Meet Sofia, owner of Kinver Boat School in South Staffordshire. After moving onto a narrowboat during a major life change, she discovered a love for boating that grew into a new direction for her life and career. What began as one journey on the Liverpool Link soon became a calling. Other boaters asked her for guidance, lock keepers assumed she had been doing it for years, and people encouraged her to become an instructor.
Sofia gained her RYA instructor qualification in 2021 and began preparing her own boat and paperwork to open an accredited training school. When she was made redundant from her NHS role, she took it as the push she needed to finish her preparation and officially launch Kinver Boat School in February 2024.
She now offers narrowboat training for beginners and experienced boaters including the RYA Helmsman certificate, RYA Crew certificate, one to one training, narrowboat experience days and tailored sessions that help people build confidence on the water. Her customers range from first time boat buyers to people preparing for a canal holiday to those learning how to manage a boat alone.
A recent student told her
“I do not think you realise how much difference you have made to me.”
Comments like this remind Sofia why she does the work she does. Many of her customers are going through big transitions in life and her background in counselling helps her support them with confidence and calm during both the emotional and practical steps of boating.
Her journey has not been without challenge. She had to sell the boat she loved and buy one with a cruiser stern so there would be room to teach students. The new boat needed significant work including fitting a bathroom, building a bedroom and making the space habitable so she could live and teach from it. She has continued working on it inside and out while running the school and building the business on her own.
Sofia’s long term vision is to find a small piece of land by the canal where she can run the business, teach from a stable base and even grow her own food through a small allotment. Her passion is simple. Help more people enjoy the waterways safely, confidently and with a sense of freedom.
Sofia joined the Start Up South Staffordshire programme to strengthen the business side of her new venture. She says
“The Good2Great course elevated my thinking into being more business-like, particularly helping me to recognise who my ideal customers are and improving my understanding of how to market the business. While I may have gotten there eventually, this course gave me a big leap forward and access to other new businesses and experts to learn from.”
To learn more or book training, visit KinverBoatSchool.co.uk.
If you are thinking about starting a business in South Staffordshire, you can explore the Start Up South Staffordshire programme delivered by Good2Great. It provides practical training, mentoring and guidance for anyone taking their first steps into self employment.
