Joel Jones, 24, from Cornwall applied for a £20,000 Start Up Loan, provided through SWIG Finance, to convert a classic VW campervan into a mobile cocktail bar and launch his business, The Mixer, aimed at weddings and parties.
Joel said:
“At the time I applied I was only 20 and just out of university. No one else was going to help me. For me, the Start Up Loan was really the only way I was ever going to be able to make it work. Of course, it’s scary thinking about starting your own business and applying for a loan but my attitude was, ‘I can either think about doing this for years, or I can just get on and do it’. I knew the van would be something everyone could relate to. There are thousands of horse-box-style mobile bars out there and I knew this would be different.
With the Cornish wedding season just about to begin, Joel is looking forward to a busy 2024 and enjoys being surrounded by happy people, all keen to try one of his drinks crafted to celebrate local ingredients. “I never would have been able to do it without the Start Up Loan, so I would definitely recommend looking into it,” he added.
