Rachel had been self employed for over 10 years hosting fitness classes in the local community and offering sports massage to a small client base too either working from home or via her mobile service. She wanted to bring her services together in one venue to encourage more social interaction between her clients and the wider community with the chance of some relaxation too.

A suitable premises came up in Brixham where this vision could become a reality, so she took the plunge on the lease and opened the doors to her first treatment room and coffee bar on 24th Nov!

Check out our interview with our 1000th client Rachel to find out more about her experience of starting a business and applying for a Start Up Loan with Outset Finance.

Owner: Rachel McCaskie
Business name: ShipShape Treatments & Coffee Bar
Based in: Brixham, Devon

1. What was your experience of working with the Outset Finance team?

I found the service to be straightforward and efficient with a range of helpful tools and templates available to support the creation of a robust business plan and final application for a Start Up Loan of £14K. The funding helped with the sourcing of the new premises and the initial refurbishment too.

I also took advantage of the free 1:1 support and workshop training from the local companion Outset Start-up and Grow service too. 1:1 time with a knowledgeable local advisor was really reassuring and helped me to maintain focus in the run up to the salon opening. The option of local referrals for website design, and printing was also very useful. I was able to benefit from flexible access to the workshop support in and around the other demands on my time to further build my confidence in a range of areas from social media to cash flow forecasting.

2. Would you recommend Outset Finance?

Yes, I would definitely recommend. The knowledge that the Start Up Loan from Outset Finance was affordable with breathing space if needed was very reassuring. The additional local ‘Outset Start-up and Grow’ business support is really useful for any small business owner, it helps you think more commercially and gives you the confidence that you are heading in the right direction with your new business

3. What is your vision for the future?

In time, I would like to take the Brixham model to another outlet in Torbay in potentially the next 12-18 months, together with investigating the return from ‘pop-up’ events in the local area too.