Business Link Case Studies

Hadland Care Group

When Cheryl Hadland failed to find highquality childcare for her sons – then aged four and new-born – she took the bull by the horns and opened her own nursery.

RedTie Theatre

Drama teacher Helen Reading took on a new leading role when she left her job at a high school on the Isle of Wight to set up her own theatre company. [more]

SCS

Turning a dream of being your own boss into a reality can be a daunting process, especially when it is in a male- dominated industry like construction. Having the right attitude and determination is critical to success. [more]

Southern springs

New Milton based manufacturing company Southern Springs & Pressings Ltd celebrates 60 years of trading. Founded in 1948, the company has established an excellent reputation as a manufacturer of springs and pressings for customers world-wide. [more]

Aurok

It might be an exaggeration to say that engineer David Philips has petrol coursing through his veins but his passion for motor sports is boundless, according to his wife Patricia with whom he launched Aurok Ltd in 2002. [more]

Boxhouse Publishing

Sarah started by selling other companies’ products from her home, later moving to business premises nearby. She has successfully established Boxhouse Publishing and the Organised Mum brand, designing her own range of calendars and diaries and selling them to mums who want to organise their busy lives. [more]

Bridport Gourmet Pies

Bridport Gourmet Pies, which employs eight people full-time, has seen 20 per cent growth in turnover year-on-year and has now outgrown its base on Gore Cross Business Park in Bridport. The company plans to move to a purpose-built factory so it can increase production to serve a larger and wider customer base. [more]

Caroline Jacobs

When Caroline Jacobs swapped ‘suits and boots’ for ‘shoots and roots’, she had no idea that within five years it would lead to her setting up her own business. [more]

Clealls of Corfe

When Juliet and Chris Porter took over Clealls Store in January 2007, they thought they had bought the dream. The couple, originally from the South East, were tired of the M25 and the rat race, so headed West to the picture postcard village of Corfe. But with no retail experience and the worst trading conditions for generations round the corner, the dream of running a shop in a Dorset village became more like a nightmare. [more]

Connaught Hotel

Not only is the Best Western Connaught Hotel in Bournemouth offering the best possible service to its customers, but it is also at the cutting edge of sustainability and is winning awards for its green credentials. [more]

Elite care

Portsmouth-based care firm has radically increased its customer base necessitating a move to larger offices after working closely with Business Link and implementing simple changes. [more]

Embrace

Su Mihelic (pictured right) worked as a civil servant for 28 years in a customer focused role, and managed a team of staff. [more]

Flyte so Fancy

Making chicken houses in a workshop at the bottom of their garden started off as a hobby for husband and wife team Phillip and Anne Weymouth in 2001. Now they employ 18 staff, their workshop has expanded to cope with the huge demand, a new office has been built and they are looking to achieve a turnover of £1.5 million. [more]

Forerunner Personal Catering

Delivering hundreds of nutritious meals every day to older people in their own homes as well as to schools and nurseries has created a solid business for Forerunner Personal Catering’s owner Declan O’Toole. [more]

Gifts ‘n’ Gags

Debbie Edwards on her Wedding Day had a dream and inspiration from her Mum to start her own business. Mum’s gift was a special ‘Gift Box’. Everyone at the reception thought the Gift Box was hilarious and a great idea. [more]

Infosec

IT Security reseller Infosec’s Pete Sherwood & Steve Malone recently won the Young Entrepreneurs of the Year award at the Basingstoke Business Awards INSPIRE 07. Their previous company they worked for was taken over in 2005, but customer service seemed low on the agenda, so Pete Sherwood and business colleague, Steve Malone, decided to set up their own business. [more]

Jane’s Tiling Company

Mother of four starts her own building business. A skill alone is no guarantee of success when you are self-employed. [more]

Little Kickers

When young mums Sarah Field and Christine Stanschus watched their small children playing football their business brains kicked in and they decided to launch classes offering very basic football coaching to children from 18 months to five years old. [more]

Long Crichel Bakery

Long Crichel Bakery, near Wimborne, has been turning out quality bread and cakes since 2000, using locally-sourced ingredients wherever possible and supplying local farmers’ markets and shops. [more]

Market Makers

Just 21years of age, Managing Director Paul Thomas started Market Makers in October 2004. His business partner Henry Braithwaite joined in January 2005. Both were just 21 when the business was launched. [more]

Matt and Paul Studio

Hairdressers Matt Coles and Paul Hirst are cutting it in their own thriving salon, thanks to entrepreneur Lewis Wheeler and Business Link. [more]

Menitest

Medaro Medical and Maddison Product Design have joined forces to develop Menitest. Maddison Product Design, the award winning specialist product development company, has designed an instant Meningitis test for Petersfield based, Medaro Medical. [more]

PE Composites

An Isle of Wight manufacturer has gone from strength to strength since undergoing a management buy-out in 2003 with help from Business Link. [more]

PH Warr plc

15 year Celebration for PH Warr When surveyor Philip Warr launched a company from his dining room table in 1992 he had professional skills, enthusiasm and big dreams. [more]

Pink Plumbing

Inspired by a Business Link Work4Yourself programme, Trisha Wingate launches her own plumbing company. [more]

Premier Property

The ups and downs of the property market make it a potentially precarious profession, as Hampshire-based Nigel and Barbara Sellers know only too well. [more]

Signature Balloons

A Hampshire business which started out as a ‘sideline’ is set to double annual turnover to almost £400,000 after increasing its range of services and moving into new premises. [more]

Southern Springs

New Milton based manufacturing company Southern Springs & Pressings Ltd celebrates 60 years of trading. Founded in 1948, the company has established an excellent reputation as a manufacturer of springs and pressings for customers world-wide. [more]

Spring a lings

Turning a dream into a business Mother of two Julie Bishop had a dream business idea but was unsure where to start. She realised that there was a gap in the local market for a music and movement group for the under 5s, but turning the idea into a business was daunting. [more]

Stretch a leg

DVT, UK’s silent killer. An innovative product to help prevent deep vein thrombosis (DVT) has been brought to market with help from Business Link. [more]

Suburban Oasis

After 28 years in the Royal Marines, retiring Warrant Officer First Class Bob Platts has changed his green uniform for a new career in horticulture. His business, Suburban Oasis, is a result of a life time’s passion for gardening and will provide a garden maintenance service for those in the Hampshire and West Sussex area. [more]

The Lady Gardener

Turning a hobby into an income is never an easy challenge but Hampshire woman Ruth Jenkins has shown she is equally adept at growing her company as well as the flowers she tends in her garden maintenance business. [more]

United Refrigeration

The company offer a full bespoke design service to suit every requirement in comfort cooling, close control, air conditioning, cold storage and remote display case systems to the commercial and domestic market. [more]