Racing Sims North East is a brand new North East business, offering premium racing car simulation hire for all kinds of venues and events. Having launched the business in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, founder Sean Wainwright has defied all the odds, enjoying the ride on the road to success.
After working thirty years in the police, Sean didn’t feel ready to embrace retirement. Instead, he set his sights on something a little lighter, turning one of his passions into a business venture he could run on his own terms.
Sean says,
“I enjoyed racing simulators in my spare time, and thought, if I enjoy it as a hobby, what if I could offer good quality, professional simulators as a business.”
Despite early trepidations about whether he would succeed, the business has already offered their services at weddings, charity fundraising balls, birthday parties, and even engineering exhibitions.
“80% of my work so far has come via recommendations from people who’ve seen it at a venue or an event, and that goes to show that people love the experience. We’re providing a service that’s entertaining and enjoyable.”
As part of Sean’s efforts to build his business, he enrolled in TEDCO Business Support’s Digital Track programme and completed both the digital marketing and growth modules. These are funded by the North of Tyne Combined Authority as part of the Digital Pipeline programme Business Pipeline programme, which includes key partners including Sunderland Software City, Ignite and Northumbria University’s IC3.
Offered exclusively to businesses based in North Tyneside, Newcastle, and Northumberland, the Digital Track short courses consist of a combination of online and in-person marketing workshops. Sean says,
“It’s easy to lose focus when running a business, but the courses helped ensure I was on track – literally! It’s also nice to speak to other people who’ve got completely different businesses, seeing how they’re doing things, and deciding what worked for my business and what didn’t.
“They gave me space to look ahead and future-proof. Sometimes, as a business owner, you operate hand-to-mouth, but being able to step back and think, where do I want to be in a year’s time, or even years’ time, is priceless.”
TEDCO Business Advisor, Bill Hartshorne, who is part of the Digital Track delivery team, says,
“Digital Track is designed to help entrepreneurs like Sean hit the ground running and embrace the tools available to them. It’s great to see that the added ability to network with other entrepreneurs has already proved itself useful for him. I’m delighted the courses have been of benefit to Sean and that he’ll be looking to utilise what he’s learned as his business continues to grow.”