Briggy Owen is the Founder and Director of Pheonix Rose PR & Communications and joined FSB in 2020.
Briggy shares her experience of setting up her own business during COVID-19, the legal support she’s accessed through FSB, and why she thinks FSB membership is ‘invaluable’.
Read on to hear Briggy's story.
Tell us about yourself and your business.
Before starting my own business, I worked in PR for 23 years at some of the UK’s most influential agencies, working with household brands like Oral-B, Specsavers and Kellogg’s. I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit, so I decided to set up on my own with Phoenix Rose in spring 2020.
How did you find setting up your new business?
When I was researching at the beginning, I thought I could do it all, but eventually, I called in the professionals for certain set-up aspects. It’s so important not to make errors at that stage and as I was starting from scratch being self-employed for the first time, I wanted to get everything right. I received my letter from Companies House on the day that the first lockdown was announced, but that didn’t deter me, in fact, it made me approach my new venture with greater gusto.
How did you find out about FSB and why did you decide to join as a start up?
I was already aware of FSB, but a representative reached out to me on LinkedIn. It was the legal documents and support that I found the most appealing. Contracts are so important in my field when I’m signing new clients, hiring freelancers from my network and brokering partnerships, so it was reassuring to know I could access up-to-date legal documents through my membership. It would have costs me thousands to go through solicitors, so it’s great value for money to have all those documents available, as well as the assurance they were current and legally binding.
How does your FSB membership help you day-to-day?
In my previous role, I had a team I could turn to, whether it was for accounts or legal issues. Now that I have to rely on myself, I’m embracing learning new things. The help that I get from FSB helps me to save precious time.
Tell us about your experience with the legal advice line.
Firstly, the fact that the legal advice line is free as a member was mind-blowing! I spoke to an amazing lady who walked me through the process and described the steps I needed to take. Within an hour, I had a call back from someone in the right department who could advise further on my issue. It wasn’t a complex issue, but it was incredible how fast I was able to get advice.
How else did FSB support you in your first year in business?
I have attended a few webinars and the advice on the website has been useful during COVID and Brexit. Even though the new rules don’t impact me, they do impact some of my clients. Some of the advice has been invaluable.
Would you recommend FSB to other small business owners?
Definitely! I’ve been telling others about FSB and I think it would benefit anyone who is looking to start a business or even those a few years in. The resources are so beneficial and joining really is a no-brainer.