Her Biz June 2024 Winner
Owner of NK Calligraphy wins £500 to jumpstart her business from the NatWest funded Her Biz Start Up Business workshops.
Specialising in bespoke wedding and event stationery, Natalie Kent crafts a range of place cards, menus, invitations, and signs for those seeking a unique and personalised touch for their special day, as well as empowering and encouraging clients through calligraphy workshops, all the while keeping sustainability at the heart of her business – ‘NK Calligraphy’.
Natalie won £500 towards her start-up costs for NK Calligraphy after taking part in the NatWest funded Her Biz start-up workshop programme in June 2024, and submitting her winning business plan to the following optional competition, which is open to all participants.
The Her Biz programme, which is delivered by Let’s Do Business Group and supported by NatWest bank, consists of 4 x 2-hour workshops over 4 weeks, and aims to increase entrepreneurship by breaking down the barriers between women and starting or growing a business. Delivered virtually over Zoom by our expert business coach, the programme has been a long running success since it launched over 5 years ago.
What is NK Calligraphy?
NK Calligraphy’s main mission is to enable everyday people to celebrate their loved ones in a sustainable and stress-free way, with awe-inspiring calligraphy and wedding/event stationery.
Back in 2018, Natalie embarked on an exciting journey to become a Police Officer, diving swiftly into responding to emergency calls. Then in 2020, a friend had introduced her to the world of calligraphy. After attending her first workshop, Natalie soon discovered she had a hidden talent!
By 2021, she joined an investigation team, and began working towards becoming an accredited Detective, all whilst nurturing her newfound passion for calligraphy. March 2022 marked a huge milestone, as Natalie had completed her first paid order for a wedding.
“I was so proud and wonderfully shocked at seeing my work in this setting for the first time. However, later in the year, I faced a physical and mental challenge when I developed severe eczema. Despite this, I pushed through and obtained my Detective accreditation in early 2023, continuing to do calligraphy for weddings along the way.”
After contemplating whether she wanted to continue her career in policing, Natalie made the courageous decision to leave the police force and in April this year, NK Calligraphy was born.
NK Calligraphy excels in creating tailored wedding and event stationery, ideal for those looking to add a personalised touch to their special occasion. Alongside this, Natalie also provides freedom for creativity in community spaces through calligraphy workshops. The business is deeply committed to sustainability, using bespoke high-quality materials that are FSC certified, and Natalie encourages clients to reuse and recycle.
“This is just the beginning, and I can’t wait to see where this journey takes me and my business!”
Growing a following on Instagram of over 650 followers, Natalie has been sharing the creations for her clients. Back in July, she also partnered with local florist for a giveaway, providing a flower board box for hire at a wedding, birthday or event to a lucky follower! Part of the next step with her business, Natalie soon plans to create a website for clients to see previous work, shop, and book consultations.
Finding the Her Biz programme
Natalie joined the Her Biz Start Up Business Workshop to gain some clarity on the practicalities of starting her own business, and how she could set about making her ideas for NK Calligraphy a success.
The Her Biz Women’s Start Up Business Workshops, delivered through 4 x 2-hour sessions, covers everything from sales, marketing, finance, and business planning; and from this, Natalie was able to create her plan of making NK Calligraphy official, and how she could turn her hobby into a full-time business. After completing a series of workshops, Natalie submitted her business plan to the subsequent competition, which is open to all attendees, and won the £500 prize towards her start-up costs.
“I was thrilled to come across the Her Biz women’s start up programme being held in person in Maidstone, as a free programme targeted specifically for female entrepreneurs I signed up straight away. I learnt so much in two days and really enjoyed networking with the other female entrepreneurs on the programme. The course encouraged me to develop and refine my business ideas, research my target audience and competitors, what to include when writing a business plan and how to set business marketing strategies for social media.”
“Lisa who led the course covered key ‘need to know’ content for setting up our business and made suggestions tailored to each of our different businesses. Lisa’s knowledge in the business fundamentals was phenomenal, she was approachable and always willing to explain more complex topics so we all had a thorough understanding. I am so pleased there are female led and female focused business courses like Her Biz out there and would encourage any other female entrepreneurs to join the next course! Thank you Lisa and Her Biz!”
Having completed the Her Biz programme with a renewed motivation for moving NK Calligraphy forward, Natalie plans to continue developing her portfolio of products, workshops, and building a client base, with her long-term business goals looking to diversify what her business offers in the future.
“I really enjoyed delivering Her Biz in person to the ladies in Maidstone, Natalie was a great participant and it was great to see everyone networking and supporting each other. It was clear to see that Natalie is passionate about her business and that was evident in how much she has achieved in such a short time. She presented a very well thought out business plan which covered all the required elements and showcased her branding skills. I wish Natalie all the very best with her business and look forward to following her journey.”
All the team at Let’s Do Business Group wish Natalie and NK Calligraphy the best of luck!