The South West Enterprise Fund supports entrepreneur to pursue handmade jewellery business

Thanks to Founders Nick Robinson and Giles Smallwood, The South West Enterprise FundA sum of money made available for grant making, often with specific criteria/conditions. (SWEF) has recently launched to give young entrepreneurs in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly the opportunity to develop their business through grants and business support. The first round of grants have been administered and distributed through Cornwall Community Foundation.
Paige Pleasants, a 27-year-old sole trader of Teylu Collective, the handcrafted jewellery business based in Hayle, received £1,990 from the fund. Paige plans to expand her business by creating new statement pieces to sell to a wider community online and at different business fairs across the county.

Online presence is vital for Paige to build her community and bring in more sales. She estimates that approximately 50% of sales are through the social channel, Instagram and her customers are primarily based in Cornwall and the South West however, with the ease of online shopping, sales have been made throughout the UK. Recently, Paige has paid for a new website to showcase her jewellery and to bring sales in from all over the UK. This cost Paige just over £400 but is essential to help the business grow.

The grant from the South West Enterprise Fund has been greatly received. Paige plans to use the funding to buy more tools which will help to speed up the process of creating the jewellery and to create those new items as well as saving her time. The funding will also go towards paying a photographer for a half-day product shoot, leading to better quality images for marketing purposes.

Paige adds, “Obtaining the SWEF funding is exactly what my business needed. It will help move my business from a small start-up, part-time jewellery business into a full-time career, something I have always been aiming for. I will be able to make new designs and branch out into different areas such as engagement jewellery, expand my skill set and reach new customers. Making jewellery is my passion, I find it extremely therapeutic and rewarding to see customers visions and designs come to life, I am excited to be able to do this more and more”.

The South West Enterprise Fund offers grants of up to £2,000 to people aged 30 or under, living in Cornwall with initiative and a strong work ethic.

For more information, visit the South West Enterprise Fund website.