Starting a business from scratch can be one of the hardest things you can do. Add the workload and stresses of being a student and you’re doubling the pressure. Not only did physical education student Edd Snoxell manage to launch his business twice, but now he’s successfully running it in the hope of inspiring the city’s youngest generation.
After helping out at a summerschool camp for seven years, Edd, from Peterborough, saw the potential for a new business that organises children’s sports camps. “I started running the camps with the teachers sitting in the office doing nothing, so I thought: ‘I could do this myself and make more money,’ so I decided to go it alone.”
Onto a quick start, Edd began the business before Christmas during his final year at university but without financial backing, it was very hard for him to launch anything. “We needed to get out there and be big. I launched it and it didn’t go very well, I had to cancel the camp so I scrapped it and that’s when I got in touch with Sylvia Grainger, the university’s Student Enterprise Co-ordinator.”
Following his application for Multi-Sports to the UoC/UnLtd Social Enterprise programme, Edd was awarded £1,400 to develop his business. “I got the funding, then re-launched it properly. Without that financial backing it was hard because you need to be everywhere, you need leaflets, banners, you need this and that, people need to get used to the logo, they need to get used to who you are.”
Edd, 21, now runs school holiday camps, weekly sports camps and goes into schools to coach sports. “We’re in one school at the moment, Bellevue. We go in there and teach rugby and football. It’s working really well. It’s nice to get in the school and meet the kids, build a relationship with them and then if they want to come to the camps, they can.”
To help run the camps, Edd recruits fellow students who are paid to coach the children. “Being on a PE course I know a lot of sporty people so I was able to build up a bank of coaches. I’ve now got about 10 coaches on my books that work for me. At the start it was just favours but now it’s a bit more professional.
“During the PE course we learn different teaching styles, coaching styles, delivery, so that’s really helped. We also do an events module in third year where we organise our own events. I did a corporate golf event so the experience of organising that really helped. It’s not just about running the camps and the website – there’s paper work, insurance, data collection, there’s a lot more paperwork than people think.”
Once Edd finishes his course this summer he plans to take Multi-Sports full time. He says it is not only financially rewarding but he get’s to do what he enjoys: “It’s what I love doing, it’s why I got into it. Being with the kids, teaching them new skills. I wouldn’t have done it for the paperwork.
“Working 9 to 3 with the kids is hard work, you go home shattered, so are the kids. I’m constantly on stage, continually performing and I’ve always got to be on my guard. It’s a different pressure when I’m in charge because I have further responsibilities, there’s a lot more to it than just being a coach.”
The love for sports has always been with Edd and starting up a business teaching what he loves is his ideal job. “My background is very much football, I have always been sporty. In my second year of Uni I secured a job as an SSCO, a school sports co-ordinator. My job was to be in charge of a cluster of 5 schools. I did sports between the primary schools and organised massive festivals: that experience was key to starting up my own business.”
As Edd prepares to take the business full time in Carlisle, he hopes it can expand (not only for his wallet’s sake) but for the children’s education: “In the future I hope to get bigger and organise bigger events. I also want to provide best value for schools; we don’t overcharge like a lot of companies. It’s a well priced service and we always offer quality.” He adds: “I need to get a couple of school contracts then the business will be sustainable for the future.”
CAMPUS 