A Ukrainian woman who moved to Carlisle three years ago has launched a social media business, thanks to support from the Cumbria Business Growth Hub.
Nataliia Pinchuk gained experience in social media marketing while running the social media account for her nail services business when she lived in Ukraine and Poland.
She had always wanted to start her own social media marketing and management agency, but this plan was put on hold when she moved to England with her husband and young daughter in September 2020.
When Nataliia first came to England, she realised she’d forgotten a lot of her English and had to start learning again.
As she and her family settled in Carlisle, Nataliia got a job in a local food factory.
However, due to back pain caused by the heavy lifting and long shifts, Nataliia had to leave her job.
After hearing about the chamber’s New Enterprise Allowance through the JobCentre, Nataliia decided to revisit her plan to start her own business.
Cumbria Chamber of Commerce’s Business Growth Hub – which oversaw the delivery of NEA – provided Nataliia with her own business adviser, access to training, workshops and financial support while she got the new business set up.
Nataliia’s business, So Nataly Social, was officially launched in April 2022.
Shortly after this, Nataliia had to put her business on pause as she found it hard to concentrate due to worries about her family and friends who were affected by with the war in Ukraine.
Since relaunching her business in January, Nataliia has taken on three clients in the beauty, hospitality and financial services sectors.
Looking to the future, Nataliia would like to grow her business further and eventually work with her husband, Roman, who is a photographer.
Nataliia said: “Thanks to Cumbria Business Growth Hub, I transformed setbacks into opportunities, and today, I help businesses thrive in the digital world.
“Thanks to my business coach, Justine Douglas, I’ve learned that language barriers and personal struggles can hold everyone back, but when you are fuelled by passion, you can achieve your goals.
“I embrace every challenge with gratitude, knowing that every step brings me closer to my dreams.”
