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Enigma Wine - Gill Nicol
PGCE (2009)
Summary:
Enigma Wine is a wine tasting events company that specialise in organising wine tastings for corporate, private and fundraising events. The aim of the company is to offer a bespoke service adapted to the requirements of its clients where the focus is on the event as an experience rather than sales of wine afterwards; helping Enigma Wine to stand out from competitors.
About me:
I set the company up as a result of my passion and enthusiasm for delivering wine tastings and because it is something that people always seem interested in. I have over ten years of experience hosting wine tasting events, including teaching wine classes at West Cheshire College and I am qualified with a Diploma in Wine Appreciation. Based in Chester, I combine the business with my part-time position as a geography teacher.
About the business:
I felt that there was a gap in the market for a company that focused on wine tasting as an event and an educational experience rather than to sell wine off the back of, which is what most wine merchants focus on. Therefore my tastings are always fun, interactive and sociable events where customers get to taste and learn about wines from all over the world. The tastings are ideal for private events such as birthdays, anniversaries or hen parties and corporate events such as team-building, networking or fundraising. In addition to teaching wine classes at West Cheshire College I also teach in a local wine shop.
How Student Enterprise has helped me:
The EFS programme has enabled me to buy all of the practical items for my business such as wine tasting glasses and advertising material such as a website and business cards. I have had a business mentor during the scheme that has helped me to focus on the more important aspects of my business and to set targets for its growth. I have also benefited from the workshops that were run to cover all the practical aspects of setting up a business. Finally, the programme has introduced me to other people setting up small businesses with whom I have been able to share my ideas and experiences. The scheme has been a fantastic opportunity to be given the business, financial and practical support necessary in the early stages of a business start-up.
Future plans:
In time alongside private, corporate and fundraising tastings I would like the company to engage with strategic events such as food & wine matching evenings in partnership with local eateries, gourmet evenings in local restaurants / hotels and ‘wine-dating’ in local wine bars. In the long term I would like the company to expand into organising wine tasting weekends / holidays and as the business grows I would like to import my own wine or buy wine to be able to sell off the back of these tastings. I would also like to offer other specialist tastings such as whisky or fine ale tastings and to deliver the Wine and Spirit Education Trust qualifications for people who work with wine.
Website: www.enigmawine.co.uk
