EVER since she was at secondary school, Kemnay-based business owner, Yva Yorston, 23, knew that she wanted to start up her own business.
Upon graduating from the University of Strathclyde in 2011, she started brainstorming ideas that capitalised on her personal skills and experience.
During her studies for a degree in Business Enterprise and Management Science, Yva completed a research placement with the Highlands and Islands Social Enterprise Zone (HISEZ), which showed that there was an abundance of social enterprise advisory services, but very little in the way of practical support.
Yva was confident there was a demand for practical, flexible business support, not just in the social enterprise sector, but also among commercial businesses, and immediately set about refining her idea through market research.
In March 2012, she set up Boost Business Support (Boost) from her home in Kemnay, and after just a year of trading Boost is a finalist in the Most Promising New Business category at the Grampian Awards for Business Excellence 2013, which are organised by Enterprise North East Trust and sponsored by RBS – Ahead for Business.
The business specialises in outsourced business support, providing a variety of services for business owners and managers including virtual PA and administration services, research assistance and online marketing support.
Building her skills and confidence by attending local networking events and Business Gateway seminars, she also launched a competition to provide her business support services for free, which introduced her brand to local businesses and helped to secure her first clients.
As a young businesswoman, Yva also enjoys helping out budding young entrepreneurs at local schools, having recently participated in a Business Breakfast event at Kemnay Academy, and delivered a talk for Higher Business Management students at Inverurie Academy. Remarkably, the young businesswoman also finds time to tutor 23 local youngsters in piano and saxophone.
Since starting up, Yva has secured work with many local businesses and has a comprehensive growth plan in place. To achieve this, she has demonstrated her sharp business acumen by focusing on growing her network of contacts and using a variety of low cost online marketing channels to promote the Boost brand.
Yva said: “My goals for the future are to create greater awareness of my brand and to grow the company to the stage where I can delegate my services to team members, which will allow me to focus on business development.”
The Grampian Awards for Business Excellence 2013, organised by Enterprise North East Trust and sponsored RBS – Ahead for Business, along with Business Gateway and Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council, culminates with an awards ceremony on Thursday 27 June 2013 at the Mercure Ardoe House Hotel.
For more information visit www.enetrust.com
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