School of Business
Unbreakable Self-Defence
Established: 2023
Legal structure: Company Limited by Guarantee
Who we are
Unbreakable Self-Defence is a social enterprise delivering trauma-informed self-defence training through 1:1 sessions, group workshops, and tailored programmes across the UK. The organisation supports individuals - particularly women and vulnerable groups - to build confidence, safety, and wellbeing.
What was required
When Defence 4 Women began scaling its services, it faced key structural and growth challenges: Operating as a sole trader social enterprise, Generating income through trading but breaking even (£12k turnover), Lacking a formal legal structure to access funding, Operating without a clear long-term strategic plan.
The challenge
To grow its impact, the organisation needed to transition from a small, delivery-focused service into a structured, scalable social enterprise. Defence 4 Women required support to:
- Transition to a more appropriate legal structure (CIC)
- Develop a sustainable business model
- Build a clear three-year strategic plan
- Diversify income streams beyond direct delivery
- Strengthen governance, credibility, and market positioning
- They needed to balance ongoing service delivery with building the foundations for long-term growth.
Growth acceleration through
Organisational benchmarking: Supporting the organisation from a starting point of sole trader structure with limited scalability; No formal strategic framework; Reliance on a single income stream, to: A clear pathway to CIC status; A defined business model with multiple income streams; A three-year strategic plan for growth and expansion; Repositioned brand (Unbreakable Self-Defence) to reach wider markets.
Governance & legal structure support: Supported transition toward a CIC, including social purpose development, CIC37 form completion, and governance design. This enables access to funding and strengthens credibility.
Business modelling: Mapped services, customers, partners, costs, and revenue streams. Identified opportunities for growth.
Strategic planning: Developed a three-year plan focusing on: Income diversification (grants, partnerships, scalable offers), Service expansion into new markets, Strengthening organisational capacity and resources.
Impact: Adoption of new processes (business modelling and strategic planning); Increased readiness for CIC conversion and funding opportunities; Clear strategy for income growth and diversification; Strengthened organisational structure and scalability; Improved positioning to expand nationally and increase impact.
Brand repositioning and growth action planning: Enabled the organisation to move from reactive delivery to structured, forward planning with clear priorities and milestones.
"This support has helped transform the organisation from a small, delivery-focused service into a structured and scalable social enterprise with a clear vision for growth. As a sole entrepreneur it was so helpful and insightful to have the guidance of a business coach and to get the right advice about how to grow the business.” Tamsin Davis, Director, Unbreakable Self Defence
