A young entrepreneur from Cwmbran has been helped to follow in the footsteps of her family by setting up her own business following support from the Centre for Business – local provider of the Welsh Government Business Start Up Service.

Laura Adams, 24, launched her laser cutting, engraving and graphic design business, Bespoke Laser UK, in January this year.

The business offers a laser cutting and engraving service to a wide variety of businesses from individual creative designers / makers to design studios looking for creative marketing tools for their clients.

Laura provides logo and print design services, as well as engraved promotional materials, personalised gifts and wedding decorations. Designs can be created from card, acrylic, wood, and glass, metals and slate can be etched or engraved.

Laura was studying for a Masters in Visual Communication at Swansea Metropolitan University when she spotted a gap in the market for her range of products.

Coming from a family of self-employed business owners, Laura knew that self-employment was the route for her and approached Centre for Business for advice on setting up on her own through the Welsh Government’s Start-Up service.

She said: “After graduating, many of my classmates moved to London to take up graphic design jobs. Despite my own London exhibition being successful, I knew I wouldn’t feel satisfied unless I was running my own business. My parents had run their own electrical equipment repair business throughout my childhood and my grandmother had owned a craft supply shop, and I wanted to follow their example. I was encouraged to get in touch with the Centre for Business and attended their ’Take the Plunge‘ start-up workshop in August last year.

“Over the next few months I attended all of the Centre for Business’s start-up workshops, gaining a really thorough background knowledge of the issues involved. This was a real confidence boost and I felt fully prepared for getting up and running.”

The Centre for Business also helped Laura to apply for a significant amount of funding in order to purchase the £30,000 laser equipment that Bespoke Laser UK needed. With the help of her business advisor, Laura prepared a business plan that helped her secure a Welsh Government loan, a Young Enterprise Bursary, and a Torfaen Local Investment Grant, totalling nearly £40,000.

Laura said: “The support with my funding application was invaluable as I simply would not have been able to purchase the equipment I needed without it. With this laser I am able to offer my customers a completely bespoke service using top of the range equipment. So far I have had commissions ranging from wedding invitations to machinery panels, demonstrating the diversity of products that I can offer.

“Business has been very positive so far. I am concentrating on building my reputation locally and working with local businesses, and hope to take on staff by the end of the year. I wouldn’t be in this position without the Centre for Business, and would encourage anyone else thinking of setting up on their own to get in touch with them.”