A Gloucestershire entrepreneur has secured £5,000 in funding from the British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans programme via SWIG Finance to expand her online support sessions, helping women build mental resilience.
Susie Mackie, 67, from Cheltenham has used the funds to create a website and invest in marketing her services, which include group and one-to-one sessions designed to build resilience, confidence and positivity in women aged 45+.
To tailor her offer, Susie drew upon her own personal experience of life’s rollercoaster ride including strict parents, authoritarian school, three divorces, illness and bereavement.
“I’m a natural-born optimist, and have never succumbed to what life has thrown at me – which is quite a lot,” said Susie.
In a previous career as a professional photographer, Susie produced two books celebrating Women of Spirit. The project inspired her to channel her energies into female empowerment, and she undertook mental toughness training in 2021. She now offers a 10-week online course in this discipline to pass her learning onto others.
“I’d recommend Start Up Loans to anyone. If you have a belief in what you are doing but not the funds, it’s an excellent process to go through,” says Susie, who also offers corporate workshops and public speaking engagements, and hosts the Our Spirited Life podcast on YouTube.
Susie worked with SWIG Finance Start Up Loans Officer Suzy Lowe on her application, adding: “The finance was a challenge but Suzy went through it with me, assisting me with spreadsheets and being patient with my queries. She was cool and calm, and helped me put on my grown-up business head and realise that of course I could complete the process.”
SWIG Finance’s Suzy Lowe added: “Susie has created a business from her own personal experience, that will connect with women of a similar age. She is a force of nature for the good, trying to do something that will make a positive impact, and she has found her audience. There are so many channels of opportunity for her, and the Start Up Loan will help her reach a larger market.”
Start Up Loans is part of the British Business Bank and offers personal loans for business purposes of up to £25,000, alongside providing access to post loan support such as mentoring.
SWIG Finance is the Bank’s Business Support Partner for the government-backed programme in the South West, and last year alone delivered £7 million in Start Up Loan funding to over 400 new and early-stage businesses.
SWIG Finance is a people-based lender that provides loans and support to help smaller businesses in the South and West Country grow. They base their lending decisions on potential rather than collateral, which means that thye can often support businesses when others can’t.
SWIG are growing every year. In 2023/24, they lent £14m to 500 businesses, helping to create and secure over 700 jobs and generate £71.5m in social impact.
If you’d like an informal chat about your funding requirements, get in touch with their friendly and professional team to see how they can help: [email protected] / 01872 227 930
