Business Bolton

Working together to give businesses a boost

Business Link Northwest, working together with Business Bolton, wants to support your business during an uncertain economic climate.

Working in partnership we can provide access to a wide range of business support services, including helping you to access finance through one-to-one support.

If you've never heard of Business Link Northwest before, we're a free-to-use, easy to access, business support service providing independent information and guidance to businesses in good times and bad - and it won't cost you a penny.

We're already supporting thousands of businesses in these challenging times, helping local companies to emerge from the downturn strong and competitive.

A few minutes online using the interactive health check tool will help you identify areas of your business that would benefit from attention, with the aim of improving business performance, visit www.businesslink.gov.uk/healthcheck

Don't just take our word for it...
Bolton's Gulnaz Parveen had always dreamed of launching her own magazine, so at the start of 2008 she made it her New Year's resolution to finally take the plunge.

Gulnaz has come a long way since then and in April launched Reading Bee, a premium publication for Asian women. After the official launch in the House of Lords, the magazine went on sale in WH Smith and independent newsagents across the country. Gulnaz hopes that the magazine will eventually be stocked even wider, with distribution internationally.

Gulnaz turned to Business Link Northwest to help get her idea off the ground and has found her digital and creative industries adviser Yusuf Musa a constant source of support.

Gulnaz, who has written for titles including the Asian Leader as a freelance journalist, says: "I can email Yusuf at any time and I know that he will come back to me the next day with the answers I need. Because of his experience he understands the urgency behind my questions and whatever I ask he is always there with helpful suggestions."

Gulnaz, who teaches English at Bolton Muslim Girls School, had aspirations of filling a gap she spotted in the market for a niche issue-led magazine for intellectual Asian women for a long time. She says: "There are lots of magazines for Asian women, but most of them focus on fashion and do not deal with the political, social and cultural issues that many Asian women are interested in and it was this gap that I wanted to bridge with Reading Bee."

Yusuf says: "When I first met Gulnaz, I knew she had the potential to fulfil her dreams and had a brilliant idea with Reading Bee, which fills a genuine gap in the market. It's  wonderful to see how far she has come on her journey and I will continue to support her with anything she needs to ensure the success of Reading Bee."

The future is looking bright for Gulnaz and Reading Bee. She and her editor-in-chief, Anami Gour, have enlisted writers from different parts of the world to contribute to the magazine, including journalists at the BBC and The Guardian. She is in talks with contacts in Dubai about launching the magazine there and is also hoping to launch it in India and America.

Gulnaz says: "Since being put in touch with my advisor, Yusuf, I have never looked back. He is always there for me with technical knowledge and expertise that I can rely on.

"He has been really wonderful and it feels like I have somebody there to help, no matter what area I need assistance in. His help has shown me that the Business Link service is delivered by real people who have been there and done it before."

Ways to get in touch

For futher information, please contact Business Link on 0845 006 6888 or  Bolton@businesslinknw.co.uk.