Member Article

E-entrepreneur driven to win

A Newcastle e-entrepreneur who sells rare car and motorcycle manuals on eBay has been named top trader in a regional competition to encourage people to start their own businesses online. Stephen Williams, 41, beat off competition from nine other budding entrepreneurs who each won £2,000 to start a business via the trading site in a challenge run by regional development agency One NorthEast and the North East Regional Portal.

Stephen notched up a turnover of around £32,000 in just 10 months, which the YouTrade competition judges declared as ‘outstanding.’

He said: “It is a real boost to your confidence when others recognise the hard work that has gone into your business. The sense of achievement is immense. I must say without the help and support from the YouTrade team it would not have been possible. The advice and encouragement early on was invaluable.”

Stephen’s business, Books-U-Need, sells automotive workshop and repair manuals for cars such as Nissan, Toyota and Ford, which aren’t readily available in the UK, and other manuals which are difficult to get hold of. He achieved ‘Power Seller’ status within two months of trading on eBay, with 1,500 pieces of positive feedback. He now plans to expand the business into the Australian market.

Norma Foster, Chief Executive at the regional portal, said: “Stephen really embraced all aspects of the YouTrade competition and was extremely successful selling his goods on eBay. When we launched YouTrade, we wanted to inspire people to be enterprising and to turn their ideas into something real - Stephen has proved to be an inspiration and an example to us all of how a great idea coupled with creativity and enterprising spirit can become something big.”

The YouTrade competition was launched in November 2006 with a Dragon’s Den-style panel selecting the ten finalists. Among the other successful pitches were business plans for jewellery and accessories, fitness equipment sales and antiques companies.

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