A young Southport entrepreneur is the youngest business owner to sponsor a board at Southport Rugby Football Club.
Connor Brown runs Chord Print Solutions in Southport, which has been providing printing services for firms and organisations across the North West.
The determined 19-year-old launched his firm after completing his A-Levels and leaving Winstanley College in Lancashire during the Covid pandemic.
He sought work with a number of firms but, like many young people during lockdown, experienced the lack of opportunities available for young people due to the impact of Covid-19 pandemic.
So he decided to set up his own firm, working hard to make it a success.
Over the past few months Connor has been designing, printing and installing a range of menus, flyers, posters, banners, boards and flags for firms in Southport and across the North West.
He has also been creating shop signage, point of sale, print marketing, product labelling, dressing and packaging, and Covid safety signage and equipment.
His clients so far include: Fletchers Solicitors, Smiths TV, The Carlton, Royal British Legion, GB Tours, Edge Hill Student Union, Tea Rooms Birkdale, Broughs Butchers, St Paul’s Dental and Wolfe & Bear Co.
Connor, who lives in Southport, has a strong connection with Southport Rugby Football Club, having played for the club’s junior teams, and is now playing for the rugby club’s Second XV.
He said: “I am delighted to have become Southport RFC’s youngest sponsor, joining a host of other strong Southport businesses which support the club.
“I have played for Southport for the past four years. I joined the Colts team, winning the league undefeated with a team I didn’t know at the start of the season, ending it with 20 new friends and a league title. Southport truly opened its arms. It has been the perfect place to meet new people, join old friends, get fit and support the local community.
“I’m currently enjoying playing for the Second XV.
“What intrigued me about the idea of becoming a sponsor was the spirit I felt during The Ellis Expedition back in 2020, where players and supporters raised over £32,000 in memory of club legend Graham Ellis.
“I started Chord Print Solutions, and it has put me in a position to give back, support and grow with the club.”
Connor launched his firm during the Covid lockdown and has been delighted to see it grow.
He said: “Chord Print Solutions is a lockdown baby.
“I identified a need among local businesses for Covid safety signage when the pandemic first hit, after being told to complete college from home.
“I was due to finish college in June 2020 after sitting my A-Levels. Unfortunately, we were sent home from college in the middle of March, cutting off interaction, experience and reducing the opportunities for learning almost immediately.
“I continued to complete college work at home for the next few weeks until we were told our exams were cancelled and that nothing we did after that date would be taken into account.
“I couldn’t sit still after a week. So I wandered around town and noticed Barclays Bank was the only business in Southport which had Covid safe socially distanced footprints outside.
“At the time, I wondered why no other shops had them? And also, where can other local businesses even get them from? My lockdown project began.
“After the initial Covid lockdown regulations gradually dwindled, demand fell. So I thought to myself, if I can print Covid signage, why can’t I print everything else too? So, Chord Print Solutions was born.”
For more details about Chord Print Solutions please visit:
https://www.instagram.com/chordprint
https://www.facebook.com/chordprint
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