Bespoke Glassmaker Expands Business Thanks to Start-Up Loan

Lincolnshire entrepreneur and experienced kiln glass artist, Katie Hinder, has secured a £17,500 start-up loan from First Enterprise – Enterprise Loans to expand her glass-making business and launch a new collection.

Katie has been creating kiln glass pieces since graduating from the University of Sunderland in Architectural Glass in 2007 but wanted to expand her business when she set up her current studio in 2018.

Although Katie is an experienced artist, the business loan also helped her to hone her entrepreneurial skills – a side of her business she wasn’t as confident about: “The start-up loan was instrumental in helping me to develop and expand the studio. The robust application process and my dedicated business adviser helped me to fully consider how the studio would perform financially, who my target market is and how the studio would provide a valuable service. Throughout my degree, I studied how to be an artist. However, the support from First Enterprise – Enterprise Loans helped me to see my entrepreneurial skills and gave me the confidence to expand. With the loan, I purchased equipment and raw materials, which gave me the financial movement to develop a new collection.”

Katie creates beautiful, bespoke wall art, splashbacks and home accessories such as bowls, clocks and plates which are created using the highest quality Bullseye glass. Each piece is handmade to order and kiln-fired until near molten then strengthened and cooled. In more normal times, Katie also runs glass making workshops to help others develop their skills.

For more information on Katie Hinder and her glass artwork and home accessories, please visit www.katiehinder.co.uk.

If you are based in the East or South East Midlands area and would like a business loan or start-up business loan, get in touch and find out how we can help you.