DESPITE being ready to take her business to the next level after winning last year’s If We Can, You Can challenge, the past few months have not turned out as Esther Dingley planned.

With Graduate Toolbox ready to launch its website in late summer, as part of Ms Dingley’s plan to build up a membership base while increasing partner organisations and advertising revenues, her timescale was all but ruined by illness, which forced her to take a back seat for about four months.

Durham and Oxford graduate Ms Dingley, whose business showcases resources and career opportunities for graduates, MA and PhD students on one website, graduatetoolbox.net, was voted winner of last year’s challenge by readers of The Northern Echo.

She said: “It has been a very frustrating few months, there was so much I wanted to do, but just couldn’t. But it has taught me one very important thing – that when I was poorly there were no plans for what would happen with the business, no infrastructure in place for how to go forward.

That is needed, so the business won’t be in that situation again.

“Things are now moving forward again quickly, and it’s really starting to take off. Winning the If We Can, You Can challenge helped me to have confidence in myself and my business, and it was great that people believed in what I was doing, and that drove me on.”

Ms Dingley is hoping to have a member base of 50,000 by October – a five-fold increase on what she now has. She is also hopeful of a partnership with a careers service firm.

The website has been developed with funding from Business Link, in addition to the help she received as winner of If We Can, You Can, and mentoring will be provided by Newcastle advertising company Drummond Central.

“Winning the challenge has been a great experience and a fantastic opportunity,” said Ms Dingley. “I would encourage anyone to enter – the future looks very exciting for me, and it could for other business owners too.”

The If We Can, You Can challenge is open to anyone who is thinking of starting a business, is running a business or is looking to expand their enterprise.

This year, for the first time, entries are needed for the Best Entrepreneurial Supporter category, where recognition will be given to anyone who has helped bring a business dream to life, whether that be a friend, family member or business advisor.

The prize for the winner of If We Can, You Can – organised by the Entrepreneurs’ Forum and supported by The Northern Echo – includes becoming a North-East Faces of Entrepreneurship for 2011, spearheading next year’s If We Can, You Can challenge; advice from business figures; a business services package worth up to £5,000; a place at the Entrepreneurs’ Forum annual conference and dinner and a year’s membership of the forum. Visit ifwecanyoucan.co.uk/challenge by midnight on May 3 to enter.