A Burnley man who was facing the threat of redundancy decided to set up his own IT business with support from a free business start up programme.
Justin Beswick, the owner of PROTISS, has 25 years of experience in the IT sector as a project manager. He decided to set up the business to deliver a wide range of services, including PAT testing, website creation and IT support.
To help him get started, Justin was able to access free business workshops through Start Up Lancashire, a free programme delivered by Regenerate Pennine Lancashire.
Justin attended four workshops covering all aspects of starting and running a business, and had a one to one coaching session with a business advisor who could discuss his specific plans. As a result, Justin wrote a business plan and financial forecast for the first 12 months.
Justin said: “Contacting Start Up Lancashire is one of the smartest decisions I’ve made. From one to one support to tutor led courses, the workshops provided the right environment to get me trading”.
Start Up Lancashire is supported by the European Regional Development Fund.
For more information on starting your own business and other free business support, click here or call 0800 612 2029.
For information on grant funding for new businesses, check out Fuse Fund.
