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Budding social entrepreneurs survive 'Dragon's Den'
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A pair of promising Black Country entrepreneurs were celebrating today after they took on the ‘Dragons’ and scooped a business set-up package worth £5,000.
Finalists Tina Hellings, from Halesowen and Mark Phillips, from Coseley, battled it out against three other budding entrepreneurs to win the business set-package.
The prestigious package includes office space rent free for a year in the new Innovation Works @ Rubery Owen enterprise centre in Darlaston, support and mentoring and a new laptop donated by Lloyds
Bank.
Tina Hellings, aged 31 and Mark Phillips, aged 29, are joint directors of Mph Ltd (Making People Happy).
The social enterprise aims to improve the lives of older and vulnerable people by providing experiences and classes such as belly dancing and Tai Chi.
Tina Hellings said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have won and we can’t wait to move into the Innovation Works and take our business forward.
“We want to tackle wider social and health issues caused from inactivity such as obesity, worklessness, heart disease and cancer.
“This excellent prize will provide us with valuable business support as well as the ability to help us forge new links with local businesses.
“Winning this competition really is a dream come true for us!”
Walsall Housing Regeneration Agency launched the search for the region’s newest business innovator in April.
Finalists pitched their innovative ideas to a Dragon’s Den-style panel of experts at the Innovation Works @ Rubery Owen on Friday 19th September.
The panel consisted of property magnate Dominic Goold, Walsall Regeneration Company Programme Director Akshay Parikh, Black Country Chamber of Commerce member Tony Kemshall and Lisa Rushton, Lloyds
TSB Business Customer Advisor.
Akshay Parikh said: “We were impressed with all the finalists but it was Making People Happy that really blew us away.
“This package will be a great opportunity for them and supports our drive to revitalise Walsall as a Town for Enterprise.
“Encouraging new ventures and an inventive spirit have vital roles to play in successful regeneration.”
The historic industrial complex in Booth Street has re-opened as a modern business and enterprise hub after a £750,000 renovation programme – the majority funded by Advantage West
Midlands.
judgedread
Commented 176 weeks ago
Innovation Works need to be congratulated for their outstanding work in the community and offering this wonderful opportunity for a new business idea to be allowed to flourish within their catchment area.
However whether by design or an oversight on the organizers part the principle idea of this competition was that of an idea for a business, which according to the Oxford English Dictionary is not a physical object but the mere thought of one.
In the panels over enthusiasm they appeared to over-looked a small detail when making their award as the idea they chose and the people who have won have been in business since before the competition was announced and where incorporated as a company according to companies house on 10/04/08.
This should have excluded them from the competition as all the other finalists were not allowed a level playing field on which to compete.
Congratulations therefore to the people who won....the perfect case of deception!!!!!