BIRMINGHAM COMPANY RANKED AMONGST COUNTRY’S BEST NEW BUSINESSES IN HSBC START-UP STARS AWARDS
A Birmingham business woman, who runs a Fashion business for women with slim and curvy figures, has outperformed hundreds of entrepreneurs to reach the Midlands Regional Finals of the 2008 HSBC Start-Up Stars Awards.
The national contest, now in its eighth year, is designed to seek out the most promising start-up businesses in the UK.
Claire Priest, who started Blessd last year, is now hoping to scoop the top title and a cheque for £50,000, courtesy of HSBC.
Women come in all shapes and sizes but the fashion industry tries to squeeze them all into standard measurements. For someone like Claire, who is lucky enough to be slim but with a naturally curvy figure, finding the right fit was a nightmare. She decided the best way to solve the problem was to produce her own range of clothes and an alternative set of standard sizes designed for women who currently wear a UK size 8 to 16 but are blessed with a larger than average bust or hip size.
Based in Cradley, Halesowen, Blessd launched its first fashion range in 2007 and sells a selection of business, casual and evening wear, swimwear, lingerie and accessories. Since its launch last year, the business has gained real momentum, not least through its competition to become Blessd models called GetReal!, which attracted widespread press coverage and raised the company’s profile significantly.
Claire’s vision for her business is to enhance the lives of a million women by offering them clothes designed to fit and flatter their beautiful curves.
Currently selling at exhibitions and through her website (www.blessd.com), she is aiming for a national High Street presence but is also committed to running a business that remains true to her ethical and social principles.
Blessd is one of 20 companies to secure a place in the Midlands Regional Finals. Their entry will now be considered by a local panel of business experts who will select the top 10 start-up companies in the Midlands to go forward to the national judging.
This year there will be six heats, generating 60 Regional Winners from throughout the UK. From this pool of talented entrepreneurs, the top 10 will be invited to London to convince the national judging panel why they should be named ‘Start-Up Star 2008’. The overall Winner will be revealed at a black-tie gala dinner at London’s Dorchester Hotel on 29th October.
A cheque for £5,000 will also be presented to the business scooping the Green Award, demonstrating they are putting the environment at the top of their business agenda. As official supporter of the Awards, Google will be offering £5,000 of AdWords and a visit to their London office as a prize to both the National Winner and the Green Award Winner. Each of the runners-up will receive £2,500 of AdWords.
Huw Morgan, HSBC’s Head of Business Banking, said: “The 2008 HSBC Start-Up Stars Awards are the biggest and best yet. “Last year, HSBC alone helped nearly 130,000 new ventures get off the ground, and this is representative of the entrepreneurial talent that exists in Britain today. “Many are still only small businesses, but with big ideas. We are proud Start-Up Stars can contribute to their aspirations and that the Awards play a pivotal role in identifying the business leaders of the future.”
For information on how to get a business off the ground, would-be entrepreneurs can go to HSBC’s Knowledge Centre at www.knowledge.hsbc.co.uk or they can obtain a copy of HSBC’s free Starting a Business pack by calling 0800 328 4912* or visiting an HSBC branch. * Textphone 1800 10800 028 3516. Lines are open 8am to 10pm every day (excluding Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day). Communications may be monitored and/or recorded.
