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Defining Moments

- I decided to take the plunge >

"I decided to take the plunge and start my own business, Trampas The Mens Room, twelve months ago after identifying a..." Karen Forster

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- I studied an Art >

"I studied an Art and Design Foundation Course in Manchester and then traveled to Australia. When I returned home I..." Rosie Willett

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- When I graduated from Newcastle... >

"When I graduated from Newcastle University I wanted to stay in the area because my family and friends were here...." Greg Phillips

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- I taught for over ten years in a local... >

"I taught for over ten years in a local comprehensive in Newcastle. I think the defining moment for me was the fact..." Roy Stanley

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- An idea of starting my own lingerie... >

"An idea of starting my own lingerie business in Newcastle had always been in the back of my head. I just never thought..." Fiona Houghton

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- I was one of the first girls in my year... >

"I was one of the first girls in my year to do accounts and business studies, supported by a fantastic teacher. I knew..." Lynn Gate

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- I’ve been running other peoples pubs >

"I’ve been running other peoples pubs and hotels for a number of years. When I moved to Newcastle I saw a need for a..." Mark Rogers

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- Before I took the plunge I had qualified >

"Before I took the plunge I had qualified and worked as a probation officer for many years, latterly working as a Chief..." Sheila Stokes-White

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- I suspect >

"I suspect, deep down, I’ve always wanted my own business, even if sometimes I’ve been in denial about it! The..." Kaye Winship

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- It did feel like a risk to set my... >

"It did feel like a risk to set my company up, but I was at a stage in my life where it was really a case of ‘now or..." Melanie Cornish

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- I started with a blank sheet of paper >

"I started with a blank sheet of paper. I didn’t have an expertise in anything really, but I had a whole lot of ideas..." John Hays

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- I spent seven years studying as an... >

"I spent seven years studying as an engineer and aimed to gain chartership, and also spent a year’s placement with Shell..." Chris Quickfall

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- At school I’d always been told I wasn’t... >

"At school I’d always been told I wasn’t an achiever, and wouldn’t actually achieve anything much. When I left I didn’t..." Nickie Gott

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- I’d worked for a bank for years >

"I’d worked for a bank for years but eventually had enough of working in an office. When I had my first child I thought..." Naomi Johnson

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- I had so many people saying I really... >

"I had so many people saying I really needed to go and find a proper job, get back into the workforce and forget all..." Ann Oliver

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- After completing a four year Media &... >

"After completing a four year Media & Computing degree at Sunderland University I started to look for opportunities in..." Kevin Owens

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- I was working as a freelance consultant... >

"I was working as a freelance consultant in East Durham’s Education Act Zone, supporting the arts development of..." Anne Curtis

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- I left school with the ambition of... >

"I left school with the ambition of joining the navy as a mechanic. Despite passing all my exams I failed my medical due..." Geoffrey Johns

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- My uncle was at the stage where he was... >

"My uncle was at the stage where he was wanting less and less to do with the business, and I was going the other way. I..." Greg Phillips

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- I was a radio presenter >

"I was a radio presenter, DJ and producer and worked at Metro Radio, Galaxy 1056 and Ministry of Sound. I met pluggers..." Clare Tucker

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- I was a board director of a local... >

"I was a board director of a local builder’s merchant, a £200m business, which was taken over in 1992. I was on a very..." Alan Timothy

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- I had a couple of clients at the start >

"I had a couple of clients at the start, and they then referred me onto other people. I found myself three months in..." Kari Owers

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- I was a senior teacher in a large... >

"I was a senior teacher in a large primary school in Cleveland when my husband took voluntary redundancy. It was to..." Trudy Hindmarsh

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- I moved to the North East six years ago... >

"I moved to the North East six years ago when I joined a Newcastle-based PR company. It was whilst I was there that I..." Christian Cerisola

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- I never had a vision to be self employed >

"I never had a vision to be self employed, but that was before I realised I was in actual fact, unemployable. You hear..." Alistair McLean

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- Over the years I’ve had a vast array of... >

"Over the years I’ve had a vast array of jobs, from working as an air hostess to tagging criminals. I’m the sort of..." Leanne Hodgson

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- I started the business whilst employed... >

"I started the business whilst employed as an IT Manager for a large North East travel company back in early 2000. I had..." Les Calvert

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- The building I operated the business... >

"The building I operated the business from had a retail shop front, and it also had offices above it. Once I got it all..." Lynn Gate

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- I wasn’t keen on starting it straight... >

"I wasn’t keen on starting it straight away as I had shares maturing in early 2008. I thought you needed quite a lot of..." Mark Ions

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- After university I went to work for a... >

"After university I went to work for a large national recruitment organisation, starting at the bottom. I just wasn’t..." Mark Ions

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- I was a bedroom DJ whilst I was at... >

"I was a bedroom DJ whilst I was at primary school after my father bought me some decks and I loved practising in my..." Chris Emery

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- When I was made redundant from the... >

"When I was made redundant from the shipyards in Newcastle, I became a salesman. I never really had an ambition to run..." Jonathan Wells

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- I’ve worked with some great companies... >

"I’ve worked with some great companies around the U.K and so learnt a lot about how a garment goes from an idea in..." Michelle Taylor

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- I’ve always been interested in the... >

"I’ve always been interested in the internet, and websites in particular, and set up my first ‘proper’ website way back..." Jonathan Grubin

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- After starting out as a bricklayer I... >

"After starting out as a bricklayer I went on to work for various companies as a building site tradesman, through to..." Terry Barnett

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- I was made redundant in 2006 which... >

"I was made redundant in 2006 which forced me into starting my own business. I decided to pursue my passion for..." William Ingram

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- The company I was working for was... >

"The company I was working for was having a bit of difficulty with returns and decided to have a voluntary redundancy..." James Robson

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- Throughout my career I’ve tried... >

"Throughout my career I’ve tried different things and have never underestimated the value or luck or being in the right..." John Elliott

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- The cash was a real temptation >

"The cash was a real temptation and the buzz of the deal was a great high, so much so I went and bought a vintage..." Lynn Gate

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- I’ve danced since the age of four >

"I’ve danced since the age of four and by the time I was 12 I knew I wanted to get into the teaching side of things. It..." Susan Pluse

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- I forged a very successful career for... >

"I forged a very successful career for myself working in the pharmaceutical industry eventually working my way up to a..." Anne Larvin

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- I joined Nixon Hire >

"I joined Nixon Hire, my family plant hire company from school at age 16. Having worked my way up through all..." Peter Nixon

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- I was doing science A Levels when I... >

"I was doing science A Levels when I picked up one of the Sunday newspapers and saw a table for graduate employment...." Fiona Cruickshank

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- Prior to setting up my business >

"Prior to setting up my business, I had worked on the ‘Fashion at Belsay’ commission by English Heritage and the Arts..." Vien le Wood

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- When I left university four years ago I... >

"When I left university four years ago I think the biggest commitment I had was a mobile phone contract. I’d never..." Pete Hunt

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- A present for my girlfriend was the... >

"A present for my girlfriend was the trigger for my business idea. I wanted to do something different and personal..." Matt Scott

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- Six months after we’d got going >

"Six months after we’d got going, Cleveland County Council, who generated a third of our business, took all their..." Simon Pearson

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- After college I was constantly on the... >

"After college I was constantly on the look out for a job that I could gain fulfillment out of. At the time my mum was..." Tom Bivens

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- I always loved biology at school >

"I always loved biology at school and felt I was lacking something in the jobs I’d done in sales and finance. I wanted..." Linda Winship

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- I do think there’s a big part for luck... >

"I do think there’s a big part for luck to play in a successful business. For us, the luck that we experienced was my..." Antonia Clifford

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- I was studying physics in Dublin City... >

"I was studying physics in Dublin City University and absolutely loving it. What I really focused on was my work in the..." Ross Cooney

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- Some London based companies said I was... >

"Some London based companies said I was crazy to start my own business in an industrial town like Middlesbrough. I think..." Simon Pearson

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- I left school at sixteen without a clue... >

"I left school at sixteen without a clue what I actually wanted to do. My brother worked in a bank, so, thinking it was..." Derek Curtis

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- I was being made to constantly travel... >

"I was being made to constantly travel across the country, and with a baby on the way I knew that that was something I..." Mark Ions

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- I began my business straight after... >

"I began my business straight after leaving university in 1984, selling training shoes out of the back of a van. I then..." Sir Tom Hunter

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- I had always thought about setting up... >

"I had always thought about setting up my own business until one day someone I knew told me that they wanted to sell..." Lindsay Hogg

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- I used to work as a designer >

"I used to work as a designer and estimator for a shop fitting company in Leeds, worked up to director level until one..." Jamie Greenwood

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- I went from living on Incapacity... >

"I went from living on Incapacity Benefit to becoming an entrepreneur by turning a lifelong passion into my..." David Goldsmith

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- Myself >

"Myself and three friends, Emma, Verity and Praxedis, all met at Durham University and came out with good degrees, but..." Rona Askew

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- I’d just finished my degree in... >

"I’d just finished my degree in Documentary Film Making at the University of Sunderland as well as the Colorado Film..." Gavin Blowman

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- I first started thinking about starting... >

"I first started thinking about starting my own business whilst I was working as cabin crew for British Airways down at..." Clare Rutherford

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- I started my company as a result of an... >

"I started my company as a result of an incredibly frustrating meeting with my ex-employer. It reached the point where..." Louise Allcroft

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- My career began working in the retail... >

"My career began working in the retail sector. I was lucky enough to be employed by a guy who recognised that although..." Sue Harris

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- Before I started my own business my... >

"Before I started my own business my circumstances weren’t that great. I came from a family of six kids brought up on a..." Carol Metcalfe

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- I was at university for seven years... >

"I was at university for seven years studying for an architecture degree. Only after I graduated and got a job in a..." Sarah Taylor

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- In January 2000 I was awarded a maximum... >

"In January 2000 I was awarded a maximum support grant from Prince’s Trust to start my business as a young fashion..." Anh Mao

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- I was employed full time as a Training >

"I was employed full time as a Training and Development Manager and Health and Safety Officer for a large Hotel Group..." Nancy Haughey

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- The weird >

"The weird and wonderful ideas I saw on a daily basis from application forms and phone calls to the Inland Revenue where..." Alison Stanley

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- In 2003 we were both on the brink of... >

"In 2003 we were both on the brink of redundancy working for a company subject to buyout. Both Lorna and I always felt..." Lorna James

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- I’d seen that my mum starting her own... >

"I’d seen that my mum starting her own business had transformed our lives. I didn’t have an inside toilet till I was..." John Hays

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- I started moShine >

"I started moShine, a motion graphics animation studio with three fellow directors straight after we all left..." Satish Shewhorak

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- In 2003 we were both on the brink of... >

"In 2003 we were both on the brink of redundancy working for a company subject to buyout. Both Lorna and I always felt..." Denise Walker

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- I believe that everyone has choices... >

"I believe that everyone has choices that they can make in their lives. Up until now I have had to sacrifice being near..." Michelle Taylor

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- I’ve just left a very successful... >

"I’ve just left a very successful position at Playboy Intimates in order to pursue my dream of running my own..." Michelle Taylor

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- Even though I didn’t know it at the time >

"Even though I didn’t know it at the time, I think it was inevitable that I was going to set up my own business...." Kari Owers

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- After leaving school with one GCSE >

"After leaving school with one GCSE, I was here there and everywhere with the number of jobs I had. I worked for the..." David Shannon

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- I’ve had a number of jobs >

"I’ve had a number of jobs but was always very ambitious and felt that I could only find success and happiness through a..." Nicole Race

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- I always thought that business was... >

"I always thought that business was something that other people did. I’ve never had tonnes of confidence and I’ve never..." Angela Brown

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- My business >

"My business, YO’GENIE.COM, aims to create a student world, where the art of sharing is excelled upon. This means..." Ceyhan Mihcioglu

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- I’m always willing to take risks for... >

"I’m always willing to take risks for what I believe in. For years I’ve had the idea of setting up my own Search Engine..." Sean Gerrie

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- Growing up I had my mom running her own... >

"Growing up I had my mom running her own market stall and I would always help whenever possible. It also happens that..." Steve Mbara

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- My passion for surfing inspired me to... >

"My passion for surfing inspired me to start my own business so I could have a better work/life balance and catch the..." Nathan Robinson

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- My dad was >

"My dad was and still is a very successful businessman. People at school used to say to me I never had to worry about..." Paul Bell

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- I grew the printing business from a... >

"I grew the printing business from a couple of hundred thousand to £1.8 million in 18 months until a local customer, a..." Alan Timothy

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- Being totally honest >

"Being totally honest, I can’t work for anyone else as I always want to use my own ideas and have control of what I’m..." Ceyhan Mihcioglu

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- It is a risk to set up your own business >

"It is a risk to set up your own business; to jump away from that monthly pay cheque that lands into your account and..." Ross Cooney

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- We were actually successful in the... >

"We were actually successful in the first year after the dot com failure and believed that we had got it right and..." Phil Cronin

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- My background is in the health >

"My background is in the health and fitness industry, but at the moment I’m a fireman. I miss the industry which is why..." Matt Stirland

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Simon Pearson: Pearsons

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Keith Miller: Miller UK Limited

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Lynn Gate: The Storage Company Limited

"Sometimes I feel like I’m a bit of a charlatan because I don’t know how I got here. It’s been a massive rollercoaster..."

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For more information please contact stephen@ifwecanyoucan.co.uk or call 0191 226 7491