Partner Article

The 2010 Women Into the Network Young Entrepreneur of the Year winner Cathi Harrison talks to bdaily

Name: Cathi Harrison
Business: Para-Sols
Award Won: Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2010

Could you tell us a little bit about your business?

The business offers outsourced paraplanning support to financial advisers, which involves doing their technical, desk based work, such as research and report writing, leaving them free to spend their time with their clients.

What did winning the award do for you on both a personal and company level?

The award helped me develop my business by giving me the confidence of knowing that I must be doing something right! This has helped me to develop an additional service and take on another member of staff as the awards helped me to recognise that the business was more substantial than just me working freelance – which is how I was thinking of myself.

Why should others enter the awards?

Women need to have more confidence in themselves and belief in what they are doing. I never expected to even be shortlisted, let alone actually win, but winning actually gave me so much more confidence in what I am doing and belief that it is a real and viable business I am running. Before that, I felt like it wasn’t really real.

What other benefits do you receive from WIN?

Being part of a community where there are so many other people in the same shoes, and having access to amazing support and fantastic events is so important when running your own business, especially as a sole trader, and can really help you grow and develop your business.

The closing date for entries is 15th September 2011. Don’t miss your chance to enter and raise your profile across the region.

The awards ceremony takes place on Friday 11th November 2011. Tickets to attend the WIN Awards evening are £75 + VAT (£65 + VAT for WIN members) and include drinks reception, a 3-course meal and live entertainment.

For more information on how to enter or book tickets for the event itself, please email awards@womenintothenetwork.co.uk, or call 0191 385 6619, or visit: http://www.womenintothenetwork.co.uk/awards.

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