Chamber Member Sandra Edwards has used her unique skill set to set up and run her own personal coaching service.
A former NHS podiatrist and professional development expert, Sandra has also been involved in judging and coaching dressage riders.
She said: “Sandra Edwards Consulting is a professional and personal development service. It’s about helping people to become successful in any aspect of their life. I deal with health and wellbeing issues like weight loss, limiting belief, phobias, lack of confidence and help people through Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) and hypnotherapy.
“I work a lot with sports people to build confidence and use sports psychology methods. I’ve got a riding and dressage background and I’ve been able to incorporate that into the business.”
Sandra had a long career in the NHS as a clinical podiatrist, before moving into professional and personal development in the same field. Her passion for this aspect of her role spurred her on to undertake and complete hypnosis and NLP qualifications and set up a business.
At the time of starting the business, Sandra had recently been made redundant and was referred to St Helens Chamber through her local Job Centre Plus. Sandra said: “I went to the Job Centre, but it wasn’t what I was looking for. I didn’t want a job as such, but wanted to develop my business.
“I was referred to St Helens Chamber on the New Enterprise Allowance (NEA) and it was the best thing that ever happened to me.
“After being referred, I landed at St Helens Chamber on a Monday morning and the next day my Business Coach, Steve Mather, signed me up for a start-up workshop.
“I would recommend anyone that has missed out on the New Enterprise Allowance to get themselves on it, it has been really good.”
The New Enterprise Allowance is a package of government support worth up to £2000 to unemployed people who want to start their own business. Sandra attended a four week ‘Understanding Enterprise’ at St Helens Chamber course where she learned the fundamental principles of running a business.
She said: “We sat down to do the business plan and discussed how it was going to work. The course also gave me the tools I needed to look after the marketing and finance side of things. It really made it black and white helped me to focus on how to build my business up.”
As well receiving support from St Helens Chamber’s Start Up service, Sandra has also been making use of the benefits of her Chamber Membership. She said: “I did the Business Fair as a Start Up, which really helps you to focus and get your business out there. I have also been to some of the Business Breakfast networking events.
Sandra Edwards Consulting is going from strength to strength and the next few months are filling up. Sandra said: “The next 6 months are looking busy. The rider confidence workshops that I deliver have been picked up by the national body and are running in Wales, the Isle of Man and around the North West.
“On the back of this I have been able to develop the personal coaching side of the business. I love one to one coaching and to see people on their own personal journeys.”
For more information about Sandra Edwards Consulting visit the Facebook page @sandraedwardsconsulting
For more information about the support available from St Helens Chamber to start a business, call 0845 340 9980, email startup@sthelenschamber.com, or visit http://www.sthelenschamber.com/startup
If you are unemployed and thinking of starting a business, speak to your JobCentre Plus adviser for more information about the New Enterprise Allowance Scheme.
