British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans programme hits two funding milestones
Entrepreneurs often dream of opening a business for months, or even years, before they take the leap and set the process in motion. In every business owner’s life, there comes a moment when they say “Yes” and make the decision to work toward becoming a successful business owner.
The timing of that crucial decision point, and the journey to get there, is different for everyone. It can be a moment when they decide to apply for funding, to create a website, or draft up a business plan. For budding entrepreneurs looking to take their first step into the world of business ownership, however big or small, that vital ‘Yes’ moment can be life-changing.
Here, business owners from across the UK who took out a government-backed Start Up Loan share what that ‘Yes’ moment looked like for them, how they got to that point, and how it felt, to inspire others who might be considering starting a business in 2022.
Rahma Ahmed Ali and Nura Nur secured a Start Up Loan of £10,000 in July 2021 through Sharia Enterprise to start their alternative dairy brand Tribal Milk. Tribal Milk drinks use camel milk, which is a staple product in Africa and has many health benefits including less lactose, higher protein and less saturated fat compared to cow’s milk. Rahma and Nura plan to launch their products in early 2022 and to continue to develop innovative products with a dairy twist.
Rahma Ahmed Ali, co-founder of Tribal Milk, said: “Deciding to say ‘Yes’ to starting my own business was a very daunting and nerve-wrecking decision. However, looking back at it now, it was one of the best decisions that I’ve ever made, and it makes me very hopeful for the future knowing that this brand that we have worked hard to build is growing and will hopefully continue to grow.
“For individuals deciding whether to say ‘Yes’ to starting a business, we recommend looking at the absolute minimum you need to get started, whether that be finding a mentor or applying for funding, and just doing it. You need to get going and build to succeed.”
Amy Fleuriot and Bee Friedmann took out a Start Up Loan of £5,000 in 2013 to launch Hiro & Wolf, a brand that makes accessories for pets including collars and bow ties. The pair met while walking their dogs in Hackney, East London, and eventually decided to combine their skills to launch a business named after their two dogs. Their Start Up Loans funding was initially used for materials, printing, and marketing, which were essential to the launch of the business’ Columbia Road shop.
Amy Fleuriot-Reade, co-founder of Hiro & Wolf, said: “I remember someone saying that the most important thing about starting your own business is to start! Sometimes you just have to roll up your sleeves and get on with it, you’ve got to keep saying ‘Yes’ when it feels right.
“This attitude served us well during lockdown when our team were all on furlough and it was back to just Bee and I. We continued to say ‘yes’ to our dreams for Hiro & Wolf, despite the challenges we faced along the line, and it has paid off.”
Lamar Griffith and Reece Walker, both 22, set up 21st Century Repairs, a van-based phone repair service based in Nottingham in January 2019. They wanted to make a business that did something unique and so, with Reece’s background in phone repair, and Lamar’s skills in marketing and content creation, they decided to bring convenience to the mobile services market. They used their loan to purchase their van and van branding.
Lamar Griffith and Reece Walker, co-founders of 21st Century Repairs, said: “We said ‘Yes’ to starting our own business because we didn’t like the idea of working for someone else. We wanted to work to better ourselves and make our own luck our own way. Once we made that decision, we were excited and ready to go, but knew there would be a long road ahead.”
“Our advice to any new business owner would be to avoid overdoing things at the beginning. Pace yourself: make a list, complete everything on it, and then take a break. It’s best to take things step by step.”
Since the Start Up Loans programme began in 2012, the program has delivered more than 90,552 loans of up to £25,000 to business owners across the UK who said “yes”, amounting to more than £819m. Of those who have since received a loan, 40% were women; more than 20% were people from Black, Asian, and other ethnic minority communities (excluding White minorities); and over 30% were previously unemployed.
Richard Bearman, managing director of Start-Up Loans, said: “Delivering over 90,000 loans and providing £800 million of funding is a huge milestone for the programme and reflects the ambition and determination the nation’s small businesses have demonstrated over the past few years.”
“It’s brilliant to hear the stories of how business owners felt when they said ‘Yes’ to becoming their own boss. Our Ambassadors often tell us that, despite how nerve-wracking it may be to start a business, saying ‘Yes’ and firmly making the decision to go for it is half the battle.”
“Start Up Loans offer many great resources for entrepreneurs on the cusp of saying ‘yes’ to starting a business. Our pre-loan support package, and mentoring scheme once a loan has been provided, mean all recipients are supported during one of the most exciting, but daunting, decisions of their lives.”
Breakdown of loans by region
| UK Region | Loans Made | Amount Lent (£) | Average Loan Amount (£) |
| East Midlands | 5,066 | 44,501,346 | 8,784 |
| East of England | 6,344 | 58,512,373 | 9,223 |
| Isle of Man | 2 | 10,000 | 5,000 |
| London | 19,404 | 173,305,309 | 8,931 |
| North East | 5,004 | 44,246,076 | 8,842 |
| North West | 11,247 | 98,555,203 | 8,763 |
| Northern Ireland | 1,392 | 11,485,814 | 8,251 |
| Scotland | 5,825 | 49,527,271 | 8,503 |
| South East | 8,781 | 86,784,808 | 9,883 |
| South West | 7,772 | 69,268,817 | 8,913 |
| Wales | 4,142 | 40,521,524 | 9,783 |
| West Midlands | 7,522 | 67,121,954 | 8,923 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 7,803 | 72,509,654 | 9,293 |
| Region not obtained | 248 | 3,077,521 | 12,409 |
| Grand Total | 90,552 | 819,427,669 | 8,964 |