Collaborating in the kitchen (and our Cardiff Accelerator Hub)
Valerie met representatives of our bank at a Business Wales event. "As I immersed myself in the world of startups, I unearthed opportunities, from funding to the food and drink accelerator hub," Valerie said. "Meeting a NatWest representative sealed the deal for me.
"In the crucial early stages, having access to experts with invaluable contacts and the wisdom they imparted proved to be priceless. I gained insights into effective marketing, honed the art of narrating my business story to potential investors, and became part of a vibrant community of like-minded entrepreneurs.
"Forging meaningful connections within the hub not only influenced our strategic approach but also provided a broader perspective. It prompted me to confront tough questions about the 'direction of travel' and my role in steering the business. Having a community attuned to the nuances of my sector has been truly invaluable.
"While I may yearn to linger in the hub indefinitely, the support doesn't cease even after departure; I maintain regular contact with several individuals from the bank, including Blessing and Julia. These enduring relationships are something I genuinely cherish.
Blessing Mutamba, Business Inclusion Programme Manager, said: "During Valerie’s time on the accelerator, we focused on her personal development as well as her entrepreneurial journey. For example, one topic Valerie and I talked about was her not burning out and how to overcome the feeling of always being needed in the business.
"Valerie is a qualified auditor, so we also explored how she could transfer some of her skills and knowledge from her previous corporate career into running the business. A great thing about the Accelerator is that it’s an entrepreneur accelerator, rather than a business accelerator because the person driving the company’s progress is just as important but can sometimes have different needs. Each person’s journey will be different, so taking the time to know Valerie, helped build a strong foundation for making sure she got the most out of her tailored coaching sessions as well as all the wrap around support."
Julia Adams, Enterprise Acceleration Manager, added: "Through our sessions, Valerie realised that she could no longer do everything herself, even though she had staff, she was very involved in every day-to-day procedure and process and everything came back to her. This created significant workload and stress for her and impacted on her work-life balance.
"In our last session, she could see how she had moved from an operational and infrastructure focused role into a leadership and strategic position. She felt that she understood the business side of things more and that she was more in control of the business so could look at growth more creatively and lead into the future."
Valerie joined our programme remotely due to the distance she was located from Cardiff. She then migrated into the Digital Hub offering when then was set up following the re-opening of the physical spaces after the Covid pandemic.
