BUSINESS SUPPORT
Gamal Almaitamy
set up a coffee
business
Course perks
up coffee dream
“I always wanted to start something as a
business,” said a local entrepreneur who
gained the confidence to begin his own
coffee business after going on a free course
offered by Ealing Council.
G
amal Almaitamy from Ealing
set up YeMan Coffee after
attending the Pop-up
Business School offered in
collaboration with the council. Anyone
in Ealing who wanted to learn new skills,
had a business idea or a new business
were able to book a place on the course
and receive practical advice and training
alongside like-minded people.
The course has had a track record
of inspiring entrepreneurs and aims to
encourage local people to turn their
passions into businesses. And this
last one was no different.
Gamal, who imports his coffee from
Yemen before blending it, said: “I have
always been eager to learn new things
and have attended many business
courses, but this has been the first one
to bring me closer to toward making
the dream into a reality.”
Janice Bowes, also from Ealing,
started her own food catering business,
called Jaylive Caribbean Caterings, after
attending the Pop-up Business School
classes. She credited the course for
‘empowering’ her to take the final step.
She said: “My true passion has
always been cooking but I rarely
found the time for it. After becoming
redundant at 56 I was really spurred on
to turn my side hustle into a business.”
The one-week workshop explained
how to start a business with no money,
including building a website for free.
It also provided advice on sales and
marketing, finding customers, managing
social media and understanding taxes,
company structure and legal challenges.
Councillor Jasbir Anand, the
council’s cabinet member for business
and community services, said: “As part
of our commitment to opportunities
and living incomes, we are delighted
when we are able to support a course
such as this one to help residents
gain the practical knowledge and
the confidence they need to develop
their entrepreneurial ideas and realise
their aspirations.”
Visit www.ealingworkwest.com
to find out more about local jobs,
training and employment opportunities.
Are you Fit to Bid?
The council is funding a new
programme to help local
companies. ‘Fit to Bid’ will be run
by Branduin Business Support.
It will help 20 small-to-medium
firms to grow by becoming ready
to bid for, and win, contracts with
large organisations. For more
details, visit www.fittobid.co.uk
Janice Bowes set up a catering business
around ealing February/March 2020
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