Meet the team

She is currently leading a flagship Arts Council funded programme ‘Create Place: Placemaking and Co-Creation Leadership’ and together with regional chambers is running the  ERDF funded ‘Factory’ project to support the innovation-led growth of the creative industries in North Staffordshire.
WWW: https://www.staffs.ac.uk/people/carola-boehm

My name is Jackie Wheeler and I currently work as a Facilities Manager at VAST. I started my career many years ago in accounting at a small engineering organisation, almost running the small office. So much experience was gained from this role!

I then had a break of 8 years looking after my twin girls but very eager to get back into work, my first role at this stage of my life was in the voluntary sector. Having spent almost 20 years in the voluntary sector I have become very passionate about the sector and have met so many amazing people along the way. I started in an administrative role, after years of studying I am now in a middle management role.

Committing to a lot of studying along the way, I decided in 2010 to start a degree course, a BA Honours degree in Business and Enterprise, more commonly known by the university as the BABE degree! I did this through distance learning with Edinburgh Napier University, a perfect excuse for a couple of weekends away. I graduated in 2012, I was very proud to achieve this and show my daughters that you can do anything you want to do if you are committed!

In 2015 I did an advanced mentoring course at Staffordshire University, having completed the course and learning how I can help and support other people to achieve what they want to achieve is very satisfying for me.

Enterprise Support (BES) is a social enterprise – a non-profit organisation aiming to help people of all backgrounds, to become self-employed. Kelly’s role as Enterprise Coach Team Leader involves her leading her team of experienced Business Enterprise Coaches to support people in the first few months of being self-employed and also to help grow existing businesses. Her approach ensures they are not there to tell people what to do – they’re there to listen to their ideas and help turn them into a viable business.

Kelly has lots of experience of being involved in family businesses and can relate to clients as they embark on their journey using her own knowledge and experiences to guide them on their way. She appreciates that the first few months of being self-employed are the most important and also the most stressful. Preparation and planning are key to new business’ success and her team of coaches can show budding entrepreneurs what to expect and provide them with the skills required to have the confidence to succeed.

This European Regional Development Funded initiative offers mentoring support to SMEs throughout Staffordshire.