Little Orchard Workshop: Carving a strong future thanks to start up support

Michael Christie transformed his passion for woodwork and history into Little Orchard Workshop, a business creating carved heritage maps which is now stepping up to the next level following trusted business support made available via the Business Growth West Midlands network. 

Through Dudley Council's funded Good2Great Start-Up Programme, he accessed structured training, expert mentoring, and peer networking that changed his mindset. The business has now established a professional website, gained over 500 LinkedIn connections, and is in discussions with potential new customers.

Little Orchard Workshop’s progress demonstrates how free, accessible business support enables individuals with an idea to grow into confident business leaders.

The business

Brierley Hill-based Little Orchard Workshop was established in 2025 by Michael Christie, a skilled craftsperson with an interest in combining woodwork, engineering, and history. The business specialises in creating carved wooden heritage maps adapted from historical records.

Each map tells the unique story of a location, designed to spark intergenerational conversations about local history and heritage.
As a start-up business, Michael recognised the need for professional guidance to scale his business. He was introduced to Good2Great, a business growth specialist, to access their free Start-Up Programme funded by Dudley Council.

How we helped

As part of the Good2Great Start-Up programme, Little Orchard Workshop attended a two-day, in-person workshop covering topics ranging from legal business requirements to entrepreneurial mindset, cashflow, time management, goal setting and marketing.

Following the workshop, the business received a series of one-to-one coaching sessions from a business advisor. All business advisors have experience of running their own businesses, so uniquely placed to support start-ups like Little Orchard Workshop.

Michael also regularly attends free peer networking events organised by Good2Great. The Friday networking group helps to keep business owners in touch with their peers to build a community of start-up organisations.

Since attending the programme, Michael has established a company website, is active on LinkedIn and has more than 500 connections and regularly attends networking events, something Michael says has been a fantastic way to connect with like-minded organisations.

The business continues to gain momentum with Michael currently in discussions with a West Midlands high street group to curate heritage wooden maps for each of the shop owners.

Michael Christie from Little Orchard Workshop said:

“The Good2Great programme gives you the basics of how to create or develop a business. For me it also acts as a gateway to a community of businesses that are helping each other and a community that welcomes newcomers with enthusiasm. 

“I have had so much help from other businesses and learned so much from them. It was my first experience of being in a room with other people on a similar journey to me and it made me realise that I wasn’t on my own anymore.

“As a result, my outlook has changed completely. I was a fella in his little workshop that gives people a little of the history of where they live for them to have in their homes. 

“I now realise that I am creating a carved wooden historic map company that will eventually function without my direct involvement. 

“It’s quite a leap in my mindset that all started with the Good2Great programme. It is a business course that is true, but it’s also an invitation to join a family of business all helping each other. I now help others too, and that feels great.”

Sally Themans from Good2Great said:

“Our Start-Up Programme stands out because we support businesses throughout their entire lifecycle, from launch through scale. We've backed 3,000+ start-ups, and those who engage with our workshops, coaching and networking opportunities see measurably better outcomes. 

“Michael and Little Orchard Workshop are a fantastic example of a small business who has truly embraced the programme. From the workshops to the networking opportunities, Michael has made use of the resources on offer to grow his business for the future.”

Next steps

Business Growth West Midlands can signpost you to a range of grants and support programmes for West Midlands-based start-ups and SMEs. Click here to find out more about starting a business. To get alerts on new opportunities join our newsletter mailing list.