Free mentoring begins for new businesses
Tasty...Natalie Panter of Milo's cafe in Bennett's Place. (Picture: Andrew Carpenter/001381-51)
THE THREE fledgeling companies which have won our Local Business Accelerators prize have been chosen.
Natalie Panter, who runs Milo’s Cafe in Bennett’s Place, Harborough, Jane Giffard-Tiney, who set up the Homeworking & Small Business Alliance in the town, and Mike Willars, boss of Nevill Holt-based conservatory manufacturers Outback Construction, will all now get three months of free advertising in the Harborough Mail plus free mentoring sessions from our panel of experts on how to grow their businesses.
The trio were among 19 small businesses formed in the past three years which applied to be part of the Mail’s Local Business Accelerators competition.
The nationwide campaign, which was launched in October by regional and local newspapers across the country and backed by Prime Minister David Cameron and Dragon’s Den star Deborah Meaden, will see 1,500 firms receive £15m of free advertising to help boost their businesses in 2012, plus professional mentoring advice.
The Harborough Mail’s panel of business mentors is made up of James Briggs, chairman of Harboro Rubber, Martin Hill, partner at Bray & Bray solicitors, Alastair Campbell of The Ideal Marketing Company, and Harborough Mail editor Brian Dodds.
Last Thursday, a shortlist from the original entrants were invited to the Harborough Innovation Centre to make a half-hour pitch to the panel of mentors about why we should select them.
Mail editor Brian Dodds said: “All 19 entries were of an extremely high standard, and all the enthusiastic local firms recognised the benefits that local advertising can bring.
“The panel was also very impressed by the pitches made to us last week by the shortlisted businesses.
“The winning businesses were selected because they demonstrated entrepreneurial spirit, a good grasp of their businesses’ requirements and a clear direction for the future.”
Natalie Panter set up Milo’s cafe less than a year ago and impressed with her very sound grasp of the financial aspects, her clear vision for the future and the high standards with which she runs her business.
Jane Giffard-Tiney had a straight-forward business plan to expand her homeworking alliance, which also has the benefit of being able to give significant support to many other small new businesses.
Mike Willars’ company has developed a new range of conservatories, based on historical orangery designs, creating a new niche product which has the potential to be highly successful.
One of the three will later be chosen as the Harborough winner. Deborah Meaden will also become a mentor to one overall business, picked from the hundreds of regional winners, providing invaluable business support throughout 2012 to drive their business forward.
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