Part1: Why lockdown inspired me to set up a Social Enterprise
Establishing my values as the Director of a Social Enterprise
Lockdown revelations
In this piece I will share my small business journey and why, during lockdown in 2020, I decided to set up a not-for-profit organisation. I will also share our values as an organisation, why I think the social enterprise model has helped me feel liberated, and motivated me to achieve so much more. I also want to talk about how my other small business, Powder Butterfly, has helped me get here.
My small business journey started in 2005. My daughter was 2 years old and I was desperate to have some adult time and to do some creative work, so I started working as a freelance artist and photographer. I thought I had better put my degree in Contemporary Photographic Practice to good use so I set out on a journey of self-employment. My first big opportunity was to create a solo exhibition and do some interviews with local people about their love of Saltwell Park in Gateshead. If you have never been there you must go. It is a beautiful place. This was not a paid opportunity but the artwork that was produced for the exhibition was funded by Gateshead Council. A highlight of this experience was that my exhibition was showing when the park received a royal visit, and I got to meet Princess Anne, which was quite an experience to say the least.
Between 2005-2012 I worked as an artist delivering workshops in schools and with community groups and the variety of people I got to work with during this time was so interesting. I worked with shipbuilders, young carers, kids from infants to high school age. I also got to work with hard-to-reach groups like people who were struggling with addiction, or young mums who were starting out on their parenting journey. It was a true privilege to work with all of these groups and I have very fond memories of this time.
Public to Private - why I chose a commercial path
In 2012 I decided to go down a more commercial route. By this time I had lived in the North East of England for 14 years. Having worked with so many different people and communities in this area, and developed some understanding of its industrial history and heritage, I wanted to create designs and products that reflected my love of the North East and tell its story to an international audience. This is when I set up my ‘posh souvenirs’ business Powder Butterfly. My aim was clear: to use a combination of my photography and hand drawing techniques to create products that celebrated North East industry and heritage. All of my products would be designed by me and made using the best British manufacturers. Where possible I would use local suppliers to keep as much money in the region as possible. I have now expanded my collections to embrace other locations across the North East and the rest of the UK. I trade on Newcastle Quayside every weekend and I get to meet people from all over the world. Powder Butterfly has taught me so much about how to design products that people emotionally connect to, and to stay true to my values and how to promote my work as a creative. It has also helped me develop my confidence and self-belief, something that neurodiversity can often undermine. It has become a safe space for me to express myself. My brand attracts the most gracious, joyful, respectful and inquisitive customers. In 2025 I truly love the work I do with Powder Butterfly. Yet back in 2020 I felt disconnected and disillusioned.
A devastating health diagnosis that changed everything
I know that many people during lockdown set up small businesses that skyrocketed. This was partly because they had a captive audience sat at home on furlough. Unfortunately, this was when I got diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and suddenly my world became a lot smaller. I was nervous about heading to the post office to deliver orders and on a personal level I couldn’t just carry on in a ‘business as usual’ state of mind.
Lockdown made me refocus and think about what I was missing from my daily life. What I missed was working with local communities and the positive impact that creative projects could have on them. So I decided to get some advice and set up Creative Heritage Studios CiC. I am aware that I will be speaking to an international audience, and not every country will have a not-for-profit system like the UK. So I do plan to write about the different types of not-for-profits that we have in the UK.
All you need to know at this stage is that CHS is a Community Interest Company, and I didn’t start trading with it until 2022.
In part two, I will tell you why it took me two years to start trading with my organisation. When we started trading as a CiC, how our values shaped our commercial offer as a social enterprise, and my hopes for the future of our organisation. If this is something you would like to learn more about, then tap the subscribe button below.
Part 2 Coming Soon….
✨ Hi! I’m Corinne. I run Creative Heritage Studios CIC where we help artists and creatives thrive without compromising their values. We explore the intersection of culture and commerce, create opportunities for neurodiverse creatives, and champion sustainable, impactful projects. If you’d like to support our work or collaborate, learn more here.