Success Stories
Necessity was literally the mother of invention when Gabriela Swierczynska moved home and could not find new cushions in the colour she wanted. Following her mother’s suggestion to make her own, Gabriela founded Funky Knittings just before the pandemic and continues to run the business part-time alongside her finance role with the help of her family.
It was a voyage of discovery across China that led Alexis Rendell to set up Tea Mountain in 2021. It was a chance conversation with a colleague while on one of his many business trips to China that led him to discovering the delights of ‘real tea’.
Jennifer Williams from the New Forest has had a passion for food for as long as she can remember. Her culinary enthusiasm was shared by her mother, who worked as a cook for Colonel Bromage OBE preparing fabulous dishes for his elite guests. Keen to continue the tradition, Jennifer trained as a chef following a varied career that saw her work as a Stage Manager for the Bolshoi Ballet.
Having gained over a decade of admin experience, Melonie Hopkins from the Isle of Wight, launched her business MH Creative VA in early 2022.
Combining artistic expertise with a love of nature, Ria Mishaal co-founded the eco-luxury homeware brand Arcana with her husband, Jake Snaddon, in August 2022. From cozy sofa throws to stylish tablecloths, the Arcana collection has grown at a pace.
Originally from Hertfordshire and now living in Teignmouth, Karen Hagenow moved to Devon when she was two years old. She worked as a senior occupational therapist for twenty years in A&E, mental health and acute psychiatry, followed by five years working in sales for a pharmaceutical company.
His grandfather then stated, “actually I knew that you would do it but just wanted to push you to follow your dream,” as he handed over a family heirloom – his own grandfather’s own anvil which had been his prized possession for many years. Originally Mark went to Bicton College in Devon to complete an agricultural
Bump & Glide was created following the realisation that there is so much information on how to care for babies, but nowhere near enough on how to support women at such a life, and career-changing time in their lives.
We recently caught up with Sue Newman of Portsmouth based business Boogie mites to find out how GetSet Solent helped support their business growth, their progression and what the future goal holds for their franchise business.