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Read the 14th January 2026 edition of the Enterprising Cumbria Newsletter.

Joe Shevelan of Forgedathome Ltd worked with the Cumbria Accelerator programme to turn his passion for blacksmithing into a clearer business strategy, focusing on reaching the right audience and building stronger community connections. With tailored guidance, he gained confidence, refined his marketing approach, and established stronger foundations for sustainable growth while staying true to his craft.

Kamila Kozlowska, owner of Hideaway Nails and Beauty, worked with Cumbria Accelerator to gain clarity and confidence around sustainable growth, employment options, and effective online promotion. With tailored one-to-one guidance from Lateef Badat, she progressed from working at home to opening her own salon, building a team, and preparing to expand into larger premises with a clear plan and renewed confidence.

Simon Richardson, Partner at Keyishoes, worked with Cumbria Accelerator to turn expansion ideas into confident decisions, gaining a trusted sounding board and practical guidance to move the business forward. With one-to-one support from Gail Gravett, Keyishoes secured fixed premises, grew its team, and achieved consistent year-on-year turnover growth, giving Simon the confidence and capacity to focus on developing new commercial opportunities.

Lucy Teasdale, Director of La Muse, worked with Cumbria Accelerator to gain clarity on her target clients and markets, focusing her offerings to attract consistent, high-quality work. With one-to-one guidance from Ben Hickman, Lucy transformed La Muse into a fully booked, strategically aligned business with predictable revenue and the confidence to focus on projects that excite her.

Christine Courtney, founder of Light in the Dark Hypnotherapy, worked with Cumbria Accelerator to gain clarity and confidence around promotion, networking, and running her business in a structured way. This support helped Christine build practical skills, strengthen her self-belief, and take confident first steps toward growing her practice.

Kayleigh Peebles, owner and founder of Magic Castle Soft Play, worked with Cumbria Accelerator to gain clarity across key areas of her business and turn her strong vision into a structured, sustainable operation. This support helped Kayleigh refine branding, pricing, marketing, and customer experience, giving her the confidence, organisation, and direction to grow Magic Castle Soft Play successfully.

Read the 10th December 2025 edition of the Enterprising Cumbria Newsletter.

If you weren’t able to join us live, the full session is now available to watch for a limited time only.

Read the 26th November 2025 edition of the Enterprising Cumbria Newsletter.