Category: Blog

We at BIPC Devon know how tough it is to find like-minded people to network with, especially in under-represented groups. Our own Women in Business courses and award grants have helped to bridge that gap, however, we’d like to shine a light on two individuals who have been instrumental in championing female entrepreneurs across the county. Louise Jenner and Maureen Townsend started up Devon Women in Business together in the middle of the pandemic. With their combined experiences in job coaching and supporting independent businesses, they have been able to expand their network to multiple platforms and 100+ person awards shows. Louise shares her story of how she found her way into the group, how she’s been able to support female-founded businesses, and where she hopes to take it in the future. What led you to start up Devon Women in Business with Maureen? I’m a Devon girl, born and bred. I grew up in Ipplepen and went to school in Newton Abbot, but moved away to work for DFS Furniture. I was the first female salesperson to get signed off of their sales training programme back in 1998, then I became their first female manager, so I’ve always been

You might not think of Teignbridge as a place of industry for digital marketing and SEO wizardry, but there is a huge demand for it as more businesses rely on their online storefront than ever before. Falcon Digital is a web design and digital marketing agency based in Newton Abbot that fills that gap, from designing bespoke websites for charities to creating social media campaigns for local businesses. Director Charlie Penny is the mastermind behind Falcon Digital, who has been working in marketing for 10+ years. He shares his story of how he founded the agency, what services he’s been able to provide to South Devon’s businesses, and how he and his team has formed a family amidst shifting attitudes towards work. What has your marketing journey been leading up to Falcon Digital? I’ve had quite a long journey. I was going to join the army, but I had a sabbatical because my mum wasn’t very well, then my dad passed away, so that plan didn’t go ahead. I sold the companies Globi-Tech and iGoWeb, then did my MBA at the University of Exeter, working predominately in marketing with businesses such as Unilever, The Body Shop, then Circular Economy, which

What do we associate with Devon’s beaches? Mr Whippy’s? The Red Arrows? How about a community sauna? Saunas may not be everyone’s idea of a typical weekend retreat outside of a spa day, but they are being used more in people’s everyday lives as they realise the physical and mental benefits that it can bring to their wellbeing. Sara Dance and Meg Hughes are the masterminds behind the Devon Community Sauna CIC, both established practitioners who hope to make the sauna accessible to everyone in Devon, with two locations in Teignmouth and Paignton. Meg tells us more about how she and Sara started the CIC together, and the successes they’ve seen from the project since opening in October. What led you to start the Devon Community Sauna along with co-owner Sara? Over here, saunas are still considered a luxury thing. You go to a sauna when you’re at a spa, but it’s not quite built into our wellbeing routine like it is in places like Finland where it’s everywhere, even in people’s workplaces. We felt like there was this huge gap along our stretch of coastline where there weren’t saunas, but we absolutely love it being near the sea and

We’ve covered a lot of well-established businesses and CICs over the last few months, but we’re pleased to shine the spotlight on a newly-established CIC called The Teignbridge Community Project. Mother-daughter duo Colette Palmer and Anna Lofthouse launched their CIC in October 2024 along with their Skills Centre project, which serves as a hobby space for those with mental health concerns and additional needs. This includes hair and beauty, cooking and baking, gardening, arts and crafts, and anything else they’re able to accommodate for. Colette and Anna share how they started The Teignbridge Community Project, how they’ve provided a much-needed service in the Newton Abbot area, and the challenges they’ve faced as a new CIC. What led you two to start up Teignbridge Community Project? Colette: I’ve worked for a similar business in Torquay for three years, which is very successful with a social supermarket and skills centre. I was approached about doing this in Newton Abbot because they’re desperate for something similar. At the time, I said no, but my daughter wanted to come out of hairdressing and try something new. I love working with people with learning disabilities, so we decided to give it a go. Anna: We started

Last month, we spoke to the director of No Limits Community Café and explored the issue of accessibility in employment from young people diagnosed with complex needs. Today, we’d like to turn your attention to Sarah Field, the Devon-based entrepreneur behind Infinite Ability who received her diagnosis for autism, ADHD and dyslexia later in adulthood. Since her diagnosis, Sarah has made it her mission to support neurodiverse teens and women. Infinite Ability has plenty to offer people, from her maths tutoring service, one-to-one mentoring support, and her recent Find Your Tribe support group for neurodiverse women, whether or not they’ve had a formal diagnosis. Sarah shares her journey of how she formed Infinite Ability and how she’s been able to help women like her through Find Your Tribe. How did Infinite Ability start? I always thought I’d just be a teacher forever. I went straight from my A levels to university and taught maths in a secondary school in 2014, so once I achieved that, I thought I was set. I have always done unofficial mentoring even when I was working in mainstream schools. I was quite often that teacher young people could come and speak to if things were tricky, they needed a

No Limits Community Café is a pillar of Newton Abbot’s community. Sarah Thorp and Amanda Pugh opened its doors in 2020 to provide work experience and supported employment opportunities to those with additional needs. They then started the outreach programme in 2023, helping those with disabilities to gain long term paid employment, and helping employers across Devon to become more disability aware and confident. No Limits has also supported local organisations and businesses with catering such as Teignbridge District Council and Phoenix Sound. Read more from Sarah’s account to find out why they opened No Limits, what the impact of the community café has been on Devon, and what plans they have for the future. What led you to open No Limits? My background is in psychology and education, but the key is my lived experience of being a parent of a young person with complex needs. Looking at college and employment opportunities, I was concerned that there were narrow options for my son. The transition to adulthood is tricky anyway, but when that coincides with leaving education and childhood services, and going to adult services and starting work, it’s a huge change with significant challenges. Therefore, I wanted an