Having grown up watching her father run his own business in Cheshire, Congleton born Caroline Davies is now celebrating her own business success with the launch of Tiny Ted and Farmyard Friends, an upmarket clothes and accessories store for babies and young children, with a farm and animal theme.
The former teacher had been contemplating setting up her own retail business for the past few years and took inspiration for her idea from Glebe Farm, a five minute drive from her home.
Caroline applied for, and received, funding and business support to set up her business from the Government’s Start-Up Loans programme, which is helping people across theUKto set up their own businesses.
She has used the funding to help open a Tiny Ted and Farmyard Friends store at Glebe Farm and to design and build the company’s transactional website.
Caroline was also a VIP guest at the launch of Start-Up Now inManchester which will see £15 million allocated to new start-ups across theNorth West over the next two years, creating around 3000 new businesses and over 5000 new jobs in the region.
Start-Up Now is a new complete partnership between Business Finance Solutions (BFS) and the NatWest for start ups in GM and the wider region, offering a suite of support, loans and services to entrepreneurs, all driven through unique bank referral arrangements.
The bespoke range of designer clothing and accessories for babies and children up to eight years old is available online at http://www.tinytedandfarmyardfriends.com and at a retail outlet at Glebe Farm in Congleton, selling high quality clothing sourced from premium suppliers including Joules, Frugi, Olive & Moss, Tractor Ted, Toby Tiger, Kaloo, Organic Farm Buddies, and Sophie the Giraffe.
“For years I’ve dreamed about owning my own business and, while there are lots of young families living locally, we seem to be missing a high quality children’s clothing store in the area. Combined with our many visits to Glebe Farm, that seed of a business idea has now grown into both the Tiny Ted and Farmyard Friends retail outlet at the Farm and our online store. The support from Start-Up Loans came just at the right time and enabled us to invest in a really great shop fit out and an easy to use website.”
Paul Breen, director of Business Finance Solutions, said: “Caroline is a great example of the kind of entrepreneur benefitting from the support available from the Start-Up Now. She has drawn on her own knowledge of the local area and understanding of the target market to create a unique shopping experience within an ideal location, which is critical to business success.
Following your heart to set up your own business and having the passion to work hard to get it up and running is just what Caroline has done and she is a great example of how entrepreneurs are changing the business landscape in this country and creating jobs for others in the future.”
The Loans are delivered in the North West by Business Finance Solutions with successful applicants also receiving expert mentoring, business support and training. Nationally over 10,000 loans have now been awarded, 500 of those in the North West, and the Prime Minister said: “This clearly demonstrates the ambition and drive people in this country have to create a business and I am pleased that Start Up Loans are helping more and more entrepreneurs who start small but think big transform their ideas into viable, growing businesses. I am on the side of people who want to work hard and get on in life, and it is by backing aspiration and the businesses of tomorrow, as well as the businesses of today, that we are equipping the UK to compete in the global race.”
Email info@start-up-now.co.uk or visit www.start-up-now.co.uk to learn more about Start Up Now and register.
