To celebrate the places inspiring creativity and driving regional economic growth, VodafoneThree is bringing ‘Opportunity Hubs’ to communities across the country, helping people use connectivity to turn inspiration into action.
Research conducted by OnePoll.com also found that more than 17 million moments of inspiration become real side hustles or small businesses across the UK every year.1
Of those who have ever started a business or side hustle, 11% got their inspiration while spending time alone, 9% from talking to friends or family, and 8% while out walking.
Vodafone’s Opportunity Hubs, like the one in Tynemouth, will offer practical workshops from Enterprise Nation. Alongside free professional headshots and expert advice, the sessions will show communities how connectivity can help transform ambitions into hobbies, side hustles or businesses.
Sophie’s connectivity story
Sophie Parkinson, 33, first became passionate about photography when she studied it in school and, after university, decided to launch her own business in 2015, trading at Tynemouth Market.
Much of her inspiration comes from the coastline and beaches around her hometown, particularly Longsands Beach and the North Pier, with reliable connectivity playing an important part in her creative process.
As she scouts locations, Sophie relies on her smartphone to check weather conditions and use specialist apps that track where the sun and moon will rise and set, helping her plan the perfect shot.
She also uses her phone to capture potential locations while she is out and about, so she can return later with her camera when the conditions are just right.
How a connection can inspire action
Sophie’s story comes as research, commissioned by VodafoneThree, reveals how mobile connectivity helps turn inspiration into opportunity.
The study, which surveyed 2,000 Brits, shows how the best ideas often come while outside the home, whether that’s when walking (33%), spending time alone (33%) or in nature (29%).
More than a third are inspired while at the coast or beach (36%), while others said the same of the countryside (34%) or in woodlands or forests (24%).
The research also found that 74% feel inspired by their everyday surroundings, while 55% said their local area fuels their inspiration.
“If I didn’t have mobile connectivity, nobody would know about what I do”
And, when inspiration strikes, 35% use their smartphone to immediately search for more information – including Sophie.
“If I didn’t have mobile connectivity for my business, nobody would know about what I do,” she says. “”It’s such a great way of spreading the word and showing people my work, and lots of opportunities have opened up for me thanks to being able to be online and present.”
Now eleven years on, the local community remains supportive of her business, and she has a loyal base of customers who come back to buy her products time and time again.
“I love the joy that photography brings to the people who buy my prints, especially when those prints are of places that people have got special connections to – being rooted here in the community is valuable and so special.”
“We’ve got such a variety of landscapes from seaside to countryside, and so much history, so I never get tired of photographing it.
Opportunity Hubs: Everything you need to know
Each Opportunity Hub will be located in an area which has seen significant network upgrades as part of VodafoneThree’s £11 billion investment to build the UK’s best network.
Initially visiting Mansfield, Bourne, Hoddesdon, Rottingdean, Tynemouth and Abergavenny, the pop-up Hubs will transform local venues in the heart of each community.
As a result, they will become spaces where people can: explore new ideas; access practical tools and advice; and take the next step towards turning inspiration into a hobby, side hustle or small business.
1 Research was conducted online by OnePoll among a nationally representative sample of 2,000 UK adults, representative by age, gender and region, between 12 and 17 August 2026.
