A side hustle has quickly become a great way of boosting our incomes and earning a little extra on the side. Whether it’s a hobby or something you just enjoy doing. They are often a lot more fun than the typical 9-5!
With the help of South Manchester Credit Union, Ngozi was able to get her own local business off the ground. Fashion design for Ngozi has now progressed from a lifelong hobby and clear talent to something she can enjoy and make money from. Sometimes, a helping hand is all we need to move towards achieving our ambitions.
A Passion for Fashion
Sewing and clothes design had always been a hobby for Ngozi and her siblings growing up in Nigeria. From a young age, Ngozi developed a real passion for fashion.
For this story, however, let us fast forward several years to where Ngozi is studying at university here in the UK. Ngozi had completed her degree in 2019 and was adapting to her new life with her husband. Fortunately, he was also into fashion design!
It was the COVID-19 lockdowns (I know we’re all keen to forget them) that re-kindled Ngozi’s interest in designing clothes. Watching YouTube videos to catch up on the latest trends in fashion whilst we were all stuck inside allowed Ngozi to reconnect with her childhood hobby. she found her love for fashion again.
We all have our hobbies and interests, and Ngozi had certainly found hers in fashion design.
Money Proves to Be A Challenge
Now studying for her Master’s in Applied Public Health, Ngozi was finding it difficult to get a job to fit in with her studies. Balancing time and money was becoming a bigger challenge.
On top of her Master’s studies, Ngozi’s was pregnant! This was obviously great news for Ngozi and her husband, however, they couldn’t escape the fear of not being able to financially support their family.
Ngozi had always wanted to start her own business but was waiting for the right time. This now seemed like the perfect opportunity.
Starting a business as a side hustle to her studies wouldn’t come cheap, or easy. They had the expertise – Ngozi and her husband were both keen designers. She knew what she wanted, just a small family business to run alongside her studies and future career. All that was left was to buy the machinery so she could bring her designs to life and get her side hustle off the ground.
Needing A Loan to Get Started
Money was clearly Ngozi’s biggest road block to starting the business, but soon a solution would present itself.
Ngozi and her husband were chatting with a friend of theirs when their friend suggested they try South Manchester Credit Union (that’s us!) as a way to overcome their financial challenges. In fact, we came so highly recommended that Ngozi came straight to us as her first option.
Ngozi applied for a Smart Loan with us, a loan for the bigger milestones in life. She told us about her passion, her studies, her family, and her future. We wanted to support Ngozi and empower her so she could start the business.
“The support from the credit union has been amazing”
Approving this loan would allow a local woman to start her own side hustle for the benefit of other local people in her community through her bespoke designs.
Ngozi felt excited and overwhelmed when her loan was approved. She thought it would take a long time to apply for a loan like this – it turns out that with South Manchester Credit Union, it doesn’t take long at all!
Turning A Hobby into A Business
Now on the verge of completing her Master’s degree, Ngozi has managed to turn her lifelong hobby into a home-based business. Ngozi has everyone involved, with her sister doing a lot of the drawing, her husband designing fashion largely for men, and Ngozi bringing the designs to life.
For Ngozi, it wasn’t easy to set-up her own business – the easiest part was applying for her loan with South Manchester Credit Union!
“It was all really organised and made me feel so confident”
Getting a loan with us isn’t all about the money. We aim to empower our members and allow them to feel confident with their finances and whatever plans they have. Taking everything one step at a time with Ngozi helped us to understand what she wanted to achieve and how we could support her to get there.
“In this economy, it’s not enough to have one source of income”
Ngozi’s side hustle business is not only something she enjoys doing with the people she loves most. It is also boosting her income and securing the financial future of her family.
“Always keep your hope alive”
After experiencing financial challenges before getting her dream started, Ngozi continues to maintain a positive mindset about the future. Ngozi told us she would recommend us to anyone who is in a similar position to where she was, looking to empower herself and overcome the financial hurdles that come with starting your own business.
Be Ambitious, We Can Support Your Aspirations
Whatever your hobby, talent, or general interests, if you want to make a side hustle for yourself, you can.
If you’re already doing it and want to grow it out into a flourishing business, you can.
South Manchester Credit Union is on your doorstep and here to help you achieve your goals. We encourage you to be ambitious and aim high – whatever you decide you want from life, we are here every step of the way to support you.
