Everywoman - Your Business - Success stories

Sarah Elphick is finding homes from home

Sarah Elphick had worked in an estate agency selling property in exclusive areas in Weybridge and Gloucestershire. In June 2004, then aged 27, she formed Beaufort Property Search to provide a professional property search service within The Cotswolds and North Wiltshire.

Tamara Gillan discovers the beauty of being her own boss

Tamara Gillan, managing director and founder, of SPF 15, started her business with a vision to serve as the bridge between brands and consumers at key life moments.

Olive Strachan - The Trainer's Battle

Olive Strachan started up a training consultancy and resource center. Surviving surgery, thieving landlords, and unreliable employees she has managed to sustain her business and reached world-wide success.

Truly mad about babies, Julie White won over the Dragon's Den sceptics

Julie not only convinced one of the Dragons – Peter Jones – to invest in her company, Truly Madly Baby, she went on to prove all her sceptics resoundingly wrong by growing the business from a one person work-from-home operation to a thriving network of over 140 consultants...

Fair praise for Penny Newman's fair trade

As CEO of Cafedirect, now the UK’s leading Fairtrade hot drinks company, Penny’s unshakeable vision has ensured that a quarter of a million coffee, tea and cocoa producers currently benefit from Cafédirect’s trading model, while millions of consumers enjoy their products.

Kerrie Keeling Transforms Disaster into Design

Kerrie was dominating the field of investment banking. But, she was unhappy feeling as though she was surrounded by fake people and had to put up an act. She decided to open up her own business where she could be herself and transform the industry of interior design.

Emma Harrison, A4e

Emma’s start in life was not the easiest and she’s knows only too well how damaging a tough start can be. This drives her to help wherever she can.

Caroline Wagstaff - Woman Global Innovator and Inventor award winner.

Unable to get suntan lotion onto her back, Caroline Wagstaff was inspired to launch BackBliss and, along the journey to business success, became a Woman Global Innovator and Inventor award winner.

Gail Thomas's need for a shared PA sparked her business idea

Gail had always wanted to work for herself, but lacked a good business idea. When she decided she’d had enough of corporate life and started working as a business consultant, she quickly realised she needed a PA but couldn’t afford one. So Gail decided to employ one and share her - then had a "lightbulb-moment" when she realised she had her idea for a business!

Liz Jackson has never lost sight of her dreams

Liz Jackson was just 25 when she started her own telemarketing company. A devastating eye disease caused her to go completely blind the same year, but nothing could stop her on the path to achieving her goals. She is now a motivational speaker, an award winner, and an inspirational woman.

Alexandra Burns' photographic eye led to a unique business vision...

A photographic career has no structure, so to make your way you either assist other photographers or go it alone. For Alexandra, setting up on her own was the only option she'd ever seriously considered. But she took a far bigger leap in learning to let go and trust her staff to get on with the day-to-day running of the business...

Nina Ess and Handbag Success

Nina Ess, a first generation immigrant from the Ivory Coast, came to the United Kingdom and started a handbag company from the bottom up. Not having any friends or family in the UK, Nina sought out a customer basis and has achieved remarkable success.

Sandra McClumpha brought sunshine into her own world

To really go for the distribution of Fake Bake in the UK and Europe, I made the decision to sell my salon as a going concern and the building it was in to get started...

Without the faintest knowledge of football, Jane Lennon took over the Soccer Company and scored.

Having searched for a company to purchase for some years, the Soccer Company was introduced to me in May 04. We purchased the company during September 2004 but unfortunately the company then suffered a massive fire....

From cottage industry to Fly Away success

Horse mad from a young age Helen Dolisznyj discovered a problem: flies. Horse flies are more than just a pesky problem for equestrians, they’re a real headache. Find out how she cooked up a recipe her fly repellent that's so effective it's maintained market leadership for 13 years.

Personnel Power - from a frustrated end-user to a trusted supplier, Jacqui Mann is making her mark

Jacqui Mann, a qualified Business Coach, and Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development has always been determined. After becoming increasingly frustrated dealing with HR companies that failed to offer a professional service, she decided to bring her own offering to the table. Four years on, she’s got a loyal client base that just keeps on growing.

Kativa Oberoi is providing IT solutions to Primary Care

Oberoi Consulting is recognised as a key provider of IT solutions to Primary Care through its work with Practices, Primary Care Trusts, Nursing Service Providers and the Pharmaceutical Industry. High Quality Clinical Systems Training and Clinical Audit are the Key Core Areas of Oberoi's Business

Clare Winsor turned adversity into a springboard for a new business

Many people wouldn't cope with the double blow of divorce and cancer, but the insights Clare gleaned from these experiences led her to create a consultancy that puts empathy back into organisations, bridging the gap between the nuts-and-bolts of business and the emotional wellbeing of its leaders, employees and customers. And she rebuilt her life and self-esteem in the process...

Katy Hoskinson stitches herself a successful future

When Katy Hoskinson decided it was time for a change of direction, she didn’t do things by halves. Her work as a freelance upholsterer with Plumbs, the soft furnishings specialist, was a huge step from her previous job as a chef in a busy kitchen. But it showed she had the will to succeed in not one, but two, male-dominated industries.

Berni and her 'team of mums' champion flexible working

Berni Dack set out to prove that being a working mum and having a rewarding career is extremely do-able. She now runs a successful marketing and communications company that employs three other mums - all on a flexible basis...