A gap in the market born from personal experience

James Atkinson, a former telecoms sales professional who has lived in Selby for 20 years, never dreamed of starting his own business. The catalyst came not from ambition, but from necessity, born from a deeply personal and challenging period of his life.

After receiving an 18-month sentence, James served five months in prison. As a first-time offender, he found the experience profoundly shocking. “I didn’t know what to expect, and there was no one to guide me,” he recalls. The system was a maze of standardised, often outdated or incorrect information. “Different areas, such as police, probation, solicitors, prisons, even the government website all had a different set of guidelines and rules. Separating the reality from the textbook was impossible.”

He kept a diary inside, noting the universal confusion among fellow offenders. Questions like “What happens when I come out of prison?” or “What does a Category B prison actually mean?” went unanswered, exacerbating fear and anxiety. With mental health issues among offenders significantly higher than the UK average, James identified a critical gap: the complete lack of accessible, knowledgeable, and guidance for those navigating the justice system, particularly in the north of England.

The Journey:

Translating lived experience into a viable enterprise

Upon his release, and with his health improving after suffering two strokes, James was determined to build a positive future. At first, he connected with Clean Slate Solutions, where his advisor Ella Chilton helped him explore his employment options. It was here that James expressed his desire to start a prison consultancy. Recognising the potential, Ella referred him to the self-employment experts at Momentic for specialised start-up support.

The challenges were daunting. James possessed the invaluable lived experience of prison but lacked the business acumen to structure it. He needed to validate his delivery model, understand how to monetise his expertise, and build a professional brand that would be trusted by solicitors and vulnerable individuals alike.

“The idea was clear but turning it into a sustainable business was the real challenge,” James explains. “I knew the ‘what’ but not the ‘how’.”

The Momentic Solution:

Strategic structure and professional polish

Through Momentic, James joined the Trailblazer programme, which offers free business support to individuals in York and North Yorkshire, and participated in targeted webinars covering Marketing, Social Media, Business Planning, Finance, and Bookkeeping. In his one-to-one mentorship sessions, Steve Lydiatt, a Momentic Business Adviser and Trailblazer Keyworker, helped James transform his vision into a concrete business plan.

A key milestone was establishing a Community Interest Company (CIC), embedding a social mission at the core of his venture. With Steve’s guidance on branding, logo creation, and website development, James is ready to launch ‘PLAS’ (Prison Liaison Advisery Service), with the immediate aim to gain credibility and traction with customers and key stakeholders.

James’s said: “Momentic gave me the framework and the confidence to believe this was more than just an idea. Steve helped me structure my dream into a real business plan. The decision to form a CIC was crucial – it perfectly captures our mission to serve the community, not just make a profit.”

Steve added: “James has a powerful insight and a genuine desire to help others dealing with the circumstances he found himself in not too long ago. It’s been fantastic to see his vision being shaped into such a promising and needed enterprise.”

The Result:

A beacon of clarity in a complex system

Scheduled to launch in January 2026, PLAS is poised to become an essential service. It will offer clarity and support to offenders and their families, from pre-sentencing advice to in-prison visits, delivered both in-person and virtually.

The business model is as innovative as the service, combining an hourly rate for private clients, a retainer model for solicitors’ firms, and pro-bono work, ensuring help is available to all. James plans to reach his audience through targeted outreach to legal organisations, workshops for offenders, and a strong presence on LinkedIn and relevant social media groups.

From a personal period of adversity, James – with support from Momentic – is building a service that offers hope, reduces anxiety, and provides a much-needed compass for those lost in the justice system.