North Core Creative started through a part-time role with Active Care Chiropractic, an amazing chiropractor clinic in York who not only gave me a job when times were tough but enabled me to pursue my goals with North Core. Kindly switching shifts, granting me holidays to coincide with my filming schedule and honestly, just being supportive and pushing me to go for it. With the support of my friends, family, and a steady income, I set mysights on North Core and we’ve just celebrated our first birthday!

The year has been tough. I honestly underestimated what running my own business was going to be like, feel like… it’s hard, but I love it. I had no idea about all the admin, planning, website creation, or social media marketing, but everyday I’m learning something new. I’ve met some amazing people along the way, great businesses and individuals who are in a similar position to myself. The ability to build a small network of creatives who push, advise, and help each other through these tough times is brilliant, and something I didn’t expect.

I’ve had the pleasure of working with so many amazing people and businesses including Ashgate Hospice, Selby District Council, National Club Golfer and many more. Working with these businesses means so much to me because they trusted and chose North Core, a small production company who had just started their journey, to provide an important service for their businesses. They invested in me, allowing North Core to build and progress during the current climate. When I began North Core and was discussing it with friends and family, I was initially grading it as a pass or a failure. I would either make it or I wouldn’t, but that’s where my mindset changed. Our first client saw who we are, what we’re about, and what we stand for, and agreed to work with us. That for me is the success we were looking for all along.

Don’t get me wrong, there are long nights, shoots, lots of learning and growing involved with starting a business, but I’ve never felt more purpose than since I started North Core. I remember sending the first email and the first invoiceto our first client; I must have been sat checking the grammar and spelling for ages, even asking my partner Poppy to check it, but North Core is built through hard work, determination, drive, and I’m lucky to have so many people helping me along the way.

North Core Creative is by no means a finished article, we’ve only just got going, but my advice to anyone who is thinking of starting their own business is to enjoy and love what you do. Times can get hard by yourself but enjoying your work and having a passion for it can push and guide you through rough times. I’m very lucky to have a support system in place. Whenever I feel down, tired or fed up, I always have someone picking me up like my partner, mum, or brother, and we move forward.

This last part is a special thank you to all the clients, businesses, friends, and family who trusted and pushed me to do this. If you’d have told me a couple of years ago that I’d be working with so many amazing companies, creating content and progressing with North Core every single day, I wouldn’t have believed you. Our first year has been an incredible rollercoaster but I wouldn’t change it for the world. I honestly can’t thank you all enough.

Michael