Success is on the cards for Newcastle’s newest entrepreneur

Lisa, 40, from Slatyford, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, turns her hobby into her livelihood, launching her own business selling handmade greetings cards and gift tags.

Lisa Child, 40, from Slatyford, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, was a lone parent, struggling to find work. Now a successful entrepreneur, she has turned her hobby into her livelihood, launching her own business selling handmade greetings cards and gift tags.

Lisa ran a property development company with her husband, but took a back seat when they started a family so she could focus on her two children, aged 16 and 7. She began making cards for friends and family as a way of providing a personal touch to her loved ones’ celebrations, and although Lisa was often complimented on her cards, she viewed it as nothing more than an enjoyable pastime.

When her marriage broke up, Lisa became a lone parent struggling without an income. Despite her experience, Lisa found it impossible to find employment that allowed her to work around her childcare requirements.

Encouraged by friends and family, she began to consider the possibility of carving out a new career with her handmade cards. Setting up a creative business was new to Lisa, and she enlisted the help of InBiz, an organisation dedicated to the promotion and development of self employment and entrepreneurship. At the office on Westgate Road, she was assigned her own business adviser, Ron Gordon.

Ron helped Lisa to set up her business, helping her with tax and marketing as well as providing her with practical support and guidance. Lisa’s business, Lizzy B, is now successfully up and running, selling handmade cards and gift tags at craft fairs. Lisa also sells her products through Party Plan, allowing people to purchase cards and gift tags from organised parties at home, similar to tuppaware parties.

Lisa said, “I needed to earn a living, but I also needed flexibility to work around my children. I have found that running my own business is the perfect way to combine the two. Embarking on a new career was a big step, but now that I am successfully making money from my hobby, I am very glad I did it.”

Karen Kenmare, InBiz Area Manager in the North East, said, “Lisa’s business is a perfect example of the work that InBiz does in Newcastle. Lisa believed that self employment could give her the flexibility and a regular income. InBiz helped Lisa to make the most of her existing talents as she set up her own business.”

InBiz Preess Release