A2Dominion customer and Ealing resident Coretta Scott entered our Enterprise Programme in 2016, having already started to develop her own hair care brand ‘Lena Maye’ – aimed at people with naturally curly hair that can often be hard to manage. She explains:
“When the leaflet for the Enterprise Programme dropped through my door, I thought to myself, ‘there’s no way I’d be brave enough to stand up and present my business idea to a group of strangers!’ But friends encouraged me to give it a go and it was the best decision I could have made.”
The journey begins
Between 2016-17, Coretta completed our free, 6-month programme of weekend workshops, successfully reaching the final and pitching her Lena Maye business plan to a panel of judges. She achieved a £3000 grant and a personal mentor to help develop her business towards a launch.
Over the next year, Coretta used the grant to help pay for Lena Maye’s branding and labelling, a product photoshoot, the UK trademark registration and accountancy costs.
“My mentor, Georgina, was brilliant and taught me so many things about running a business that I hadn’t known or considered before,’ says Coretta. “Her expertise opened my eyes to all the elements required to make Lena Maye a success, as did the workshops which helped me to develop my business skills and gain the confidence to believe that I could actually achieve my ambitions and launch the products.”
In 2018, Coretta’s hard work and determination were recognised at our annual Resident Awards Ceremony, where she was named the inaugural winner of the Stefanie O’Connor Entrepreneur Award.
Lena Maye goes live
After working closely with a dedicated research and development chemist to ensure that the haircare range met all legal standards, Coretta successfully launched her range via a new Lena Maye website in January this year. The product lines are uniquely formulated with traditional ‘back to basics’ natural ingredients such as aloe vera, coconut oil and natural herbs.
Sales have continued to grow, despite the coronavirus pandemic, with many customers turning to online shopping to safely purchase their goods.
“The plan for the business is to eventually have Lena Maye products sold in stores and hairdressing salons,” Coretta explains. “But with the safety of the country at present so important during the pandemic, I’m grateful that people are still able to purchase and enjoy our products via the website.”
Do you have a business idea?
With her business launched and her dream now a reality, does Coretta have any advice for fellow A2Dominion customers with a business idea?
“Go for it and take advantage of this fantastic opportunity!” she says, adding; “I’ll always be grateful to A2Dominion for running the Enterprise Programme. They are a fantastic company who care about their customers and the communities they live in. They invest in people and help change lives, and the time and money they invested in me is proof of that.”
If you’re an A2Dominion customer with a business idea, then we have a dedicated team to help take your business to the next level. Simply visit our enterprise page, fill out the form and a member of our team will be in touch. Good luck!