Female DIY firm proving a big hit with the ladies

A NORTH East entrepreneur has swapped a career in the civil service for her own female-led DIY business.

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Laura Bartlett spent 27 years working in local government but always had a love of DIY, gardening and furniture upcycling.

After renovating her house from top to bottom, her friends and family inspired her to finally turn her passion into her own venture, leading to the launch of SHE-IY SOS in May.

Since launching, Ms Bartlett says the business has proved to be a big hit and her diary is filled with a pipeline of projects over the next few months.

Based in Houghton-le-Spring, SHE-IY SOS offers all manner of home and garden services, offering everything from gardening tidy ups to wall panelling, wallpapering, putting up shelves and painting. And the founder says she set up the business to empower women through hands-on learning and creativity.

In an industry traditionally dominated by men, she says the decision to set up a female-led business is helping her stand out in a crowded marketplace.

The majority of her customers are female, with a few having expressed to her how having a woman around for help who they can trust in their home and talk to has made a difference to their lives.

She said: "I think being a female-led business has definitely been a key factor in my success so far.