Lorraine Edgcumbe: Rainbows

I am a qualified accountant and have worked in automotive and manufacturing for 20 years. I am fiery and more than a little impatient and have 2 young children Lily (5) and Daniel (2) and a fantastic husband.

After my second child was born, my return to work was disappointing because I was unofficially demoted and this was not acceptable. I was not prepared to compromise myself, and therefore decided to leave, and risked a lot to make this fresh start.

My main motivation for starting my own business came from the need to set myself a new challenge. I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life, stuck in front of a PC, not really seeing and being valued for all the hard work that I have done. In addition I still feel there is a great deal of sex discrimination within the workplace, so having two small children has affected my career.  Being my own boss if my children need me, I can be there for them, without being made to feel guilty.

Where to start?

When I initially decided on my business venture, I turned to Business Link and I found the information on the website useful, but there was far too much and some of it wasn’t relevant.  In the end I contacted Business Link West Midlands by phone and they put me in touch with the Women’s Business Development Agency because I needed a mentor, and specific advice.

WBDA gave me support in a number of areas, initially helped me to focus on my business idea, it is easy to go off on a tangent, you need to stay focused. Sheridan, my business advisor, gave me the tools to help me to put together my business plan, by finalising the business plan helped understand what needed to be done, and prioritise.

She also helped me put together my marketing strategy, advertising campaign, review my cashflow, availability to information that would help, pretty, much everything. WBDA don’t take the problems away, but they do give you direction on how to deal with them, and confidence and strength in your own ability.

Sheridan also put me in touch with potential funds suppliers for small businesses.  But more importantly, and this very difficult to articulate, she gave me major emotional support, and belief.  When you start your own business you constantly question whether you are doing the right thing, even if gut instinct tells you’re right. Having Sheridan’s support whether it by email or phone or face to face has been major in my being able to set up my own business, without her and WBDA I may have gave up!

About Rainbows

Rainbows is a children’s clothes and toy shop, based in The Minories  in Stratford–Upon-Avon Town centre. The shop sells new and nearly new children’s clothes age range 0 – 7. I buy in fair trade clothes from South Africa, they are bright funky and reasonably priced.  I also buy second-hand clothes which are good brands and good quality.

I also stock a great selection of toys, including train sets, dolls, wooden toys, jigsaws, arts and crafts, kites and pocket money toys. Proper toys at affordable prices. I have a children’s play area, its pushchair friendly, I also do a lot of special events including face painting, drawing competitions, play dough sessions, Christmas arts and crafts, and music sessions.   It’s all fun, family friendly with a personal service!

Thanks to WBDA my outlook is much more realistic, and I am much more determined. The future of my business is uncertain, I will do what I can, and hope for the best!

My life has been full of highs and lows, but this way I feel like I am living. I want to prove to myself and show my children I can do more than, an average job, I do something that they can be proud of without compromising too much on their childcare.

For more information about Rainbows please contact Lorraine on 01789 261212  OR 07737725032