With help from InBiz, 200 New Businesses in the North West in the last six months

InBiz has helped deliver 200 entrepreneurs from benefits and into self employment in the North West

InBiz has helped 200 new businesses to start trading in the North West in the last six months, and is currently assisting over 50 people in Chester to start their own business.

InBiz is an organisation dedicated to promoting self employment and entrepreneurship as a way off benefits and into sustainable employment. One person who has benefited from InBiz’s help is Hayley McKune, 37, from Cheshire.

Hayley and her husband, James, were involved in a motorcycle accident two years ago, which left Hayley with serious injuries including a fractured neck, pelvis, scapula and dislocated shoulder. James’s injuries left him confined to a wheelchair and a paraplegic.

Despite her debilitating injuries, Hayley wanted to return to work, but needed to retrain, as she could no longer return to her previous job as a Manager in a call centre. With both Hayley and her husband unable to work, finances were tight, and Hayley relied on grants from the Warrington Disability Partnership, the Warrington Employability Fund and the Warrington Carers Trust to help her to retrain in holistic and beauty therapy.

Hayley was determined to make her business accessible to disabled people, and enlisted the help of James her husband. With each new module, James came into college, and Hayley tailored each treatment to suit someone who has a disability. James found many of the treatments beneficial, as they helped with pain and stress relief; however, he also had to endure some of the more uncomfortable treatments including underarm waxing!

Once she was trained, Hayley approached InBiz for guidance in starting her own business, offering treatments to individuals with a disability. She was assigned a personal business adviser, Paul Knight, and was taken step by step through the process of setting up her own business, including bookkeeping, tax and marketing.

Hayley’s business, Skin & Tonic, is now up and running. www.skin-n-tonic.co.uk. Hayley said, "The motorcycle accident completely changed my life, and that of my husband. Self employment is like a new beginning for me. It is important for me to be off benefits and earning a living, as it indicates my independence. My treatments have also been of immense benefit to James, who is due to go back to college himself soon, to learn Spanish. I can’t thank InBiz, or the charities that helped me enough."

Paul Knight, InBiz Business Adviser said, "Hayley is truly an inspiration. She is dedicated to her family, and is passionate about helping others. Her dynamic nature is infectious, and I know that she will go on to become not only a successful holistic therapist, but also a successful businesswoman."

InBiz Preess Release