A BUSINESS advisor who has helped a young entrepreneur launch his company has had her efforts acknowledged through the If We Can, You Can challenge.

Elaine McCartney has been named as the inaugural winner of the Supporter of the Year category in the entrepreneurial challenge, which seeks to find the cream of emerging North-East business talent and praises the inspiration behind them.

Ms McCartney, who is part of the Prince’s Trust Explore Enterprise programme, was acknowledged for the help and guidance she has given to Elia Tupou.

Samoan-born Mr Tupou, who lives in Consett, County Durham, said the help of his business advisor had been fantastic in setting up his media personalisation company, Union Designs Initiative (UDI).

The Supporter of the Year category is a new introduction for the third year of If We Can, You Can – run by the Entrepreneurs’ Forum and supported by The Northern Echo – designed to recognise the outstanding behind-thescenes help given to the region’s entrepreneurs.

This year’s overall challenge was won by Charlotte Nichols, founder of Darlington- based PR agency Harvey and Hugo, which has opened up the world of PR to small businesses through offering pay-as-you-go services.

Ms McCartney said: “I am so flattered that Elia would have nominated me for The Northern Echo’s Supporter of the Year category. I met him when he joined the Explore Enterprise programme, which helps educate would-be entrepreneurs with business development advice.

“I was able to guide Elia on aspects of business such as financial management, marketing and business planning.

The mentoring programme has been invaluable for his business and has opened many doors for Elia.”

Mr Tupou said: “The support that I received from Elaine at the Prince’s Trust was fantastic. It makes perfect sense that the best way to start up your business is to work from the ground up, so as to make absolutely sure that this is the right course of action that you are taking.

“It is because of Elaine’s workshops that I have quickly realised and taken heed of the basics of setting up a business.

“I am sure that I would have wasted a lot of time and money avoiding some of the potential issues that I could have had, and I am sure that the training that I received will bring me many future successes.”

Carole Beverley, chief executive of the Entrepreneurs’ Forum, congratulated Ms Mc- Cartney on her award.

She said: “We introduced this accolade because we believed it was vital to recognise and reward those who have had an active role in supporting entrepreneurship and helping businesses to grow in the region.”

■ The If We Can, You Can entrepreneurial community now has more than 820 members who can seek advice from 112 dedicated mentors.

To become part of it, visit ifwecanyoucan.co.uk