Market Place Details

Outset Norfolk

Name: Chris Leighton
Company / Business Name: Outset Norfolk / Outset Norfolk
Website: www.outsetnorfolk.co.uk
Email: freshfotography@yahoo.co.uk
Telephone: 01603 663453
Mobile: 07585 979022
Categories: Business Coaching

About the Company / Business

Chris has 34 years sales and marketing experience covering a variety of sectors both in London and East Anglia.

Shortly after giving up work to be a full time mum, she went in to partnership with another new mum and formed Marney & Leighton Millinery, creating bespoke hats for the wedding and horse racing market. Chris is proud to say that her hats have been worn around the world, complimenting many a haute couture design.

After 7 years, and having moved to Cambridge, Chris bought an entertainment agency franchise, to provide all types of entertainment including fairground attractions and bands like Shawaddywaddy and Boney M for corporate events, Cambridge College and RAF balls and again the wedding market.

Deciding to become a lady of leisure for a while on returning to Norfolk in 2000, Chris sold the agency and went back to college to study her passion, photography. Five years on she found herself as a freelance press photographer, and was often commissioned to produce images for brochures and websites, as well as providing wedding and event photography.

Chris's passion for her photography lead to that rare eureka moment when she conceived the idea for a social networking website for hobbyists.

Almost a year to the day www.hobbyworldunited.co.uk was launched connecting people around the globe with those who shared their passion. Sadly, and a year in, under resourced and under financed for the size of the operation, Chris was finding it difficult to monetise the site and then a car accident left her unable to work for 3 months so www.hobbyworldunited.co.uk was closed down, with many lessons learned.

Chris returned to the world of full time employment, which then resulted in redundancy 8 months later. A series of short term contracts have found her in the current position of Programme Manager for Outset Norfolk, where she is delighted to be able to draw on her wealth of experience to help others in to self-employment, providing advice, guidance, and training in new business start-up.

Recognising the value of the WiRE network, Chris is very excited to be able to bring her knowledge to the South Norfolk group, and hopes that in return she will gain their support when the time comes for her to start her next venture.

 

Volunteer Network Leader

South Norfolk WiRE Network