You are here:

Anh Mao - challenge finalist

-Member Profile Challenge Finalist >

 Anh Mao

Media partner:

EveningChronicle
Name:
Anh Mao
Business:
MaoCouture
Web site:
www.maocouture.webeden.co.uk
Years in business:
16
Number of businesses:
2

Challenge Entrant

with my degree in textile and design in 1991, I married and had two children who are now 8 and 11 years old. I worked in various jobs from...

view Anh Mao's full story

I need help with ... >

  • a good mentor and financial support to help my business grow

Offer Anh your help

my background>

" After I graduated with my degree in textile and design in 1991, I married and had two children who are now 8 and 11 years old. I worked in various jobs from machinery, take away, sales to interior design. In January 2000 I was awarded a maximum support grant from Prince’s Trust to start my business as a young fashion design manufacturer with my company, Artsang. I had my second child, Yen, in 2000 but it was extremely hard starting a business and having a young family at the same time. After nine months hard work, Artsang managed to secure 30 orders from shops across the UK and Ireland. Sadly in December 2000, due to the unforeseen breakdown of my marriage, I was left with no money and two children aged 3 and 7 months. I had to make the decision to close the business until I understood what was happening in my life and I set my priority to raise my children until they were both in school full time; then I could think about me. For the last six years, all I concentrated on was the welfare of my children and finding enough money to pay my mortgage and debts and keep food on the table. When my children were in full time education, I knew I wanted to work for myself again and I still wanted to spend more time with my kids. Working 9 till 6 didn’t allow us to have that much quality time together. I started working as a freelance artist and consultant, working with schools, museums, galleries and councils across the North East, developing art workshops and education programmes. As much as I enjoyed my work, I still wasn’t happy. At the back of my mind, fashion is my first love and something I did well in the past. I decided that now was the right time for me to set up my own business and do something that I can passionately create and make a difference to. I also wanted to really inspire my children and give them a better lifestyle. "

why i want to win>

" As a designer based in the North East, I want to show that it’s definitely possible to succeed here. I’ve seen many students do really well at university and then they head down south in order to begin their careers because many believe there isn’t an opportunity here. If I won the Challenge, I would do my very best to prove them wrong. I want Newcastle to fit alongside the best and be declared a city of fashion, I think that’s more important than helping myself and my own business. Obviously, the prize is great and business mentoring from experienced people really would help me move my business to that next level. But I want to show that designers can do it, and they can do it in the North East. The development of fashion here been on the horizon for a few years, but if I won the Challenge I think that would really help me in my quest to inspire others and show that anything is possible. "

why i'm sure i'll suceed>

" It’s definitely been a rocky road in getting MaoCouture off the ground, but because I’ve been through all that and am now firmly established, I’m now ready for anything. It’s the right time for me to devote more to the business and take up new opportunities and I’m just really looking forward to the next steps. The success of the business has actually blown me away. I was asked to design for Miss England 2006 and 2007, even taking part in the judging process in 2007. But what’s been amazing is the fact that many of my clients travel long distances to see me; even those from down south. I know that there’s a real need for my business and it continues to grow and develop. It gives me great pleasure that my designs are seen as having real quality- I just seem to be getting busier and busier! "

my blog>

Tue, 10 Jun 2008

Anh is supporting St Oswald’s through various fundraising initiatives. We think she is kind hearted and deserves to win this challenge.

Steph Whitehead
St. Oswald's Hospice Ltd

posted at 11:57:00

Tue, 10 Jun 2008

Anh mao is an excellent down to earth honest personality. To know her is to find a friend. Humble in her character. I have known her as a designer.
Thanks Mohamed Wal G.

posted at 08:17:00

Mon, 09 Jun 2008

As a close friend of Miss Mao, I am very proud of her. For me, she is very optimistic, positive, beautiful, considerate, trusty, full of sense of humour and wise sister. Whenever I face any problem in my life, she always will be the first person who I ask for help. She is just the salt on the earth and I do have every confidence on her to win the challenge.

posted at 08:29:00

Thu, 05 Jun 2008

posted at 13:54:00

Thu, 05 Jun 2008

posted at 13:54:00

Thu, 05 Jun 2008

Our mum is creative and works very hard. it would make her very happy if she won. She is the best mum in the world! =)

Jinn Tsang and Yen Tsang

posted at 09:51:00

Thu, 05 Jun 2008

Anh has been a close and long friend of mine. I have seen her adventure through varied designing profession where she has developed and expand due to her talented and creative business sense.

She deserves to win!

Samantha Wong

posted at 09:51:00

Thu, 05 Jun 2008

I am Anh's friend and know her very well. She is a very good and responsible mother. As for me, she is also a model as she always has a positive and serious attitude to life and a passion for her design career.

Cheng Jiang

posted at 09:50:00

Thu, 05 Jun 2008

Anh is a fantastic entrepreneur and an inspiration to all would-be entrepeneurs. I started my own Photography business 18 months ago and faced many challenges both financially and emotionally. I have worked with Anh on a number of projects and found her talent and determination very inspiring.

Anh often mentions that her two boys give her strength and encouragement to follow her dreams. If a single mum with two young children can find the strength each day to follow her dreams, then I too can find my own internal strength to achieve mine.

Good luck! Richard Lee

posted at 08:44:00

Thu, 05 Jun 2008

I have known Anh all my life and admire her determination to follow her dreams despite a number of set backs, she has managed to overcome the challenges in life and managed to sucessfully set her own business and care for her two boys. She is truly a winner in my eyes.I wish her the very best of Luck in this challenge.
NHAM LEE

posted at 08:25:00

Sat, 31 May 2008

Hetic week


This week has been extremly busy, I nearly struggle with works, charities and kids off for half term. Luckily, I work well under pressure. so many clients to see and many orders to be finish for June weddings, alone on saturday i have seen nearly a dozen appointments. I am happy as business are growing every day and able to see that all my planning become active. Every day there is a new challenge waiting for me. I am so lucky....

posted at 22:18:00

Sat, 31 May 2008

Bank Holiday Weekend


Hectic week fundraising for the Sichuan China Earthquake Appeal, meeting with few businesses to get sponsorship for the event. We welcome individual and co-operative businesses to purchase tickets for a fabulous evening or prize and money donations are welcome to help to reduce the death rate.

Tuesday 10th 2008, 7.00pm – onwardsTickets includes Chinese Buffet, fashion show, Raffle, Karaoke,Fashion accessories, Hair and Beauty consultant stalls.

Ticket £5 - All proceeds will go the Sichuan Earthquake Appeal “To attend the event you must be a member of Casino. To become a member you must be over 18. Membership is free, you just need to come into the casino with photo ID (passport or driving licence)"
Contact: Anh Mao, MaoCouture,

Tel: 0191 2422144 Mobile: 07946646733 Email: maocouture@yahoo.co.uk ,

Miss Cheryl Flowers, Events Manager, Grosvenor Casino, Newcastle, 100 St James Boulevard, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4BN Tel - 0191 221 1660 Fax - 0191 2615436

posted at 22:06:00

Tue, 27 May 2008

Organise 3 day Fundraisng Extravaganza for China Earthquake Appeal Banquet


Over the very busy Bank hoilday weekend, I have been invited to help to organise a 3days Fundraisng Extravaganza at Palace Garden restuarant with finding sponsor, programming, design poster, writiing press release and contact local and national press.

China 's recent Sichuan earthquke has killed over 60.000 with around 25.00 missing and 300.000 injured. An estaimated 5.5 million people have been made homeless and 5.5 million building collapsed

The North East Chinese community are shocked with the news and feel the country's pain. Newcastle businesses, Chinese organisations, Universities and Scholar are lending a hand to help to organise a three day charity banquet sponsored by Palace Garden in Stowell Street, China Town, Newcastle, providing free venue, banquet meal and the staff to work for free all through the 3 days with programming live entertaiment from local musicians and performers, East meet West fashion by MaoCouture, Newcastle based fashion designer Anh Mao. We are hoping to raise thousand of pounds to aid the earthquake victims. We welcome individual and co-operative businesses to purchase tickets for the banquet evening or prize and money donation s are welcome to help reduce the death rate. ( We have a special charity account for all donations)

Date: Monday 2nd June 2008, 7.00pm -onwards

Tuesday 3rd June, 2008, 7.00pm -onwards

Friday 27th June, 2008, 7.00pm -onwards

Tickets per person per night , includes banquet meal, live entertainment, Karaoke, Auction, Raffle

East meet West fashion show by Maocouture (friday only)

Venue: Palace Garden Restaurant
China Town, 45-51 Stowell Street, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4YB
Palace Garden will donate the full price of ticket fees to China Earthquake Appeal
Please contact Anh Mao for ticket and information
Tel: 0191 2422144 Mobile: 07946646733

posted at 07:56:00

Sun, 25 May 2008

Entrpreneurs Forum Annual Progres5ive Conference



Entrepreneurs' Forum Annual Conference photo me with Elle Macpherson and fellow finalist!
© Copyright Photograph: Dirk van der Werff/www.AQphotos.com


I was invited to attend the Entrepreneurs' Forum annual conference and a black tie dinner afterward. I am so greatful for the forum to invite me to the event, I sat and listened to all the speakers and everyone had gave me some inspiration in different way. I learn that being a entrepreneur is gift of being different and enjoyed every challenge ahead of us ( just like every thing is happening to me now) to be different and daring. I also lucky enought to sat next to Sir Peter Vardy, he is a great guy and have took time to listen my future plan and introduce me to a couple of people who run a high end fashion business in the newcastle. The whole day was thoroughly inspiring and entertaining . A personal highlight was guest speaker Elle Macpherson. She is a style icon, I most admire that she not just being a high profile world class model, it her intelligent and being different from her other model that inspired me, It her vision and lifestyle she now create and being a single mum too. "I hope one day she can model my collections". I also enjoyed meeting my fellow 'If we can you can' challenge finalists. They are very nice bunch of people and we all get on great and have a good laugh, hope we can stay intouch and sharing different ideas and experience in the future.

posted at 05:48:00

Mon, 19 May 2008

Manic Monday

8.30am, sunny morning start with school run

8.50am, outside school, a suprise phone call from my lovely client i seen over the weekend, letting me know that she had a strange email from me asking her to send money to the account over in Africa. I was shock and suprise why did she recieved this email, then come many phone call followed. I realise that someone has HACKED into my maocouture account and send a message to all my contacts asking for money. I was so worry, because I am not very good with computer and not knowing what to do with identity theft and who to report to. First instant is go to the bank to make sure every thing is ok in the bank account, then make my way home to open my computer, realised that i have no control with opening my email account. luckily my sister Nham, she is a great person and asset to have, she mange to sort out the email account and kept the exciting account with a different password and report it to yahoo provider. First email I send was a message to all my contacts not to send any money and every thing is okay. It has took up most of the morning.

It extremly important that these problem solve as soon as possible, some of my contacts did sent me a email and wanted to transfer money into an account if provide them the account detail. I think people who reply to the email is believing very much that I am asking money for a charities project in Africa. Because I do organised alot of charities in the North East using my business assett organising charities fashion shows to raise money and profile for the charitable organisations and people with disabilities and disadvantage people such as Mencap, St Oswald, Newcastle health Trust etc.

By afternoon, I was more relax and get on with my daily work in answering phone and get on with making my customer order and my school run at 2.45pm.

Tomorrow ITV crew will come and film the above instant, will keep you inform tommorrow.

hope you enjoying reading my first attemp of writting my blogger (It all new to me).

Anh

posted at 22:03:00

Mon, 19 May 2008

Fantastic Suprise

It has been a fantastic weekend and very exciting time reading the paper and believing that you make it to the final part of this competition, even better to be one of the finalists. I certainly feel this is the right competition to enter, over the weekend many who in the design businesses has read my profile and wrote to congratulate me and sending heart felt message, knowing that a design business manage to pull through the hard time setting up a bussiness up in the North East. I feel very proud and hope that I can inspire other to created their dream.

I would like to congratulate my fellow participants and look forward to meeting them all on Thursday at Hilton.

posted at 21:22:00

Mon, 19 May 2008


Anh is a fantastic entrepreneur and she inspired me in the past for my business- and her example supported me. I used to read articles about her and learn from her success. Last week my business scooped an award in the North East Digital Awards 2007 - Best Online Learning category, and I would like to thank Anh for being so inspiring. My dream is to translate her website in other languages, when she will go global, and to wear one of her fantastic dresses to a black tie event.

I never met Anh personally, and I hope to meet her soon. I found her talent and determination really fantastic by reading about her and her business. Also because I am foreigner as well, and the North East England is my home, now, my kids' future. The slogan of the challenge is really true. When I was reading about her success (especially when she designed the dresses for Miss England) I used to think "if she could do it, perhaps I can do something as well".

Good luck!
Cordiali saluti

posted at 08:58:00

For more information please contact or call 0191 226 7491

Designed by TH_NK. Inspired by the Entrepreneurs' Forum. Funded by ONE North East.

© 2008 Entrepreneurs Forum. Terms and Condtions