Skills Bootcamps in Lancashire supporting local businesses

It was an epiphany – we thought, why haven’t we done this before?”
Those are the words of a woman helped by the Lancashire Skills Bootcamp while retraining as a dog groomer.

Former graphic designer Heidi Atkinson enrolled last April on the short training course thanks to the Lancashire Skills and Employment Hub, which supports Lancashire County Council and other local authorities and gives people opportunities to upskill or retrain.

Devoted to her own two pooches – Alfie, a Chihuahua, and Bentley, a long-haired standard dachshund – Heidi decided to take the plunge and set up her own business after taking redundancy earlier this year.

The mum happened to be scrolling through Facebook at home one evening in April when she came across the course.

“I just saw an advert on Facebook so I clicked on it and answered some questions,” she said. “Then they got in touch, and because of where I live, and the fact that I was starting my own business, it was free.”

During the 12 week course, delivered by the Small Business Academy based in Blackpool, the 48-year-old benefited from twice weekly three-hour sessions, and began writing a business plan and getting intensive help from the digital bootcamp to market her company, before fully launching in July with a name inspired by her love of dogs.

She added:

“I decided to call it ‘Spoilt Rotten,’ as my own two dogs are definitely spoilt rotten! I wanted to offer a full service for pooches with all pamper treatments included as standard.”

Although it felt ‘scary’ at first, the practicalities of successful marketing were addressed by the training she received from the Lancashire Skills Bootcamp.

“Dog grooming is something I’ve always wanted to do, because I love animals,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to do it, but never really had the courage, and I felt quite overwhelmed to start off with. But then I thought, I’m just going to do it, because if I don’t do it now, I’m never going to do it.

“But it was scary, and I worried about whether or not it was going to be successful, and whether the phone was going to ring – it’s the unknown.”

Heidi, from Blackpool, added:

“I have not paid a penny for marketing the business, thanks to the help from the Lancashire Skills Bootcamp, which enabled me to set up the business on social media, on a website, and on Google business. The bootcamps taught me how to look at the most effective channels to focus on, and how to monitor and improve searchability for business.

“The areas we covered were knowing your audience, where your clients are at, organic social media, websites, Google, Google ads, SEO, Meta ads, design and design creation, branding, LinkedIn, email marketing and formulating an action plan. I also got training in Meta campaigns, Google ads and blog posts, which I can’t wait to use in the future.”

The business rapidly went from strength to strength and soon expanded to include mobile dog grooming. Her standard treatments include a warm hydro bath, towel-dry with fluffy white towels and dryers, a facial, a ‘pawdicure,’ a style or cut, breath freshener, ear clean and perfume.

Heidi said:

“It’s a personal service – I spoil my dogs absolutely rotten, and that’s what my clients’ dogs get when they come to me. I want dogs to be happy.”

Husband Brian has also learned a thing or two and has since set up a doggy daycare business, ‘Be Yappy’ dog boarding and daycare, while son Joe, 28, a mechanic, is also supportive.

She added:

“The bootcamp was so thorough and in depth. They show you all the different options, and there were some things that I hadn’t considered. You can pay for campaigns, but you can quite easily set it up wrong, which I probably would have done if they hadn’t have helped me – but as it is, I haven’t actually paid anything for advertising yet.

“It was an epiphany. We thought, we really want to do this, why haven’t we done it before? We have the space and the passion to work with animals, and we both threw ourselves into it.

“It really is a dream come true for me – and the Lancashire Skills Bootcamp has helped me to achieve that.”

The Lancashire Skills Bootcamp programme offers a whole host of opportunities for Lancashire residents who may be unemployed, looking to change career, self-employed, or for Lancashire based businesses to upskill their staff. The programme spans an array of different areas like digital skills, construction, HGV driving, maintaining electrical vehicles, early years, teaching assistant training and leadership and management.

Lancashire County Councillor Jayne Rear, cabinet member for Education and Skills, said:

“It is wonderful to see people getting the opportunity to upskill and find out about sectors that are new to them, enabling and inspiring them to fulfil their goals.

“I would like to thank all of our partners and the providers of Lancashire Skills Bootcamps that are supporting people to transition into other sectors and achieve their dreams.

“The Lancashire Skills Bootcamps are expanding job opportunities and enabling Lancashire people to boost their skills and their employment prospects, meaning that Lancashire jobs can be filled by Lancashire people, making the most of our county’s great potential.”

If you are a dog owner in Lytham, Poulton, Blackpool or Cleveleys, you can find out more about Spoilt Rotten by WhatsApping or messaging them on 07395549951.

To find out more about Lancashire Skills Bootcamps, visit – Lancashire Skills Bootcamps – Lancashire Skills and Employment Hub (lancashireskillshub.co.uk)