Success Stories

Miss Macaroon, set up by social entrepreneur and trained pastry chef Rosie Ginday, is a high-end patisserie with a difference.

A fleeting opportunity arises to grow your business. If you don’t seize it, it will pass. But you need the cash to act decisively – and just at that moment your own cashflow is stretched. So how are going to fund your next big step?

One of the region’s foremost marketing agencies, ZEAL Creative counts some of the world’s biggest brands as its clients. The agency, which was founded in March 2014, has produced inspirational content and campaigns for the likes of Castrol, Johnson & Johnson and Weetabix, and continues to win clients.

Carwow had grown from a team of two to five employees with some angel funding, but they knew that they needed institutional backing to improve the service and grow the business into a nationally recognised brand.

Kokoso Baby is the new baby skincare brand that uses pure organic coconut oil specially selected for baby skincare.

Sarah Hilleary has always been motivated by the personal rewards of being her own boss, and this lead her to start gluten-free snack company Birubi Ltd.

Katie has always been a massive peanut butter fan, but objected to the use of palm oil in traditional recipes. Palm tree plantations have a big environmental impact and this is one of the main reasons Katie decided to develop her own recipe, one which didn’t use this ingredient. She also wanted a peanut butter that was healthier, not full of the usual sugar and additives.

Creating Simplicity From Complexity

Kirk & Kirk is an optical design company set up by Jason and Karen Kirk

Simon Finch was granted a £9,000 Start Up Loan to launch his shop-fitting business, Finch Installations.

Alexandra, a 29 year old entrepreneur from West Sussex has been given a £9,500 Start-Up Loan to help develop her clothing line and resource centre for active pregnant women.

Heck Foods is a family-run premium sausage maker, which was founded by Yorkshire farmers Andrew and Debbie Keeble in 2012. Heck’s brands are sold throughout the UK in Tesco, ASDA, Morrisons, Booths and Waitrose, and via its own website.