The Handy Archer

Founder

Karen Hand

Profile

My business idea started when I trained as an archery instructor to teach archery to scouts. I soon started getting great feedback from the kids - I remember overhearing a 13 year old scout saying “I’ve never had this much fun doing archery”. I enjoyed the sport so much, I decided to see if I could make a go of it as a career.

What does your company do?

I run beginners’ archery classes for schools and groups of all ages. People also book sessions with me to celebrate a special occasion, such as a birthday.

What has ThinkBusiness@Bradford done to help you develop?

I’ve really valued the advice of the mentors. More recently I’ve had the opportunity to meet the programme’s life coach, which was amazing. Think Business also helped me with Test funding.

What’s been your biggest success?

I now have a venue which means I can offer my customers a much more comprehensive service.

What’s been the hardest thing you’ve had to cope with?

Winning business can be tough and I’m still feeling my way with marketing. Completing my first tax return was pretty daunting!

What advice would you give other new businesses?

If you’re thinking about setting up a business and are able to take a little risk – then dare to try and just go for it. Ask yourself, “What’s the worst that can happen?”

What plans do you have for the future of The Handy Archer?

I want to capture the West Yorkshire schools market and start branching out into working with holiday clubs. I also think there are opportunities for me at National Trust and English Heritage events and I’m considering expansion into corporate events.