Eight new businesses were started in North Somerset last month with the help of North Somerset Enterprise Agency, creating 11 new jobs in the area.
The Weston-super-Mare based enterprise agency, a not-for-profit organisation that provides free or low-cost advice, information and training to start-up and growing businesses in North Somerset through its team of local business advisors, supported new enterprises covering marketing and business consultancy, transport and removals, a sound technician and a lecturer and a business selling collectibles to one providing IT support.
The start-up figure replicates the amount of businesses the enterprise agency helped set-up in September 2011 – all of which continue to trade one year on.
Eight new businesses also started up in September 2009 and after 36 months – a significant period of time as statistics estimate that 60% of start-up businesses fail within the first three years – six are confirmed as still trading with an additional one thought to have moved away.
“Our latest statistics suggest that North Somerset’s would-be business owners are refusing to be daunted by the recession and general economic gloom and doom – and rightly so.” says North Somerset Enterprise Agency’s Chief Executive Angela Hicks.
“A downturn can actually be a very good time to start a new business because bigger businesses may be struggling and less able to compete with new, nimbler enterprises. They might also be down-scaling their operations and focusing on specific customer groups, which can leave gaps for smaller businesses to fill. In addition most customers – whether business or consumer – are looking for better value-for-money from their suppliers, which smaller businesses can often provide.
“That’s not to say that running your own business will be easy because it won’t!” Angela continues. “That’s why the help of an experienced and knowledgeable business advisor is crucial and can be the difference between success and failure.
“We wish all our new business clients the best of luck, remain here to support them whenever they need us and look forward to reporting on their success three years from now!”
