Success Story
| Region/Nation | North West |
|---|---|
| Sector | Arts, Entertainment and Leisure |
| Programme | Start Up Loans |
Joanne Boulton worked for five years as a photographer for a training company, before deciding to go it alone and start her own photography business.
She took the decision when her son moved out to go to university, affording her more spare time. With the help of a Start Up Loan of £2,500 in October 2015, she was able to lay the foundations for Jo Boulton Photography, investing the funds largely in executing a marketing campaign.
The campaign was a success. Joanne now specialises in wedding, family and newborn photography. She enjoys the creativity that is central to wedding photography, which she describes as an industry that has undergone a lot of change in recent years. She also regards wedding photography as a sound foundation on which to build a business, as people will continue to get married and will invariably want professional photographs taken on the day.
Photographing newborns is another aspect of the job that she greatly enjoys and she says it is becoming an increasingly popular option among new parents.
Evidently business is going well and Joanne hopes to take on a member of administration staff. After trading for two years, she has moved the operation across to a new two-room studio in Preston. Clearly Joanne’s business has built the solid base she anticipated and it looks set to thrive.
Quick links
More success stories
Read a success story about Woof The Yorkshire Dog Shop
Natalie Press is the founder of Woof The Yorkshire Dog Shop (Woof), which sells a wide range of organic, grain-free and sustainable pet products.
Read a success story about We Make Footballers
Leon Stapleton, founder of We Make Footballers Cardiff, a football training academy for children aged 4-12. Applying for a £15,000 Start Up Loan meant that Leon was able to launch the first We Make Footballers franchise in Wales.
Read a success story about Two Blues Solar
Dan Levene is co-founder of Two Blues Solar, a solar panel installation business which addresses the growing demand for sustainable solutions to help drive the nation's net-zero agenda.
Sign up for our newsletter
Just add your details to receive updates and news from Start Up Loans
Sign up to our newsletter