PRIME Initiative

Made redundant at 52, and suffering from Myalgic Encephalopathy (ME), the Job Centre told Tony Palmer that his chances of paid employment were slim. Tony took matters into his own hands and started his own engraving business.

Crystal Mountain Glass sells engraved awards, wedding gifts, decanters, bowls, and paperweights, as well as rock tablets with multilevel carving, and Swarovski crystals. Tony bulk buys the glass from a supplier in Scotland, and engraves it in a 12ft x 15ft workshop in his back garden. Prices vary, with engraved pet tags at £5, Swarovski Suncatchers from £15, and Champions Trophies at £250.

Tony was made redundant in April 2008. He applied for jobs, but was never granted an interview. Tony suspected this was due to his age and health issues, and the Job Centre agreed with him. Tony says ‘I sat down and discussed it with my wife Marion. We chose self-employment because it was the only option’. On the 1st September 2008, the business was launched.

Starting up

Tony cashed in his pension to buy his equipment and start the business. The equipment cost around £12,000 as some of it had to be imported from America. By giving up his pension, Tony runs the risk of relying on job seekers allowance if the business is unsuccessful. Yet Tony is confident in his ability, and so far, all is going well.

Tony’s first step to becoming self-employed was to ‘get advice’. Tony attended free HMRC workshops on tax returns and VAT. This helped Tony decide whether to be VAT registered or not, and helped him understand about accounts and bookkeeping. Tony is now thinking of taking on an accountant to save time, but is clued up enough to know what is what.

Tony took part in Business Link workshops, which focused on starting in business, and creating a website. He plans to attend a further course on increasing website traffic, and has requested an information factsheet (or Cobweb) on the same, from PRIME. Tony’s main tip in becoming self-employed is ‘Get as much advice as possible. It is free and always valuable’. You can find details of free workshops in your area by going to www.primebusinessclub.com/category/events.

Marketing

Tony and Marion attend craft fairs each month. A pitch can cost anything between £70 and £170 for a 6 foot area. The fairs are a way of spreading the word, and can often bring in large orders a few months down the line. Tony says ‘people will talk to us at an event, then a sports day or award ceremony will pop up, and they’ll remember and give us a call’.

Tony wanted to employ a website designer, but every quote was four figures so he did it himself instead. Tony went to www.123-reg.co.uk and bought a domain name. It was then about £70 for a software package, which allowed Tony to upload information via already formatted templates.

When looking for a glass supplier, Tony made a shrewd move with The Glass Scribe International in Scotland. As well as getting a good deal on wholesale glass, Tony became sole distributor for The Glass Scribe in London. This meant that Tony got a free listing as a stockist on The Glass Scribe’s website, as well as being able to show off his collection to those picking up orders.

Networking

Tony attends a small business club, once a month, in Thurrock. ‘It is good to mix with businesses that are in different stages of development’ says Tony. People share knowledge and tips, and it is also a good chance to gain contacts, and talk about your own product.

Problems

Tony suffers from Myalgic Encephalopathy (ME). ME can cause severe fatigue and malaise after mental or physical activity. Tony’s old job demanded long periods of working at a computer screen - about 60 per cent of the time. Tony would be able to keep this up for several weeks - but would then have to take time off to recover. Now his own boss, Tony can have what his specialist calls ‘a modified living style’. He brakes up his time in front of the computer, interchanging it with other aspects of the business. As a result, Tony’s ME becomes more manageable.

Seven months after Crystal Mountain Glass began, the business is now beginning to fund itself. But work is sporadic, and Tony and Marion sometimes have to dip into their bank account to keep the cash flow going. This is a temporary solution, until orders become more regular.

What Tony really wants is enough profit to support a showroom or a shop. That way people could peruse the collection first hand, just like they do at the craft fairs.

Contact

Crystal Mountain Glass
23 Somerset Gardens
Basildon
Essex
SS13 3JJ
Tel: 07504 779038
E-mail: tony.palmer@crystalmountainglass.co.uk
Website: www.crystalmountainglass.co.uk