Passion for peace inspired Sharon to be self-employed
JOINING a local CND group not only allowed Sharon Dolan-Powers to stand up for what she believed in but it inspired her to launch a new business.
Using her eye for detail and love of art and craft, the 58-year- old launched the Bonny Badge Company last year after designing and making badges for CND members to wear.
Thanks to her clever use of social media, Sharon, who lives in Clachan Seil near Oban, has built a loyal Twitter following of 1,200 people who love the quirky and individual products she sells, from badges, coasters and magnets to clocks, compact mirrors and tote bags.
With demand for new products, such as mugs and T-shirts growing, and with cus- tomers stretching all the way to Australia, she turned to Business Gateway Argyll and Bute for advice on how to take her business to the next stage.
She said: ‘I’d had support from Business Gateway some years ago when I set up a business with my husband down in Dum- fries and Galloway, so I knew I could turn to them when I realised I needed to up my game. Sometimes when you’re doing everything in a business you can’t see the wood for the trees, so the advice I was given really helped me focus and highlighted routes of investment that I could go down to help me buy new equipment.
‘ The plan now is to sign up to some of the free seminars, particularly those about social media, to help me capitalise and grow on the following I’ve already generated.’
For more visit http://the-bonny- badgecompany.myshopify.com.
To find out how Business Gateway can help you set up and develop your own business, call 01546 808 363 or visit www. bgateway.com/argyll-and- bute.