Category: This Is How I Run My Business

Many think that reality TV shows like The Apprentice & Dragons’ Den are only about giving contestants their five minutes of fame, think again – The Apprentice’s Claire Young says the show has given her “invaluable lessons” on promoting her business.

Entrepreneur Ben Creighton from Newcastle has successfully fought off tough competition from some of the UK’s top business brains to be crowned winner of the Global Startup Challenge.

In a bid to prove that small businesses can succeed in the midst of recession, Alibaba.com, the world’s largest online meeting place for buyers and suppliers, challenged entrepreneurs from across the UK to start their own trading companies with £1,000 each.

Well-known for his two seasons on Dragons’ Den, Richard Farleigh was known as ‘Mr Nice’ but he says he would rather have been known as ‘Mr Fair’ due to his tough but fair approach. When he reviews business proposals that are looking for backing, he assesses these on the quality of the people rather than the product. He comments, “It’s about 90% quality of the people and 10% quality of the product. Most of my effort goes into somehow assessing the person, which can be trickier.”

There is just over a week to go to nominate female entrepreneurs for the Veuve Clicquot Business Woman of the Year Award. Nominations must be received by 18th January and include full accounts, press cuttings and curriculum vitae in order to be considered by the judges.

Michelle Mone, the head of underwear brand Ultimo has received an OBE in the New Year Honours announced today. The 38 year old Glaswegian who founded MJM in 1996 is the highest profile business leader who receives recognition in this years honours list.

Dragon’s Den’s James Caan has handed the contract for revamping his personal and business website to digital marketing firm Digimax.

The entrepreneur behind an ingenious invention to prevent bike theft has been crowned the winner of the UK-wide pitching competition, The Pitch 2009, at a celebrity-packed grand final in London.

Colin Maund, CEO of The Achilles Group was awarded with Ernst & Young’s UK Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2009 for IT Services, at a reception sponsored by the CBI, in London last week.

We are very proud to be able to announce that Duncan Bannatyne & Michelle Dewberry are joining the Business Matters team as monthly Columnists.

Graduate Rajeeb Dey was named as the winner of the O2 X Young Entrepreneur of the Year in the prestigious annual national small business competition, the O2 X Awards last night. The award recognises the new generation of young entrepreneurs who are making an impact in today’s challenging economic climate.

We chat to one of the UK’s most famous angel investors, and part of the famous Dragons’ Den quintet, Peter Jones about his business activities, his tips for success and what mistakes he has made along the way.

With the recession still looming in the background it is tougher than ever for graduates to secure employment with an estimated one third of recent graduates out of work. However, for this twenty two year old, Charlie Fermor student life is now a distant memory as he takes his company Apple Crisps to new heights just one year after graduating from Reading University.

Karren Brady, the flamboyant chief executive of Birmingham City FC, is to become one of Lord Sugar’s “eyes and ears” on The Apprentice along stalwart Nick Hewer.

She’s a cook, writer and designer… no surprises which dynasty she belongs to then. Here, Sophie Conran talks to Barbara Walshe and reveals why home life continues to be central to her success.