We've Been Awarded a Staffordshire County Council Contract for business start-up support in Cannock — and Here's What That Means for You
- Neil Betts
- May 6
- 3 min read
I'll be honest, I don't often write news posts about Go True North. I'm usually more interested in writing about the people we help and the lessons we learn together. But this one feels worth sharing, because it's not just good news for us, it's good news for anyone in the Cannock area who's been thinking about starting a business.
We've been awarded a formal contract by Staffordshire County Council (contract reference IA3856) to deliver business start-up support in Cannock. And we're really proud of it.
What the business start-up support in Cannock Contract Actually Means
The contract means that Go True North will be delivering our Vision to Venture programme as part of Staffordshire County Council's official business start-up support provision. That's a big deal, not just as a commercial milestone, but because it means the programme will be available to people across Cannock who are ready to take that step into entrepreneurship.
If you're in Cannock and you've been sitting on a business idea, if you've been telling yourself "I'll start it when the time is right" — this could be exactly the nudge (and the support) you've been waiting for.
Why Vision to Venture?
Vision to Venture is the programme we designed from the ground up to take people from idea to launch-ready business. It's built on Lean Start-up methodology, which means we focus on real-world testing and customer validation, not just theory.
Under the Staffordshire County Council contract, the support package includes:
Monthly business workshops, structured, practical sessions covering the key stages of building a business
Fortnightly drop-in sessions, informal, open support where you can bring your questions and get real answers
1:1 support. dedicated one-to-one mentoring tailored to where you are in your journey
Access to the Vision to Venture online programme and community, our full 12-module learning platform, available at your own pace alongside the live support
We've already seen the difference it makes. Our founding cohort went through the programme and came out the other side with validated business models, paying customers, and most importantly the confidence to keep going.
"A real expert in his field - I have learnt lots of practical knowledge that I have been able to implement in my own business. It has been a pleasure to work with Neil and I can personally recommend working with him to grow and develop your business."
A Word on the Process
Winning a public sector contract isn't easy. The tender process for IA3856 was thorough, and rightly so. Staffordshire County Council asked all the right questions about how we'd deliver, how we'd protect participant data, how we'd measure outcomes, and how we'd make sure the programme genuinely served people across the region.
Going through that process was actually a really useful exercise for us. It forced us to articulate clearly what Vision to Venture does, why it works, and what makes it different. The answer, every time, came back to the same thing: it's practical, it's structured, and it's built on a real methodology, not just good intentions.
What Happens Next
We'll be delivering the programme across Cannock, working with individuals who are at the start of their entrepreneurial journey. If you're interested in finding out more, whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, an organisation that supports start-ups, or a business looking for growth support, here's where to go: getstarted@staffordshire.gov.uk
Not from Cannock?
Learn more about our Vision to Venture programme: ww.visiontoventure.uk
Go True North: www.gotruenorth.uk
Book a free consultation: available via the website
And if you just want to have a conversation, drop me a message at neil.betts@gotruenorth.uk. I'm always happy to talk.
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