Take Good Care, Newhaven - Success Through Wellness

When her successful diversity training business closed due to lockdown, Barbara Rowe started to weave self-care into her life, but found that many self-care websites were targeting specific groups and she felt there was a gap in the market for a more inclusive platform with access to uncomplicated, high-quality products and information and with that, takegoodcare was born!

But the business is not just about environmentally friendly products, corporate social responsibility is at the heart of everything it does.  The company partners with One Tree Planted and since start-up has planted in excess of 120 trees. Barbara has also recently launched the Take Good Care Awards, recognising unsung heroes in her local community.

Barbara started the business in a small outlet in Lewes, but quickly discovered that she needed more space and a more professional environment to grow her business.  It was important for Barbara to have an East Sussex based location close to home, avoiding heavy traffic and high parking costs.

Newhaven Enterprise Centre was the perfect solution, with good public transport links, free on-site parking, 24/7 access, and good accessibility and facilities for those with limited mobility.  For Barbara, as an online business, close proximity to a Post and Sorting Office was also important.

“Moving to Newhaven Enterprise Centre was the best move I made last year.  It isn’t just the facilities, but also the staff – who always have time to provide a listening ear as well as signposting for business advice and services”

Barbara Rowe, takegoodcare

Barbara contacted Locate East Sussex for support starting up and relocating her business, and was introduced to Business Manager, Emily Wright.

‘It was great to have Emily as a sounding board who was not connected to the business, so objective. Her encouragement to make myself visible as the founder of my brand and take ownership has had a huge effect on sales’

Barbara Rowe, takegoodcare

Working with Locate East Sussex has made a real impact on the business. Now settled at Newhaven on a flexible licence, Barbara has already moved into a larger unit within the Centre, improving efficiency and providing space to re-launch her diversity training business without compromising Take Good Care sales. The Centre has also given her access to a diverse range of businesses which has ‘added to the richness of my own work-life and development, giving me the opportunity to extend my working family and meet other local entrepreneurs, utilising the NEC team and businesses around me’.