Four award-winning business women teamed up in 2012 to help the next generation of entrepreneurs. Janet Bebb of Social Progress in Huddersfield, Kate Hardcastle of Insight With Passion also in Huddersfield, Claire Mitchell of Chillipeeps in Ripon and Louise Turner of Your Virtual PR in Wakefield are the only four Yorkshire business women named in the MumsClub Top 100 Business Mums.
Having been introduced to each other because of the award, the women decided to pool their skills and help future business women by offering to mentor one lucky winner or team of winners.
The group launched a competition inviting women aged 16 and over — whether college students, young mums, or aspiring business owners — to submit their ideas for a chance to receive expert mentorship. Entrants were asked to submit 300 words describing their business concept, with the opportunity to work closely with the four mentors.
Janet Bebb, who was ranked number 10 in the Top 100, explained the motivation behind the initiative: “A recent government report showed that many young girls don’t believe they can run their own businesses. We wanted to challenge that belief and use our skills to empower the next generation.”
Claire Mitchell, known for inventing the innovative Chillipeeps teat that attaches directly to baby formula cartons and water bottles, worked closely with the winner to help shape and assess the commercial potential of their idea. Kate Hardcastle brought her expertise in branding, business strategy, and customer engagement to the table, guiding the winner through crucial decisions around their concept and market fit.
Louise teamed up with Janet Bebb, an expert in getting results through social media, to ensure that the plan to promote the business is integrated and uses both new and traditional media. The competition closed on December 10, 2012, and the response was overwhelming.