A FORMER operations manager has new plans in the pipeline – after deciding to set up his own plumbing firm.

Jo Duncan, who lives in Atherton, was made redundant at the age of 51 from his job at a smart card company.

With nearly 20 years of his working life still to go and having grown tired of the constant travel of his old role, he decided to set up his own business for the first time.

He has received support from GC Business Growth Hub’s start-up business support programme to set up Flush It Plumbing.

To help him, Mr Duncan signed up for his local Start Smart programme in Wigan in March, ran locally by GC Business Growth Hub in partnership with People Plus.

Over four sessions, Mr Duncan and other participants looking to start their businesses were taken through the different steps of setting up a business, while also receiving bespoke personal support from their business advisor Sheryl Clare.

Mr Duncan had previously worked in the building trade when he was younger, as both a roofer and a plumber, so already had the knowledge and skills needed to take up the profession again.

However, he was less sure about some of the day-to-day aspects of running a business, such as accounting and marketing. Sheryl put him in touch with an accountant to make sure the important legal requirement of a business to produce accounts was completed correctly.

In addition, Mr Duncan was put on workshops focused on writing for social media platforms to help him promote his new business effectively. As a result, Flush It Plumbing can now be found on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Sheryl also helped Joe to access the New Employment Allowance available to people in his situation.

Mr Duncan said: “I really enjoyed taking part in the Start Smart course. I got to meet some great people and it helped me to get everything set up properly, so I could focus on then getting my name out there and attracting customers.

“Sheryl was fantastic at sitting down with me and identifying where I needed help most to make the business a success. She knew people use the internet and social media nowadays to find a workman, and so spent time making sure I had the skills I’d need so I wouldn’t miss out on potential customers.”

Janine Richardson, Self-Employment Project Manager from GC Business Growth Hub said: “Joe found himself in a position that a lot of people unfortunately have found themselves in recent years; losing his job through no fault of his own.

"Nonetheless, he had the wherewithal to take stock of his career-to-date, think about what he had enjoyed doing earlier in his professional life, revive those skills and turn them into a viable business that mean he can continue to make a living.”

Start Smart is run by GC Business Growth Hub, part of The Growth Company. Businesses looking to access specialist support can visit www.businessgrowthhub.com for more information.