NBV’s Grant for Enterprise strikes again and helps Derby-based business Abigail Warner Ltd continue to grow her luxury paper goods and bespoke wedding stationery business.
Luxury paper goods for Selfridges and Celebrities
Based in the Sadler Bridge Studios in the heart of the Derby Cathedral Quarter, Abigail Warner and her team are as busy as bees creating beautiful paper goods for clients all over the UK & Europe, such as Selfridges, Fenwick’s, Harrods and with the odd celebrity and some royalty thrown in! With a love for playful design and traditional print-making techniques, Abigail started her business 9 years ago with the goal of seeking creative freedom and a sense of achievement, she adds: “I was doing really well in my corporate role but it just wasn’t enough for me.”
Like any new starter business, Abigail was faced with challenges such as getting start-up funding, copy cats and market saturation. Abigail adds: “I think most manufacturing business – no matter how small – face these challenges. Then there are the general challenges like staffing, not enough hours in the day and business premises etc. It’s how you face them though – and I’m very lucky that I’m a very tenacious and positive person!”
“I want to leave a legacy of being a successful female entrepreneur.”
As a growing business with an increasing amount of orders and projects coming in, Abigail needed a financial boost and found out about NBV through the Department of Trade and Industry. She applied for the Grant for Enterprise which contributed £2,500 to the cost of purchasing an IMac and upgrades to her website. One of the benefits of the new equipment has been to allow some of Abigail’s team to develop new skills and allow Abigail herself to delegate some tasks, freeing her up to continue growing the business.
She adds: “NBV have been very supportive and helpful, and we have been incredibly lucky to also have the support of the Derby Enterprise Growth Fund, who have awarded us a mix of funding and a loan too – so that the staff that were working freelance for me are now full-time members of staff.”
For more information about Abigail Warner Ltd and her beautiful designs, you can contact her by:
website: http://www.abigailwarner.com
phone: 07801 566 345
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AbigailWarnerDesign
Instagram: www.instagram.com/amlwarner
If you would like to apply for the Grant For Enterprise, contact NBV on: 0844 887 2568* or visit: www.nbv.co.uk/growing-a-business/grant-for-enterprise/
*calls cost 5p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge