News

Golding Homes is linking up with West Kent Housing Association and The Mall to deliver a free ‘be your own boss’ workshop in the heart of Maidstone.

PopUp Business School (PUBS) has a great track record of inspiring would-be entrepreneurs, and a similar event in Tovil Community Centre in April helped several people get new businesses off the ground.

Building on the success of the Tovil event, the next PUBS sessions will be in the highly visible and easily accessible surroundings of The Mall, raising more awareness of the opportunities on offer.

Would-be entrepreneurs can attend any or all of the free sessions, which run each day from 2 to 13 July and are free to attend. They will be held in a vacant shop unit opposite bb’s on the upper level of the centre. Backing from Maidstone Borough Council, which provides year-round support for new businesses, will also ensure that successful start-ups continue to receive future help as they grow.

PUBS seeks to inspire potential entrepreneurs by showing them how they can earn money doing something they love, and avoids weighing them down with tales of red tape and legal constraints.

“The skilled and approachable tutors deliver a wide range of information on a variety of topics, but in a fun and easy-to- absorb way,” explained Caroline McBride, Head of Community Development at Golding Homes. “We are excited to be bringing the PopUp Business School to Maidstone for the second time this year and helping local people get their business ideas off the ground. This is the first partnership of its kind for us and it’s great to be at the forefront of this new initiative to help get people into work.”

Keeley Atkinson, Integration Manager with Golding Homes partners West Kent, added: “Clearly both West Kent and Golding want our tenants and residents to be able to support themselves, and it‘s always possible that some of those who attend could go on to set up a successful company and employ other local people.”

Would-be business bosses at the Tovil event included photographer Rachael Carver, who set up on her own after receiving advice that she described as “invaluable”. She explained: “However much I knew I could do the job, I had no idea about the business side of things such as setting up a website, marketing and so on, and I was surprised at how much I learned from the tutors, who made everything fun as well as interesting and informative. The course gave me the confidence to just go for it and try, which is exactly what I did. I have already been getting business and that’s without doing very much advertising.”

Andy Davy, General Manager of The Mall, commented: “We are delighted to be part of something that is giving people such a great opportunity to learn more about setting up their own business and we really hope it succeeds.”

Cllr Martin Cox, Leader of Maidstone Borough Council, added: “I am very pleased that we are facilitating the Pop-up Business School’s return to Maidstone. I know that the support PUBS provides to start-up businesses is invaluable and complements the wide range of business advice and support the council provides at The Business Terrace on the top floor of the Maidstone Link on King Street.”

Would-be entrepreneurs keen to attend PUBS can sign up by visiting www.popupbusinessschool.co.uk/maidstone.html