Enterprising Communities - Case Study I

Justin Sparkes

Justin SparkesFormer computer engineer Justin Sparkes, 40, is unemployed and has spent the time being a full time dad to his daughter. 

When his daughter turned 15, Justin, from Clare, decided that it was his time to make a mark on the world and start his own business. He approached MENTA for advice on his business idea and is now gaining qualifications to enable him to set up his own company.

Justin said: “I started thinking about becoming self employed two years ago. I was fed up with being poorly treated by companies and because I am now unemployed I decided that I wanted to be the boss. It is nerve wracking but I thought if I don’t do this now, I never will.”

One day while Justin was visiting the Job Centre, they told him about an open day that was taking place at Haverhill. He decided to take a look and spoke to a business advisor from MENTA. He then had a one-to-one with an Enterprise Coach in Haverhill and where he got to talk through his idea to start a secondhand furniture business. Justin also attended some of the many free MENTA courses available including bookkeeping and finance and the ‘Do You Want to be Your Own Boss?’ workshop held as part of the Enterprising Communities project in Haverhill.

“MENTA were fantastic. Just to have a sounding board for my idea was very important. They really understand all aspects of running a business and the pitfalls. They have guided me in the right direction,” Justin said.

He is now hoping to get his business of the ground this year and thanks to advice from MENTA has been studying for further qualifications to help him in the administration of his future business. With the help of the LEAP Centre in Sudbury Justin is studying City & Guilds in Numeracy and English, first aid and food hygiene.