A Stafford estate agency has won the Customer Service Excellence Award at this year's Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce Business Awards, five years after launching with support from county council programmes.
Mike and Rachel Bailey, who run EweMove Stafford, accessed Staffordshire County Council business support when starting their venture. The award recognises their service standards and growth within the local market.
Community involvement from the start
Since launching, the couple have built community connections into their business model. They work with Stafford College to provide work experience and paid opportunities for students. A proportion of fees from each sale is donated to House of Bread, a local charity. The couple have also structured their employment policy around flexibility to broaden opportunities for staff.
Mike Bailey said: "Launching our own business was daunting, but we have strong backgrounds in sales and knew we could make it work. We looked around for support and found that there were a variety of programmes available from Staffordshire County Council, which enabled us to invest in the kit we needed and plot a route to growth. That support really helped put us on the right trajectory and lay solid foundations for the business."
Rachel Bailey grew up in Stafford. Mike added: "There is so much about the town to celebrate and appreciate. From the outset we knew that giving back was going to be a key part of our business model."
County council support available to other businesses
The couple are now encouraging other new businesses to explore the comprehensive support available through Staffordshire County Council. Programmes include Get Started and Grow, which offers expert advice in marketing, legal and finance for companies up to five years old, and the Start-up Mentoring Scheme.
Robin Hall, Staffordshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills, said: "EweMove Stafford is a great example of what can happen when ambition, the right business support and a genuine commitment to the community come together. In just five years, Mike and Rachel have built an award-winning business, created employment and learning opportunities, and supported an important local charity."
Small and micro-businesses account for around nine in ten businesses across Staffordshire. More information about county council business support is available on the Staffordshire County Council business support webpage.
