If We Can You Can

IWCYC Challenge 2009 blog

Rural Challenge Finalists announced

The time has arrived for us to announce our If we can, you can Rural Challenge finalists! This is the first year we’ve run this part of the Challenge and we’ve been superbly supported by the Country Land and Business Association, who have made it their mission to help us spread the word about the entrepreneurial talent in rural North East England.

Below is some information on our finalists – they are now looking forward to our Pick Our Brains Opportunity panel taking place next week, with high calibre entrepreneurs Keith Miller, Tony Trapp, Ali McLean and Angus Collingwood Cameron of the CLA offering advice and guidance based on their years of entrepreneurial experience. From this our new Face of Rural Entrepreneurship and Ambassador for Rural Entrepreneurship will be announced so watch this space for all the latest news.

Justin Souter took voluntary redundancy from a major corporate just before the recession took hold. A friend suggested he start a business so he could sub-contract to other people, but he realised he could fulfil some long-held ambitions by setting up Souter Consulting Limited. SCL helps customers create ‘digital nervous systems’ which allow information to flow around their organisations, with leading edge thinking and tools to create competitive advantage.

James Brown worked as a land agent since leaving college, but now feels that it is time to branch out on his own using his experience and contacts to create a new successful business, which involve some ambitious future plans.

A serial entrepreneur from school age, Maddy Stuckey runs organic beauty company Natural Empathy with her mum. Natural Empathy products provide nature’s way to beauty with gorgeous organic essential oil fragrances and locally grown ingredients. Plans are afoot to sell the spa range across the country and eventually showcased on a global stage.

Jimmy Bell comes from a farming family that has farmed in Northumberland for over 400 years. In 1992 he and his wife bought East Wingates Farm and over the years he has come up with many intuitive ideas to expand his market and showcase new products.

James Cookson owns Meldon Park, a traditional rural estate based in Northumberland just West of Morpeth. The estate boasts new enterprises including the Kitchen Garden, a walled garden which now houses a café and shop. James is also starting new rural enterprises aimed at different markets to strengthen the rural economy.

Having worked as a civil servant for many years and progressed to working for a registered charity helping people from disadvantaged background, Ian Nelson decided it was time to put one of the many ideas he came up with into action and start his own business. Whilst playing golf he came up with the idea of a product that would remove the inconvenience of raking through bags for golf balls, tees and other essential accessories. The T Caddy was born.

Challenge Celebration BBQ 2010

Date: Tuesday August 10th

Time: 4:30pm arrival for a 5:00pm start.

5:00 pm – 6:30 Presentations and Awards.

7:00pm BBQ and entertainment.

Venue: Unit 26. Hoult’s Yard. Walker Rd, Newacstle NE6 2HL

Another Challenge is over and so it is time to celebrate!! This year’s celebration BBQ will be more stylish, and jazzed up more than ever before thanks to the hugely kind support of The R&B Group.

This year’s If we can, you can Challenge proved yet again that there is a phenomenal amount of entrepreneurial talent in the North East. We were delighted by the quality and quantity of entrants, and even more so by their passion and determination for their businesses to succeed.

Our fourteen finalists have thrown themselves into the Challenge with the energy and enthusiasm you’d expect from a group of driven, dedicated and ambitious entrepreneurs. Our main presentation will be a tribute to these fantastic people and the Challenge, as well as the unveiling of future plans of If we can, you can and its buzzing community.

Then it’s time to let your hair down and relax! For those who attended the last year’s Celebration, the format will be pretty similar - it’s all about you and your businesses.

We would also love for you to showcase your business so if you would like to bring something along to display, or have an idea of a different way you can demonstrate your services then please let us know!

This will be a great opportunity for everybody to meet face to face, and be part of the entrepreneurial revolution that is transforming the region’s economy. We would be delighted if you could join us for either the presentation or the party (but preferably both!)

If you would like to attend please email will@entrepreneursforum.net or call us on 0191 226 7488. Places are limited so please book soon to avoid missing out on a great chance to celebrate and meet some of the new faces from the community as well as catch up with some of the older ones too!