Launch It Trust

30/09/2026

From a lack of authentic Caribbean food in Stoke-on-Trent to a thriving fusion brand with its very own shop, Launch It Stoke-supported founder Jodie Ferguson’s journey with TOJO’S is a true celebration of culture, community and growth. 🚀

It began as Mama Jo’s, born from Jodie’s Jamaican roots and a gap she spotted in her local food scene. As the business grew, so did its story, bringing in Nigerian cuisine through her partnership with co-founder Tobi, and evolving into TOJO’S Jamo & Naija: a name built from both their heritages and a menu built on real fusion.🥘

Since accessing business support from Launch It Stoke-on-Trent, Jodie has brought real structure to the business, gaining a much clearer understanding of how to run and grow it properly.

She credits our enterprise manager, Gemma Bourne, for guidance, support and connections that opened doors and removed barriers along the way, including a standout moment catering Launch It’s event at Longton Town Hall, which helped build exposure, credibility and led directly to further corporate catering opportunities. 💯

Now, TOJO’s has reached an exciting new milestone: the opening of their main shop at Eagle Works Business Park. Jodie, shared: “The experience has helped us grow not only in revenue, but also in confidence, professionalism, and long-term business thinking.”

From market stalls to a shop of their own and future pop-ups around town, Jodie and TOJO’s are proof of what’s possible when culture, passion and the right support come together. 🚀

👏🏽 We’re so proud to support this journey & can’t wait to see where TOJO’s goes next. Find out more at tojos.co.uk. More about how we support young entrepreneurs like Jodie at launchit.org.uk/stoke-on-trent

28/09/2026

What an incredible day! The Pitch Off was everything we hoped for and more.🚀✨

We are so proud of these talented founders from our London hubs who battled it out for a share of £2K funding to put into building/growing their business, and the standard was incredible. After some serious deliberation, here are your winners:

🥇 Serene Azu, SMA Hair UK, who delivered a brilliant pitch to take the grand prize
🥈 Kelly Arekion, Shop Galactica
🥉 Nick Sergiou, Step With Serg
🎖️ Sumayah Richards, Sumofia & Eve Bawuah, Evie’s Treats
 
Huge congrats, everyone! Standing up to pitch your business takes real courage and every one of you did an outstanding job.
 
A huge thank you to everyone who made the day so special:
🎙️ Our host, trustee Rupert Tyer
👏🏽 Our CEO, Amber Wright, for welcoming everyone and sharing about our work & impact
🌟 Special guest alumna Mary Otumahana, who built her multi-award-winning CIC, The RecShop, with Launch It’s backing more than a decade ago and continuing to be a shining example of what this support can do
🤝 Our pitch coaches, who shared their expertise before the live pitches: Joyce Green, Richard Kelly, Mary Otumahana, Hamish Roberts and Charles Skinner
⚖️ Our pitch judges: David Thompson, James Wilding and Esther Godwins, a former Tottenham Launch Iteer who is now one of our trustees
 
Programmes like this remind us why we do what we do. With over a million young people in the UK not in education, employment or training, entrepreneurship can be a powerful pathway to a better future, but it needs backing to grow.💛

👉🏽 If you’re a funder, partner or supporter believes in backing the next generation of business founders and would like to help us create more opportunities like this, we’d love to hear from you. Go to launchit.org.uk for more info or email [email protected] 
 
Until the next one! 💯
 

23/09/2026

Meet Ellie Meredith, founder of Sugar Rush Social, bringing her love of 50s American diners to life in the heart of Longton.🥤✨

With the support, guidance and encouragement of Launch It Stoke-on-Trent, particularly our enterprise manager Gemma Bourne, Ellie turned her vision into something real, a retro-inspired spot in Longton Market, serving up sweet treats, nostalgia and plenty of personality. 🍒

Her story is a brilliant reminder of what can happen when young entrepreneurs are given the right support to believe in their ideas and make them happen.

👀 Watch Ellie’s story & find out more about how we support young entrepreneurs like her at launchit.org.uk/stoke-on-trent

23/09/2026

Proud to be supporting this fantastic initiative! 🚀✨

A new employability course has been launched to help Staffordshire residents on their way to better careers.

Read more 🔗 tinyurl.com/5akhhhds

Subscribe to get free daily Staffordshire business news delivered to your inbox every morning ➡️ shorturl.at/UDYjE

23/09/2026

An amazing new programme & a powerful collaboration bring new opportunities in Stoke! 🚀✨

17/09/2026

The first Launch It Stoke-on-Trent Start-Up Smarts session of the season is a few weeks away, who’s coming? 🚀👀
 
Take a look back at some of the past workshops at the hub; the energy, the connections, the real insights shared. That’s exactly what’s coming your way on 12 Oct, when we dive into Branding with guest speaker Andrew Hope of Hope Creative. 

He’ll be exploring the building blocks of strong branding, from defining your WHY, WHO, HOW & WHAT, to crafting a brand story that genuinely connects with your audience.
 
Remember, all sessions are FREE to attend, in-person and is open to young entrepreneurs aged 18-30 across Stoke-on-Trent, whether you’re just starting out or building an early-stage business.
 
🎟️ Spaces are limited, so book your place now: joinstokestartupsmarts.eventbrite.co.uk

🌐 Want to know more about subsidised workspace & fully funded start-up support at our hub? Go to launchit.org.uk/stoke-on-trent or email [email protected]

17/09/2026

We’re delighted to welcome our new Senior Fundraiser & Mentor Manager, Kate Ainsworth, who recently spent time at the hub with North London Area Manager Cliff Dobbs and supported founders Kelly Arekion of Shop Galactica and Teesh of Teesh Hair.👏🏽✨
 
Kate brings a unique mix of experience to Launch It, having worked in enterprise, spent 20 years in youth-focused fundraising, been self-employed herself and trained as a qualified coach.
 
She knows first-hand that building a business can be exciting, liberating and rewarding but also challenging and sometimes lonely. That’s why she’s passionate about the wrap-around support Launch It provides, helping young founders build both their businesses and their personal potential.
 
We’re excited to have Kate as part of the Launch It team and look forward to seeing the impact she’ll make across our founder community. 🚀
 

16/09/2026

Sometimes, the biggest setbacks become the starting point for something better. 💛🚀
 
For Maisy Greensmith, founder of Maisocial, that moment came when she was unexpectedly made redundant, thrown into the deep end with no shortage of challenges ahead. Taking the leap into working for herself was daunting, but it’s a risk she’s proud she took.
 
“I can build my own brand and work wherever I want, whenever I want,” Maisy shares. With guidance from her mentor and enterprise manager at Launch It Kent, she’s had the freedom to develop her ideas and grow Maisocial on her own terms.💯
 
This is exactly what Launch It stands for; showing young people that when life closes one door, they have the power to build their own. Given the right support, redundancy doesn’t have to be an ending; it can be the start of something entirely your own.
 
So proud of how far Maisy has come & excited for everything still ahead.👏🏽
 
Check out maisocial.co.uk & follow for more.
 

15/09/2026

Sometimes the hardest part isn’t the idea; it’s giving yourself permission to start. 💫

Rhoda Asare, founder of Yanite Luxury & a supported entrepreneur at Launch It Stoke-on-Trent, knows that better than most. A fashion designer, stylist and illustrator with certifications in fashion design and creative arts, she’s had a flair for fashion since she was little and never let it go.🙌🏽✨

In this reel, Rhoda shares the mindset that helped her push through: just start from wherever you are. No perfect setup, no perfect moment; you build the clarity as you go, one step at a time.

It’s advice that resonates with so many young founders juggling jobs, responsibilities and self-doubt while trying to bring an idea to life. Rhoda’s journey is proof that consistency, not perfection, is what carries a business forward.

If you’re sitting on an idea & waiting for the “right time”, this is your sign. Launch It Stoke is here to help you take that first step. 💛🚀

🌐 More about our work at launchit.org.uk/stoke-on-trent 

10/09/2026

Don't miss it! Our first Launch It Stoke-on-Trent Start-Up Smarts session of the season is almost here; have you booked your spot? 🚀

Time to get to know our guest speaker a little more and what better way to start than with a session all about Branding, led by Andrew Hope of Hope Creative. He'll be exploring the building blocks of strong branding from defining your WHY, WHO, HOW & WHAT, to crafting a brand story that genuinely connects with your audience.

This FREE, in-person workshop is open to young entrepreneurs aged 18-30 across Stoke-on-Trent, whether you're just starting out or building an early-stage business.

🎟️ Spaces are limited so book your place now: joinstokestartupsmarts.eventbrite.co.uk

🌐 Want to know more about subsidised workspace & fully funded start-up support at our hub? Go to launchit.org.uk/stoke-on-trent or email [email protected]