Natasha Marshall
Board Director of PSYBT (Voluntary), Opportunity & Enterprise, The Prince’s Scottish Youth Business Trust
Having started my printed fabric and wallpaper business in 1997 with a loan from The Prince’s Scottish Youth Business Trust (PSYBT) I know first hand how important this charity is in helping young business people succeed. The support and financial help allowed me to start my business the year after graduating from Glasgow School of Art when the banks would not support me due to student debts. My company ‘Natasha Marshall Fabrics and Wall coverings’ now sells fabric and wallpaper collections through leading retailers across the United Kingdom, provides fabric and wallpapers to leading hotels and exports to 14 countries. Since the start of the business, the support and advice PSYBT has given me has been incredible, including my first adviser and great press coverage. PSYBT provide an opportunity every potential young businessperson should be encouraged to follow.
It has been a huge honour to join the Board of PSYBT this year. We meet every three months and during these meetings one of the key areas is getting an update on developments. We discuss how many new businesses have been started and how to increase awareness of the organisation among young people. We want to encourage young people to contact PSYBT with their business plans and for individuals/companies to provide financial support and to volunteer their time to help with the mentoring scheme. We also invite a PSYBT supported business to visit us and tell us how their business is going and what successes and challenges they are experiencing now or in the coming year. Through this process we are always looking at new ways to help the businesses succeed and what further support PSYBT might be able to offer in the future. It was from these talks that The Growth Fund was formed to help with the second phase of growth for PSYBT businesses.
I also enjoy helping out with PSYBT events, by talking at the Supper Clubs, Elevator Evenings or presenting awards, most recently at The Growth Fund Awards. These events provide a vital place for young business people to network and make friends with other business people. They also get to hear people talk about how they have grown their business and learn from other people’s challenges or successes which helps them get ideas and see the future for their own business growth.
