News: Rotherham Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards 2017

Rotherham Youth Enterprise (RYE), an organisation that provides support and help to young business owners, has launched the annual Rotherham Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards in association with UK Steel Enterprise.

The awards, now in their twelfth year, cover all sectors and aim to celebrate and promote the best businesses run by 18-30 year olds in Rotherham that have been up and running for at least six months. Categories include Business Most Determined to Succeed, Most Innovative Business, Best Online presence, Best Business Pitch and Best Customer Service; with one winner also going on to be crowned Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2017.

Category winners will win a £500 boost to help further their business, with an additional cash prize of £1,000 also awarded to the overarching winner.

Darren McDool, business coach from RYE, said: "This is a really important event in the Rotherham Youth Enterprise calendar because it gives us the opportunity to recognise and celebrate the achievements of all of the fantastic, ambitious, innovative businesses established in the region that are run by young people.

"Previous winners have really benefited from being associated with the competition, and in our twelfth year of hosting the awards it would be fantastic to see yet more Rotherham-based enterprises reaping those rewards."

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Chloe Pretty, the founder of handmade soap company Pretty Suds – which crafts an alternative to supermarket bought soap, selling bath, body, scented and wax handmade products online to happy customers all over the country - was named Best New Start Up and was crowned Young Entrepreneur of the Year in the awards last year.

Speaking of her success following the win, Chloe said: "I'm still over the moon about winning the awards. I took a huge gamble quitting my day job to put all of my time and effort into Pretty Suds and it is great to be recognised for the hard work and passion that has gone into making my dream a reality.

"Pretty Suds has gathered in momentum as a result of the ongoing business advice and support I have received from Rotherham Youth Enterprise, and I have also acquired office and workshop space made available in a business incubation centre, which would not have been possible without my success at the Rotherham Youth Enterprise Awards."In addition to the cash boost she was presented with a special trophy in recognition of her achievements at the event.

Chloe added: "Entering the awards is a fantastic opportunity for young business owners in the area to gain access to vital funding and invaluable advice from experts in the field on how to take an upcoming business and turn it into a successful enterprise, I'd highly recommend entering if you are a young business owner based in Rotherham!"

UK Steel Enterprise Regional Manager, Keith Williams, commented: “We are delighted to be involved once again in sponsoring and supporting with the judging of the awards.

"This annual event serves to recognise the breadth of talent and the overwhelming amount of innovation that is based right here in Rotherham, and we are always impressed by the calibre of the entries and the entrepreneurial spirit of so many young people."

Entries for the awards will close on October 16 2017 and entry forms are available by contacting Rotherham Youth Enterprise via the website; alternatively check out the Rotherham Youth Enterprise Facebook page for further information, or contact Darren McDool on 0114 2695053.

Rotherham Youth Enterprise website

Images: RYE

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News: Pretty good day for young entrepreneur Chloe

Chloe Pretty of Pretty Suds Ltd has been named as the overall winner in the Rotherham Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards 2016, on the same day she was awarded her marketing degree.

Part of the Rotherham Youth Enterprise (RYE) Project, the annual awards are held in association with UK Steel Enterprise and cover all sectors and aim to celebrate and promote the best businesses run by 18-30 year olds in Rotherham that have been up and running for at least six months.

RYE encourages young people (up to the age of 30) to explore business ideas and develop the skills and knowledge necessary to be their own boss. Supported by Rotherham Council, office and workshop space is also made available in Rotherham business centres on reduced rates.

The awards were announced the recent LEAF careers event at Magna.

Having already been successful in the best new start-up category, an emotional Chloe was close to tears as her name was announced as the overall winner by Allan Wood from UK Steel Enterprise, principal sponsors of the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards.

Chloe then had to head straight off to attend her graduation ceremony at Sheffield Hallam University.

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Pretty Suds began in 2014, with the former Thomas Rotherham College student producing handmade soaps from home as an alternative to supermarket-bought soap. Selling online and at markets and fairs the enterprise found success with its products "created to make people smile."

The business has recently moved into its own premises having outgrown the kitchen table. The success is down in no small part to marketing graduate Chloe creating special products inspired by the global phenomenon of Pokemon.

The company continues to be very busy, crafting and packing exciting new Christmas lines and has recently begun signing up sales representatives to join the expanding team.

Also at the awards, the Best Established Business Category sponsored by RYE was won by Abbey Clayton who's business is Abbey Clayton Make-up Artist.

In the New Start category, sponsored by Willmott Dixon and won by Chloe, Danny Davies of IT support specialists, IT Assist was commended.

Paige Bennett of retail business, Mysticum Luna was successful in the Most Innovative Business category sponsored by AESSEAL. Luke Wade and Lee Feltham of Lightning Box Ltd were commended in this category.

The award for the Business Most Determined to Succeed, sponsored by Rotherham College, was won by Amy Walker from Ye Old Yorkshire Preserve Shoppe with Joe Barber of Comfort Zone PHS and Elizabeth Harwood of Two for Joy Introductions Ltd both commended.

In the award for Best Customer Service, sponsored by Parkgate Shopping, Adam Price from Laughton shop, Dynomodels was the winner with Annmarie Cox of Reloved and Revived at Thurcroft commended.

Details on all the finalists can be found here.

Category winners secured a £500 boost to help further their business, with an additional cash prize of £1,000 also awarded to Pretty Suds as the overarching winner.

Jackie Frost from Rotherham Youth Enterprise gave thanks to the Young Entrepreneurs for being brave enough to start their own business and to enter the competition and added: "The standard of entry has been really pleasing again this year and we expect to see a number of the finalists battling it out with another crop of new businesses in 2017."

Pretty Suds website
RYE website

Images: UKSE

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News: Rotherham's Young Entrepreneurs of the Year 2016

Rothbiz takes a look at the finalists in the Rotherham Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards 2016 - the awards that recognise the achievements of the borough's brightest young businesses.

Now in their eleventh year, the awards are organised with the support of principal sponsor – UK Steel Enterprise. Category sponsors are AESSEAL, Parkgate Shopping, Rotherham College and Willmott Dixon, and all acted as judges and supported with the promotion and organisation of the awards.

The finalists:

Abbey Clayton of Abbey Clayton Make-up Artist
Providing special occasion and event make-up services, Abbey has made great progress in developing her portfolio of corporate work for clients such as Channel 5 and Liverpool Fashion Week, where she was Assistant Head Make-up Artist.

Adam Price of Dynomodels
At just 19 years of age Adam opened his Dynomodels store in Laughton Common in September 2015, turning his life-long passion into a business. He offers his customers a range of hobby-grade remote control models and spares and backs this up with a great level of knowledge and enthusiasm.

Amy Walker of Ye Old Yorkshire Preserve Shoppe
Having battled with dyslexia and dyscalculia throughout her school and working life, Amy made the decision to start this business to take control of her own destiny. She now offers a huge range of chutneys, jams and marmalades under her traditional Yorkshire branding.

Annmarie Cox of Reloved and Revived
This family run business specialises in vintage painted furniture in the French shabby style using high-end quality paints. With a shop at Thurcroft, most of their finds are vintage, one offs sourced from all over the country.

Chloe Pretty of Pretty Suds Ltd
Handmade products created to make you smile. Having started manufacturing soaps in the kitchen and packaging in the spare room, Chloe recently moved into business premises due to a rapid growth in sales. It will allow her to continue building on the success of her branding concept over the past few months.

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Danny Davies of IT Assist
Branded as "the superheroes of the IT world," this Denaby-based business specialises in providing refreshingly simple and straightforward IT support to enable the smooth running of their client's business.

Elizabeth Harwood of Two for Joy Introductions Ltd
Offering a safer alternative to online dating, this dating agency personally vets and checks the ID and credibility of all of its members to give peace of mind. Based at Century Business Centre in Manvers, the agency considers personal safety as its top priority and offers a chaperone service at no extra cost.

Joe Barber of Comfort Zone PHS
Based in Goldthorpe but offering nationwide coverage, Joe carries out all minor and major plumbing and heating works at affordable prices, from boiler swaps and upgrades and full central heating systems, to the design and installation of standard bathrooms and wet rooms.

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Luke Wade and Lee Feltham of Lightning Box Ltd
The innovative pair have developed a holographic stage show which will be touring in theatres in 2017. The enterprise, which is based at RYE's centre in Treeton, has the mission to craft immersive, magical, and awe-inspiring experiences using original cast footage, live music, visual and audio sound effects.

Paige Bennett of Mysticum Luna
Starting as an online business, Paige opened her first shop in Rotherham town centre earlier this year offering a range of products from jewellery and clothing to candles and pillows. The popular brand has over 50,000 Instagram followers.

Find out who won the Young Entrepreneurs of Year title here.

RYE website

Images: UKSE

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