Scott, from Lincolnshire, started performing magic at an young age, but after being involved in a television series in his early teens he felt “burnt out” and left school at 16 years old. He stopped performing for several years and faced a period of unemployment.
“I was living in a rural area and there were few jobs available.” said Scott. “I needed a car to get out and find work, but needed a job so I could afford a car. I found it really difficult not being able to support myself while my friends were enjoying success and I felt I couldn’t keep up.”
After two years of trying to find a job, Scott was directed to The Prince’s Trust by the JobCentre. At this stage he hadn’t considered setting up a business but with his experience and talent of performing magic he took part in the Enterprise programme to explore his options.
When he’d completed the course, Scott received a £250 test trading loan and later a £2,000 loan to start up on his own as a close-up magician. He was assigned a business mentor who has proved invaluable.
Scott says: “My business mentor was a great match for me. He isn’t afraid to push me and be very honest and I really value that. I never had aspirations to set up my business but after completing the Enterprise programme my eyes were opened to a lot of opportunities.”
Scott’s business, SP Magic, started trading four months ago. He focuses on performing magic at events and he was booked to provide some light relief for the British swim team as they prepared for the Olympics.
The Prince’s Trust are amazing facilitators and the service they provide is invaluable. I gained so much from the Enterprise programme and I feel much better as a person too. If it wasn’t for The Trust I’d probably still be signing on for benefits today.
Visit the www.spmagic.co.uk website.
