Emma discussed her plans with her Jobcentre Plus adviser who referred her to Prevista’s New Enterprise Allowance (NEA) programme. Emma was paired up with Prevista’s Business Adviser, Nadine Bokhoory, who provided her with specialist business start-up advice and guidance. Nadine recalls:

“When I met Emma, we discussed the business model in great detail. I explained to her how best to go about writing a business plan; guided her through the financial forecasting process and encouraged her to consider group as well as one-to-one sessions in order to maximise profitability. Over a period of 8 weeks we developed a plan and a forecasting model.”

Emma strongly believes that her business can not only be profitable but also deliver a service with a real social impact. Emma explains:

“What really sets us apart from other similar organisations is the fact that our services will incorporate positive reinforcement/imagery, meditation and Neuro-Linguistic programming techniques, which promote mindfulness and wellbeing. Our tagline is ‘Educational Solutions for Ethical Parents’. We aim to unlock potential and prevent students succumbing to failure and underachievement brought on by damage caused by life-stress, pushy parents and negative experiences of the school environment.”

Moreover, Emma hopes to target underprivileged pupils who would not normally have the opportunity to access private tuition. As a result, Nadine recommended a social enterprise model as it would increase credibility and open up routes to funding; Nadine explains:

“Emma and I discussed the alternative legal structure that would have to be adopted if she wished to position herself as a social enterprise and the various funding opportunities available to educational projects and delivery. After careful consideration, Emma and her husband agreed that this would be the most beneficial structure for the business.”

Emma’s business is currently at the development stage but with Nadine’s advice and support it is excellently placed to become a sustainable social enterprise that is both profitable and beneficial to society. Emma says:

“Nadine’s guidance has been incredibly useful and informative. His advice has ranged from suggestions around pricing and delivery models to the structure of the organisation as a whole. Most importantly, he has advised us on where and how to source funding so that young people from less affluent backgrounds will have the same opportunities as those whose parents can afford private tuition”.