Local entrepreneur unveils freelance business following marketing skills boost

A North Shields holistic therapist is drumming up extra business after completing free training designed to upskill regional workforces and boost productivity.

Ali Avery, who owns holistic therapy centre Avery’s Angels and uses an African Dgembe drum as part of her reiki healing therapies, has turned her website marketing skills to driving business growth, including extra sales of her holistic treatments.

Trading for 18 months, Ali Avery, who helps people with a range of learning difficulties “to discover their own voice”, has seen a 40 per cent increase in trade following the ‘Boost Your Business’ course.

Avery’s Angels is working with a growing number of charities and care providers around the region to provide African drumming sessions and traditional holistic therapies.

This includes work with residents at Siena Court - a centre providing independent supported living and day care services for adults with learning and mental health issues.

The 38-year-old entrepreneur now plans to build on her success with a new adult drum group at Wallsend’s Vault Creative Well-Being Centre, where she’s based.

She said: “The course changed my business for the better. The skills I gained are proving priceless in drumming up extra income, while its given me confidence in my business that I’ve never had before.

“We’re going from strength-to-strength, and I’m really excited about the future and the prospect of expanding the business even further.”

The Boost Your Business course provides an insight on understanding social media, producing digital content, measuring the success of digital promotion, and enterprise techniques.

Adam Clemerson, skills project manager for course deliverer North East Enterprise Agency Ltd, added: “Ali’s got a good business model and now armed with the tools, knowledge and confidence, she’s on course for even more success in the coming months.”

Boost Your Business is part of a £1m package of training support being rolled out to hundreds of local organisations, as part of the regional skills and enterprise programme, Go>Grow.

Ivan Jepson, director of business development at Gateshead College, which manages the Go>Grow programme, added: “The Go>Grow initiative offers entrepreneurs a free and effective way to acquire the essential skills they need to achieve growth and prosperity.

“It’s wonderful to see what a difference it has made to Ali’s unique business.”

Go>Grow has the backing of the North East Local Enterprise Partnership and the North East of England Chamber of Commerce.