Charmaine Pollard | Counsellor

Charmaine Pollard owns and manages CP Counselling and Consulting, working with people experiencing personal difficulties. Her services include counselling, confidence building, group work and training, tailored to meet individual needs. These services help clients reflect on experiences and empower them to make positive choices that enrich the quality of their lives. HBV Enterprise used LDA ‘Business London’ programme funding to support Charmaine, who told us more about her experience of going into business.

“I was passionate about starting my own business, but I always put it off until next year. So when I was faced with redundancy, I decided to seize the opportunity and go for it. I felt I needed help and advice with my marketing strategy, which to be honest was non-existent! Then I had a chance conversation with someone who had used HBV Enterprise. She said the support she had received there was excellent.

I was so impressed by the service I received. My advisor David Lobley has been a huge source of support. I can’t thank him enough, and he is such a professional. He’s friendly, genuinely interested in my business and clearly knowledgeable in providing business advice. He introduced me to business success seminars led by HBV, and also a fantastic opportunity. I joined other HBV clients at a Barclays Bank seminar on making more profit, led by Robert Craven, a renowned business guru.

David and I worked collaboratively on my goals and vision for the future. I became more confident in marketing and selling, which has had a profound impact on my profit. The overall impact of HBV’s support is massive, because running a business can be lonely at times. Knowing that I had someone to turn to for support and to celebrate my successes and achievements has been extremely valuable. The increased confidence it gave me has also spilled over to all areas of my life.

Starting up was probably the easiest part. It was really exciting, seeing for the first time my business cards and stationery printed with my company name on it. Best of all, I have the flexibility and freedom of being able to work how and when I want, and to be as creative as I want to be. The shift from viewing myself as a company rather than an individual has been the most challenging. Also, I’m so enthusiastic & passionate about the services I provide. That means I just love helping, supporting and watching individuals grow and develop. It’s quite easy to fall into a system of working too much, so it’s important to be disciplined, so that you don’t lose out on your family and social life.

Looking forward, I plan to sign up for HBV’s Growth Programme. I will also implement my marketing strategy, and become fit to supply and tender for larger contracts with local authorities. HBV will always be a part of my plans, even if I become a millionaire. I may still need to run something by my adviser, because he’s the man!!! My advice to anyone wanting to start up on their own is to just go for it. Make sure, however, that you have a mentor / business advisor (preferably from HBV of course) who is with you every step of your journey!”

To find out more visit www.cp-counselling-consulting.co.uk.