Black Country Chamber delivers “real results” for Walsall start-ups
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A business support programme designed to help people start and grow a business is delivering "real results" for the Walsall area.
Walsall Council says the Start Up Programme, delivered by the Black Country Chamber of Commerce, has helped entrepreneurs flourish and contribute to local economic growth.
The two-stage programme, funded through the UK Government's UK Shared Prosperity Fund, started in November and finished last month.
Councillor Adrian Andrew, deputy leader at Walsall Council, said: "Walsall is a borough full of ambition, talent and ideas. By investing in start-up support, we're helping people transform those ideas into sustainable businesses that contribute to our local economy.
"This partnership with the Black Country Chamber of Commerce is delivering real results, and it plays a key role in our mission to create more jobs, more opportunities and a stronger Walsall for everyone."
Alison Trinder, start-up support manager at the Chamber, said the participants took part in a business fundamentals seminar, followed by an intensive two-day bootcamp equipping them with practical knowledge across key areas: business planning, bookkeeping and accounts, sales and marketing, branding and client attraction strategies.
She said: "The response has been overwhelmingly positive, with many describing the course as ‘amazing’, saying it had helped them develop their business ideas, and one said it had guided them to ‘go ahead and follow my dreams’.
“This project was specifically for businesses which were yet to launch or those which were in their early stages and needed some help to get them to the next level. What they have in common is that they were all Walsall based.
"I really enjoyed working with smaller cohorts on this project, because when you've got a group of 20, everyone's input matters. You can go around the table and hear what people are doing, how they're getting on. There's real support in that circle. But if you get 35 people in a room, it's much harder to create that dynamic."
Businesses also received clear guidance on registering with HMRC and Companies House, understanding their obligations and establishing firm financial foundations from the outset.
Graduates of the programme gain access to wider support through the Bloxwich Launchpad, Walsall Council's purpose-built workspace, which offers affordable working space along with additional business workshops and networking opportunities.
The partnership sees Walsall Council providing referrals through the Department for Work and Pensions, local colleges and community networks, whilst the Chamber contributes its expertise and delivery capability.
The programme builds on similar work the Chamber has previously delivered in Wolverhampton and Sandwell, further establishing it as a trusted delivery partner for local authorities supporting their entrepreneurial communities.
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