Deaf News: Deaf brothers chosen for top business scheme get further cash boost

Two brothers who have launched a deaf-led online communication agency aimed at educational settings are celebrating a £2,000 cash boost for their growing business.

The co-founders of cSeeker, Alex and Guy Orlov, already had a sought-after place on the national Entrepreneurial Spark programme, launched in Birmingham last year offering dozens of entrepreneurs a string of benefits from regular mentoring to free office space in which to work.

The scheme also runs regular events called Acceler8 every few months giving cash prizes for those who “who best demonstrate the mindsets and behaviours of a successful entrepreneur”. cSeeker, along with an organisation called Football Road Trips, took the prizes this time around.

cSeeker provides a reliable way for deaf or hard of hearing students and the places where they learn to access the expertise of the right Communication Professional (CP) for their needs.

Alex says: “Guy and I have been delighted by the way cSeeker has taken off, exceeding all expectations. This latest award means such a lot to us, both as a vindication of all our hard work and because it has come at a critical time in our expansion.

“Both of us have hearing problems ourselves, so understand only too well the frustrations deaf students in particular can experience when trying to book communication support.

“We’re grateful to our Entrepreneurial Spark Enabler, Joe Trodden, for his invaluable support over the last year, and to the financial advice from the scheme’s sponsors, NatWest, KPMG and RBS. Between them they have given us office space in central Birmingham over the last year, as well as guidance that has kept us debt free during our crucial early stages.

“Also of course, thanks to all the wonderful interpreters who work for us. We look forward to continuing to serve the deaf community, and to ploughing back this money into services for them.

“Our aim is to operate ethically, offering a high quality service with maximum availability so that a student is never left without support. However big we get we’ll always be deaf-led.”