Search about to be launched for North-East entrepreneur (From The Northern Echo)

Search about to be launched for North-East entrepreneur

10:30am Wednesday 1st February 2012 in North-East Business News By Andy Richardson

THE search is about to be launched to find the next star entrepreneur from the North-East.

The winner of The Northern Echo's fifth If We Can, You Can Challenge (IWCYC) 2012 will bag a money-cant-buy prize package of support to help them build their business.

The Challenge, which is run by the North East Entrepreneurs Forum (EF), is open to anyone who is thinking of starting a business, in the early stages of running their own business or expanding an existing enterprise.

Candidates are being encouraged to enter early since a number will be featured in The Northern Echo in the coming weeks.

Nigel Mills, chairman of the EF, said: "In the years that we have run the If We Can, You Can Challenge its aims of identifying and fostering talent have never been more relevant.

"We believe the region is full of untapped potential and that all people need is the motivation to push themselves forward, safe in the knowledge that there are like-minded entrepreneurs on hand to help and a business community ready to welcome them."

The IWCYC Challenge was first established in 2008 and has gone on to attract more than 2,000 aspiring entrepreneurs to the web-based community at www.ifwecanyoucan.co.uk Since winning last years challenge, Gill Walker's organisation, Patchwork People Community Interest Company, has gone from strength to strength.

She said: "The Challenge opened doors for me that I didn't even realise were there and put me into contact with people I would normally never have met. It generated a tremendous amount of publicity and has allowed our organisation to move to the next phase.

"We have moved from market trading to opening our first retail shop, Labelled, in West Auckland Road, Darlington, and are now beginning to recruit young people for permanent employment and training opportunities."

How to enter.

FROM February 6, entries must be submitted on-line at www.ifwecanyoucan.co.uk/challenge The closing date is Wednesday, March 21, after which a shortlist of five entrants will be chosen and announced.

The shortlisted candidates will be invited to pitch their business ideas to a panel of entrepreneurs on March 29, who will then select two finalists to go head-to-head in a public vote.

The winner, based on a 50/50 split of judges scores and online votes, will be announced at an awards dinner following the Entrepreneurs Forum annual business conference at the Hilton Hotel, Gateshead, on Thursday, May 17.

The Prize

THE winner will receive a bespoke package of support provided by the Entrepreneurs Forum and its partners Eversheds law firm, professional services firm PwC and Yorkshire Bank.

The winner will also receive: Increased profile from being crowned IWCYC winner; A delegate place at the Entrepreneurs Forum annual business conference and awards dinner on May 17 and the chance to meet and make contacts among some of the countrys most successful business leaders.

A delegate place at the Entrepreneurs’ Forum autumn conference on November 8; A welcome into the unique environment of the Entrepreneurs’ Forum with unfettered access to successful business leaders and on-going advice and support.

Enter from 6 February at: www.ifwecanyoucan.co.uk/challenge