Posted on Wednesday 19th January 2022
Directors and business partners Craig Slater and Amie Whale
An up-and-coming digital agency has its eyes on doubling its turnover every year for the next five years thanks to a £5,000 growth grant.
Wombourne-based eighty3creative was set up in 2008 with just £80 in the bank. The company turnover doubled to almost a quarter of million pounds last year thanks to business consultancy and coaching paid for by the Staffordshire Means Back to Business Scheme.
Grants of up to £5,000 are now available to Staffordshire small businesses from the partnership scheme that brings together funding from the county council and district and borough councils to help businesses to thrive through the pandemic.
Co-director of eighty3creative Craig Slater said:
We’ve worked hard to help businesses during the pandemic to get online as quickly as possible, but when our business plateaued, we needed professional business expertise to help is work out how to grow, break into new markets and develop the business.
Thanks to the business coaching and planning advice that the grant paid for, we’re now a full-service digital agency that’s rapidly growing and taking on new staff.
The process of applying and receiving the grant took days not weeks. I’d urge any small business to apply for grant now.”
Staffordshire County Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for economy and skills Philip White said:
Staffordshire is a great place to start and grow a small business which are the life-blood of our economy. That’s why the Staffordshire Means Back to Business scheme to help businesses to thrive and not just survive is so critical.
An extra £1m of investment in the local economy has now been approved by cabinet, meaning that even more businesses can join the 670 that have already received a ‘To Thrive’ grant.”
Councillor Roger Lees, Leader of South Staffordshire Council, said:
We’re delighted that by joining forces with the county council we’ve been able to help more businesses like eighty3creative to grow through the scheme. Now really is the time for South Staffordshire businesses to get a grant and get their growth plans back on track without the investment risk.”
Grants of between £2,000 to £5,000 are available through https://bit.ly/SMEGrowthGrant for small business to use in a range of ways, from new kit and machinery and business advice, and even getting set up to trade online.