yorkshire, we pay homage to our origins, and it sets the precedent for what makes Allette so unique.
My personal experience with eczema and allergies, has made it a priority to use organic cotton and sustainable fabrics in all our cotton garments, to make sure that everyone feels comfortable in their skin and clothes they wear.
Our brand motto is fluidity, creativity, and diversity. The "A" in our brand name represents Ambition, and we strive to inspire you to ignite your own individual style. Our garments have no gender, creed, or code, you set the rules on how you walk the streets in the Allette world.
Without you, there is no Allette. It starts with them, the rich cultural heritage that sets the precedent for our brand. It starts with me, the personal experience that shapes our priorities, it starts with you, the customer who ignites our ambition and gives our brand purpose. It starts with YOU.
What year did you start your business?
2018
Where did the inspiration to start your business come from?
My inspiration began from an early age of having an entrepreneurial mindset always having love for fashion which I decided to combine the two to start my business to create unique and noticeable fashion brand within the industry.
What are the main challenges of running your own business? How have you overcome these?
One the main challenges of running a fashion business is keeping up with trends but also making sure you come with unique designs as well as ensuring the quality is up to the correct standards for your customers.
Managing these obstacles, you must make sure you always know what’s going on in the market by doing your market research as well ensuring that you can achieve the correct standard of clothing you desire for your brand by staying on top of your supply chain.
Tell us about a rewarding moment / highlight for your business
A rewarding moment in my journey so far has been able to have feature in 2020 GQ magazine from August to October.
As well being able to travel to Paris & London attending trade shows to further my career and business within textiles.
What are your future for your business?
The future for Allette is very bright in terms of using all the lessons learnt for starting my business to now and putting them all into to work in creating a mark within the fashion industry itself as well as focusing and developing our key products along the way.
How have the Enterprise Team supported you with your business?
The Enterprise Team have supported me massively by reducing the pressure of those questions you might ask yourself at times running a business such as are you going in the right direction? what do I do next? what is the best decision for me and my business model?
As well opening my network to likeminded people is one of the best things the enterprise team has done for me, I can confidently say which has exceled my journey massively.
Where/how can we find your business? Social media accounts, website etc
ALLETTEOFFICIAL on all social media platforms
Tell us about your business?
Meg J Gardner is a luxury womenswear label, specialising in bespoke garments, eveningwear and bridal wear.
What year did you start your business?
The brand was started in 2021
Where did the inspiration to start your business come from?
Being based in the North, upon graduating, all career prospects seemed to centre around fast fashion, and I wanted to dedicate my career to slow and sustainable fashion, and to help bridge the gap between the north and the south when it comes to the creative industry.
What are the main challenges of running your own business? How have you overcome these?
The main challenge of running your own business is trying the juggle all the projects that happen simultaneously. As a small but growing business we are often planning for showcases, networking events and obviously working with our clients – it can be challenging to co-ordinate and plan everything at once, but with some careful planning and preparations as a brand we make it all work!
Tell us about a rewarding moment / highlight for your business
One of the most rewarding moments of the brands history is being invited to showcase as an independent designer during London Fashion Week just one year after graduating. There is a lot of support for students to showcase at LFW upon graduating, but it was something special to have been selected as an industry professional.
What are your future plans for your business?
There are a lot of plans going on behind the scenes for the brand at the moment, some of which unfortunately have to be kept secret, but we can share that we will be showcasing at Northern Fashion Week in 2023!
How have the Enterprise Team supported you with your business?
The Enterprise Team have been a great help, from the 1:1 sessions with a dedicated business coach, to the many webinars and skill sessions they organise and run, its been great to get involved and not only learn but network with other entrepreneurs outside of my field.
Where/how can we find your business?
You can find out more about our work on our website: www.megjgardner.com
Or keep up to date with all the things we have going on, on our Instagram: @meg.j.Gardner.design @meg.j.Gardner.bridal