For many people, facing the prospect of redundancy is intimidating in the extreme, but not for David Fricker. When news broke that the framing department of an art and craft shop was to be closed down, David knew that he would soon be out of a job.
Whilst many would have looked around for possible employment opportunities, David saw this as a chance to use the skills he had acquired in the picture framing business over the past twelve years, and set up on his own. This was the beginning of Framewerks, a bespoke picture mounting and framing service for home, office or exhibition.
David's girlfriend recommended that he contact the Colchester Business Enterprise Agency (Colbea) to find out about their Business Planning Courses. She had attended a course herself a couple of years previously, and found it to be an excellent introduction to self employment. David was soon enrolled on one of the many courses that are held throughout the year. Taking place on one day a week over five weeks, the course is flexible enough to take into account the needs of those still working, or in the throes of setting up their own business. All the delegates produce a business plan, which includes financial objectives, a cashflow forecast, and an analysis of overheads. David has been able to use this to set targets for his business and measure his progress. "The course was very useful and made me think about many aspects of running a business", David explains. "It's a great exercise for anyone in my situation.
