Former Sanofi manager unlocks future career following chance encounter

A bike puncture and chance conversation between friends unlocked a future career for Dan Billany - prior to being informed that he would be made redundant from his job of almost 20 years.

Dan, a 37 year-old Production Shift Manager at French Pharmaceutical company Sanofi, decided to bike into work one morning. Unfortunately, he got a wheel puncture and had to call on his friend to drive him the rest of the way.

He asaid: “I thought I was being dealt some bad luck but actually the conversation I had with my friend was to form the basis of my future career.

“I’d said that I feared my job might be unstable and he’d advised that if the worst happened and I lost my job, that I should retrain as a locksmith as it is a sought after service.”

When Dan arrived at work, all employees were called into a meeting and advised that the plant was to shut in 2015. After being informed that he would receive money to retrain he heeded his friend’s advice and enrolled on a locksmith training course – investing not only the money received from Sanofi, but additional funds from his personal savings.

Having attended a Ready for Business seminar given at the plant by North East based enterprise agency TEDCO Business Support, Dan decided to approach the agency about the support they could offer him.

Bill Hartshorne, TEDCO’s business advisor offered advice and counsel on the legalities of setting up his business, including guiding him through the paperwork required to establish himself as self-employed and launch LockNorth to the market.

Dan continued: “Having been employed by Sanofi for almost 20 years, I am a complete novice in taking the decision to set up my own business so I don’t know how I would have fared without Bill’s support.”

After completing an intensive training course in Manchester, LockNorth officially launched at the beginning of April and is already picking up business all over Northumberland.

He added: “Being from Prudhoe I’ve naturally targeted my services in and around Northumberland. However, I’m ambitious for Lock North and would like to grow significantly by the time I leave Sanofi next year.

“It is a challenge getting a new business established whilst still working full time but I’m passionate about making it work. In 15 months’ time I’d like to comfortably live off my business as well as continue to hone my service by gaining Master Locksmith status.”

TEDCO Business Support delivers the national Ready for Business programme across the north east region. Ready for Business aims to create 6,000 businesses with 10,000 new jobs, is supported by the Government’s Regional Growth Fund and Barclays and is delivered by the Cavendish Consortium, a partnership between some of England’s leading enterprise agencies together with the National Enterprise Network.

So far the programme has created nearly 3,000 new enterprises and provides individuals with concentrated support in the pre-start stages of their new business including intensive enterprise training via free Get Ready for Business Seminars delivered in partnership with Barclays, one-on-one help from a dedicated business advisor to explore and assess their business ideas and expert analysis into developing a business plan.

To find out more about the programme or series of free Barclays Get Ready for Business seminars running across the region please visit www.startupedge.co.uk .