Business support service facilitates the successful launch of CSH Thermography
THE Welsh Government’s Business Wales service has helped a local entrepreneur set up his own thermography business in Bridgend.
Set up by Chris Harding, CSH Thermography provides diagnostic thermographic services to the Engineering and Manufacturing sectors, allowing you to instantly visualise and verify thermal performance in real time.
The business specialises in thermographic surveying for commercial, industrial and domestic clients by using a thermal imaging camera. The surveys show information such as heat loss through the property, insulation issues, water and moisture damage, and aim to help with reducing unscheduled downtime, improving reliability and reducing expensive repair costs for industry.
When Chris decided to utilise his skills, local knowledge and 25 years’ industry experience to start his own business but didn’t know how to go about it, he approached Business Wales for help with start-up support, business planning and marketing.
He attended a ‘Starting and Running a Business – Taking the Plunge’ workshop to gain valuable business knowledge and was subsequently supported by Business Wales adviser Shahid Islam.
Shahid advised Chris on the start-up process and helped him with his business plan, legal status, tax, tendering, financial and marketing planning, and signposted him to further relevant support organisations.
Chris commented: “Once I completed the course, Shahid got in touch with me about possible ideas and who to market CSH Thermography to. At the time, it was good to get the insight of somebody else, from outside my circle and offer their input. Given Shahid’s experience as a business adviser, his perspective was really important to me. He has put me in touch with invaluable local contacts and I can just drop him an email or a text, and he is always ready to answer my queries. I am really grateful to Business Wales as I am new to business and it’s always nice to have reliable support and advice when I need it.”
Shahid said: “It is admirable to see a local Bridgend entrepreneur start such a specialist business in Wales. Despite being new to business, with our workshops and subsequent advisory support, Chris was able to gain valuable skills, knowledge and most importantly, confidence, to start his business. I look forward to seeing how he grows CSH Thermography in future.”
Here are Chris’s top tips for anyone else looking to start or grow their own business:
If you have a business idea, don’t delay it – get the ball rolling.
Get as much help as possible from anyone, absorb all the information you can and utilise it to help your business. Having come from an industry background, I needed all the help I could get to promote the services as well as myself online; Business Wales is a great start, courses are free and the help and support is there when you need it.
Use social media – set up Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages for your business alongside your website. Social media adverts are very reasonably priced, putting them out can be easier. Business Wales, which is funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government, supports the sustainable growth of small and medium-size enterprises across the country by offering access to information, guidance and business support.
To find out how Business Wales can help start or develop your business, call 03000 6 03000, follow @_businesswales or @_ busnescymru or visit www. businesswales.gov.wales/ or www. busnescymru.llyw.cymru/ for further information.