Our first month in Esparks Manchester business accelerator

June 15, 2017 Article




Before we talk about us, let’s talk about you. Some of the things below might or might not apply to you but are based on other entrepreneurs’ reflections and opinions.

  • You have a business idea. Very nice!
  • You work full time on your business idea from home but working from home can be very distracting. We know…
  • You have worked for a while on your business idea. You have done a lot of things; from setting up the company, designing and building your company’s website, designing the digital marketing strategy. Still something might be missing in order for your idea to fly.
  • As an entrepreneur you feel isolated;  your friends do not understand what you are trying to achieve because they have a 9-5 job. They are asking you how is it going with your business every week – out of interest- but you don’t have anything new to say because things don’t happen overnight.
  • You think it is difficult to find like minded people to exchange ideas.
  • You have worked so hard and now  you are stuck and you need some piece of advice of how to proceed with your business. Ideally for free.

First of all, nobody said that building your own company is going to be easy. As we said before when it comes to companies for every success story, there are also a lot more that failed. If it makes you feel any better, you are not on your own; there is a high possibility that entrepreneurs are facing or are going to face at least one or more of the above bullet points, especially when their business is at an early stage.

But don’t worry, don’t be afraid, ever because…. there might be some light at the end of the tunnel. Have you heard before of business accelerators? According to the last report on business accelerators and incubators across the UK, accelerators support  young businesses through the early and fragile stages of growth.

It is often the case that a business has to pay its way in with cash or equity in order to be part of an accelerator or incubator. But that is not the always the case. There is at least one group of Business Accelerators in different cities across the UK that actually is completely free to participate.Entrepreneurial Spark is powered by Natwest. We applied for the 3 month Sprinter Programme in the Esparks Manchester Hub in January and we got accepted in May.

. Or even better they have already faced them and you can get some piece of constructive advice. We are already one month in our Sprint Programme and it is very obvious to us that the people of Esparks Manchester Hub are putting a lot of effort in order to create a Programme tailored to the needs of the businesses accepted in the accelerator. So the Programme is continuously evolving and adjusting its self according to the needs of the entrepreneurs.

But if we could summarize the perks of joining Esparks Manchester Hub, that would be;

  • You can get business training.  From developing a positive mindset to pitching.
  • You can at last network with like minded people in an informal environment.
  • You get support and advice. From other business owners to business advisors and mentors- when you are in a later stage. They help you and you…can pay it forward by helping other people.
  • You can get work space and internet access.
  • You have to set goals and you work on achieving your own goals within the time frame you have set. You are also held accountable for achieving your goals.
  • You can get access to investment -when you are in a later stage.
  • You can get technical, legal and financial advice from Esparks Partners such as KPMG, Dell and Pinsent Masons.
  • Last but not least. You get coffee!

So basically you get what you might have been lacking so far; some structure – plus coffee. And all that for free! Yes, you ‘ve heard correct! You don’t have to pay anything!

We would definitely recommend it, if you are in the beginning of setting your own business and you feel a bit lost. Even if you don’t feel lost, we would still recommend it. It is impossible to know everything your business idea needs in order to grow.

Thank you very much! You ‘ve been fantastic and we hope you enjoyed it!

We will keep on GODOing!


Categories: Inspiration, Projects