Our dedicated Finance Specialist Shahin has many years of experience in social enterprise, including areas such as welfare rights, money and debt advice. A credited member of the Institute of Money Advisers (IMA), Shahin is very competent at seeking external charitable grants for families on low income or special needs. Over the years, he has worked for social housing to support tenants to overcome financial difficulties, and he is determined to help those in financial difficulties by maximising income through advice. Shahin believes every problem has a solution if you know the cause of that problem.

We spoke to Shahin to find out more about EnterprisingYou’s money guidance service…

How can EnterprisingYou help small business owners manage their finances?

We offer sustainable financial advice, so we look at the bigger picture of a person’s financial situation and guide them on how to realistically manage their money in the long-term. The first part of this is making sure they fully understand their financial situation, so we do a financial assessment to begin with. This focusses on personal finances, such as income and expenditures. We also check if a person is missing anything they could be entitled to, such as grants, and we educate them on the welfare system, because there is a lot that people don’t know about it. We look into every aspect of a person’s finances to assess how they can be better off and access different types of help. Some people come to us expecting to get free money, but we can’t find money until we properly look into their own unique situation.

What other help can EnterprisingYou provide?

We can disclose helpful information on topics such as borrowing and bounce back loans, but it’s not just purely financial matters that we can assist with. If you have an innovative idea with your business, you can get support from the Innovation Team; if you’re looking for any form of investment to grow bigger, there’s access to the Finance Team; if you need help with borrowing or start-up loans, there’s also help for that too. There is so much we can do, depending on someone’s individual needs.

Do you have any examples of how you have helped people previously?

I have so many examples! One client was the owner of a small company, after having worked in a bank for 15 years. She was a struggling single mother and found herself in financial difficulty, so it was great to be able to advise her there was a special fund she could access, for those who have worked in the banking industry. Another example was a 19-year-old guy, who was working as gardener. He wanted to know what his options were for the future. He had no financial difficulties or debt but intended to buy a house one day, so I advised him to look into options such as the Lifetime ISA. He had never considered this before.

When can people make use of this service?

The financial guidance is accessible at any stage of the EnterprisingYou programme. As soon as that person has completed a personal plan with their Business Coach, they can be referred any time and can be seen as many times as they need. We can provide multiple services, depending on their personalised needs.

Why would you recommend the EnterpisingYou programme?

It really is an excellent, very special service that we offer. We look at the bigger picture, linking personal and business finances together to understand how an individual can improve their situation and plan for the future. We do great work, and we really help people. If you want to grow your business and shape your finance, then this is a fantastic programme. There is support available in so many different areas, from making more profit and increasing clients to improving incomes and gaining full control of your money. This sustainable finance approach looks at how you can sustain and look after yourself in the context of your life and unique family situation.

Lastly, what is your favourite thing about what you do?

Making positive changes in peoples’ lives makes me feel proud. It’s really rewarding when I see people change in positive ways, financially. When somebody who is distressed comes to us, we are able to disclose the options that they do have, which gives them relief. Covid has especially had a massive impact on people, and it has been confusing for many to understand where they stand with their finances. Some people find themselves stuck in cycle of earning and paying their debts, but we look at lots of different options to help take that burden away. When I see somebody at the beginning of an appointment, they often look stressed, but by the next meeting they look more relaxed because they know what their options are. Even if you don’t have a lot of options, when you know what they are then you can see a way out. For me, it’s all about positive change.

 

EnterprisingYou provide fully funded support to the self-employed and gig economy workers across Greater Manchester. If you would like to find out more about EnterprisingYou, register online, email info@enterprising-you.co.uk or call 0161 667 6900 to speak to one of our business coaches. 

More information about the EnterprisingYou programme can be found here.