Swindon-based shopfitting firm Finch Installations is in line for one of the top prizes in the first-ever national Ready For Business Awards 2013 which showcase the country’s best start-up businesses.
Established in February by Simon Finch and business partner Leanne Morrison, it secured a £10,000 business loan earlier this year and has agreed major contracts with three national household brands – Wickes DIY, Sainsbury’s and Tesco – resulting in jobs for 13 trained fitters.
It has already claimed the Best Growth Potential Start-Up award in the South West category and will now compete against six other enterprising businesses at the national finals at the House of Commons next Monday.
Simon Finch, pictured, now plans to focus on the development of the team and the creation of sustainable jobs. 
He said: “Setting up your own venture is extremely hard work but the support we received from Ready for Business was invaluable. To have our efforts recognised is a huge achievement and we look forward to going on to the national finals.”
Ready for Business, the investment readiness start-up programme that supports new enterprises across England, has delivered more than 2,500 new jobs nationwide since its launch last summer, with more than 200 jobs created in the South West region alone.
The programme aims to create 6,000 businesses with 10,000 new jobs, is supported by the Government’s Regional Growth Fund and Barclays and is delivered by the Cavendish Consortium, a partnership between some of England’s leading enterprise agencies together with the National Enterprise Network; in the South West region, Ready for Business is provided by Business West through a network of local agencies.
The awards recognise achievements across three categories – Best Growth Potential Start-Up, Best B2B Start-Up and Best B2C Start-Up – and have been introduced to highlight the progress that small businesses across the country have made with support from Ready for Business.
More than 2,500 businesses have been established since the programme was set up in 2012 to provide individuals with concentrated support in the pre-start stages of their new business including intensive enterprise training via free Get Ready for Business Seminars in partnership with Barclays, one-on-one help from a dedicated business advisor to explore and assess their business ideas and expert analysis into developing a business plan.
Barclays head of business banking, South West, Judith Gage said: “The Ready for Business programme of seminars has focused on some of the most pressing issues facing start-ups during their difficult initial period – from how to get started and create a viable business plan through to getting the business in good shape for finance. It’s great that we’ve seen so many successes and worthy finalists and we wish them all the best for the inaugural Ready for Business awards 2013.”
