On Wednesday 21st and Thursday 22nd of October, Durham Ambitious Business Start-ups (DABS) will be hosting a virtual Festival of Enterprise, showcasing a fantastic line up of successful business owners and skills trainers who will help to inspire, motivate and educate anyone thinking of starting their own business journey.
Whether you are already in business, thinking of starting your own business, or just looking for some new ideas to help you progress in your career – this free event will provide you with the information, motivation and expertise to help you get started.
Speakers at this year’s DABS Festival of Enterprise include:
Teri Ellington
Ellington Timepiece Ltd was created by twenty-four-year-old, Teri Elizabeth Ellington. Designing watches from her bedroom, the Sheba Collection was created. With her last eighty pound after losing her job two months before Christmas, Teri started the business with her first design, The Grey Sheba.
The first Limited edition collection from Ellington Timepiece Ltd was named after Teri’s Therapy German Shepherd, Sheba. Sheba became Teri’s therapy dog while suffering from a condition called agoraphobia which left her struggling to leave the house. Ellington Timepiece has shared this unique and life-changing story through the watches, creating a brand that raises awareness for Mental Health.
Jake Newport
Jake, who is originally from the North West, moved to Durham to start his business Finnmark Sauna with his brother Max. At first, he was working full time and running his business in his spare time getting up at 6am and not finishing till midnight most nights. He then decided to take the plunge, left his job, and got a £5,000 loan to help start his business.
Hear how he grew his business and how County Durham is the best place to start up a new business thanks to the finance and support available in the region.
Jimmy Cregan
In 2010, Jimmy created Jimmy’s Iced Coffee, a range of awesome ready-to-drink iced coffees which can now be found in the best fridges across the UK and beyond.
He started the business with his sister Suzie and they now lead a team of over 20 crew, have 6 products and counting and do some great stuff helping the younger generation become inspired to do awesome things. Hear how Jimmy grew his business and his products are now available in over 5000 stores.
Stefan Thomas
Stefan is the author of three Amazon bestsellers, ‘Business Networking for Dummies’, ‘Instant Networking’ and ‘Win The Room’. He covers everything from which networking events to choose, how to present your 60 second introduction, to how to follow up on social media to ensure those conversations turn into sales.
Sarah Slaven, Business Durham’s interim Managing Director said:
“As the economy moves into recovery we want to inspire and enthuse ambitious entrepreneurs to build their own business and capitalise on their dreams. We have brought together an array of inspirational speakers who will share their enterprise journeys and insights. Those attending will also be able to learn first-hand about our DABS programme and how it can help start and grow fledgling businesses. We encourage entrepreneurs from across County Durham to join us as we drive County Durham’s economy forward!”
This is a fantastic opportunity for people at all stages of their business journey, so don’t miss out – reserve your free place at this year’s festival!
About the DABS Programme
DABS is an ERDF-funded programme that helps high-quality start-ups in County Durham start trading and offers premium quality support during your critical first 12 months in business.
Different from many other business accelerators, the DABS programme offers two unique support packages. One for those who have a great idea and have not yet started their business, and another for those new entrepreneurs at the start of their exciting journey. Tailored support that allows DABS to maximise the success of your business.
The DABS programme aims to foster a start-up environment throughout County Durham to help new and prospective business owners support and learn from each other.