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Young entrepreneur launches industrious plan

A Tees Valley entrepreneur has used the fact that she knew nothing about her business neighbours to launch a new company.

Anna Smith, 23, from Middlesbrough currently works as a client relations manager for a creative and digital agency based at the town’s Riverside Industrial Estate.

She realised that she had very little idea about other companies at the Riverside and what they did – or how they might work together.

That was the springboard for the launch of the Industrial Estate Network, which initially aims to bring together business based at the Riverside but with a long-term goal of rolling out the scheme nationwide.

“The Riverside is a massive estate with lots of different kinds of businesses but nobody really knows about each other which is a shame because we could all be missing out on providing services to other companies on the estate,” said Anna.

“There’s lot of benefits to us all knowing each other, it’s good for individual businesses and good for the area generally.”

The Industrial Estate Network has already won a great deal of support from organisations including Cleveland Police, Middlesbrough Council, Love Middlesbrough, PD Ports and AV Dawson.

Anna’s plans now include an official launch of the network and is also offering businesses on the estate the chance to join for free for a trial period.

“Being part of an organisation like this is about forming a new community and network,” she said. “I think a lot of people recognise this which is why I’m getting such a positive response.”

Anyone wanting to find out more can visit the website at www.riversideparkmiddlebrough.co.uk.

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