This case study highlights how a startup enterprise acquired and applied the shared prosperity funding from their local council.
BACKGROUND
1 Page Websites led by two creative designers, Mike Bosnovic and Kat Bailey, provides affordable digital marketing services to meet the needs of the small enterprise community. The founders recognised the need for startups and community projects to promote their services and products with a fast low-cost and reliable online presence. Kat has previous successful experience as head of PR for an international music agency and now supports new product developers and professional service providers.
PARTNERING
They met strategic innovation advisor Clive Bonny at a business network event where Clive had been delivering business growth support services. Clive’s consulting firm Strategic Management Partners showed evidence of many successful projects since 1990 with corporates, funding bodies, universities, and trade associations across the UK and abroad. Via Linkedin Kat was able to check Clive’s professional accreditations for consultancy, training, risk management, intellectual property protection, and responsible business standards for environment and social governance “ESG”.
PLANNING
After the first meeting Clive drafted a proposal to meet the council eligibility criteria for local economic growth and wider stakeholder engagement whilst delivering to Kat and Mike tailored risk management advice and business growth guidance. The grant application was subsequently approved to support business continuity planning and intellectual property protection aligned to national ESG standards for high social impact. Clive then drafted a project plan with activities and outcomes for delivery over a 10 week period with regular meetings online and face to face.
ACTIVITIES
The first reviews identified priority actions from Kat and Mike’s strategic business plan. These included searching and registering intellectual property designs and reducing risks related to fast growth. Clive introduced future support partners from his own network of responsible business management enterprises who were already aligned to UK Social Value Act ESG standards. Over the next 10 weeks 1 Page Websites applied business frameworks for best practice in business continuity planning and ESG standards. Clive also registered their logo designs and introduced Kat and Mike to several national entrepreneur support groups for future marketing.
OUTCOMES
These activities included 10 reviews to develop a business continuity plan, an IP protection strategy and alignment with national standards for responsible business management. Additional stakeholder support groups introduced by Clive provides ongoing sustainability. Clive has also supplied detailed guidance for a shareholder agreement and opportunities to tender for public sector marketing projects with nationally approved ESG credentials. Supplying extra shareholder protection documents, registering designs and introducing ESG standards has saved the founders over £5000 in external support costs.
Clive says “75% of startups and small firms fail to survive 5 years due to the high costs and time required for brand development and recognition. Now 1 Page Websites uniquely provides small enterprises a fast affordable route to effective digital marketing. This in turn improves their business continuity and survivability.”
Kat comments “Every start-up needs a strong website to establish its presence in the marketplace but sky-high costs can often prohibit entrepreneurs from ever getting their ideas off the ground. We don’t think that’s right, so at 1 Page Websites we’re delivering quality of product for a fair, highly affordable price. Clive operates on the same principles, and his intellectual property protection services are a fraction of the cost of other providers. Our partnering now helps others accelerate into profitable growth”
Below Clive with Mike at a business network meeting.
