Member Article

Shirt is a sure thing for business success

A local fashion designer has received industry acclaim for her company, Shirt, which has scooped the winning prize at Northumbria University’s Business Plan Competition Awards. Jessica McLean, who designs and tailors pre- and post-match uniform shirts for rugby players and other sportsmen, walked away with the Business Viability Award and £1000 in prize money, donated by sponsors Muckle LLP.

This win will automatically enter the company into the Blueprint regional business plan competition which brings together promising business ideas from all five North East universities.

After graduating last year in Fashion Marketing from Northumbria University, Jessica quickly established her company and sought advice and guidance on how to form a business plan from the Enterprise Campus team at the University. She also received mentoring support from marketing specialists.

Jessica said: “I am absolutely delighted to be walking away with the Business Viability Award and it is an honour to receive it from the Enterprise Campus team which has invested so much support in helping me to launch my business. “The prize money will definitely go to good use. I haven’t decided exactly what I am going to spend it on but it certainly will be put back into the company.”

Roger Candy, business partnerships manager for Enterprise Campus at Northumbria University, said: “With 186 entrants this year, the fifth Northumbria Business Challenge Awards event has seen another record number of business plan entries which is testimony to the support that all the staff at Enterprise Campus have given to our diverse range of business start-ups throughout the year.

“Our student entrepreneurs have yet again seen an exceptional level of support from the local business community and our team is sincerely grateful for all their continued encouragement over the past year.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .