Chamber's Start Up Business Club names Dragons' Den winner

13 Nov 2022

Published in: Black Country Chamber of Commerce News

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Chamber Names Dragons' Den Winner

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Dragons' Den Style Event Hits the Black Country

The Black Country Chamber of Commerce Start Up Business Club has named its Dragons' Den winner.

Five finalists battled it out at an exciting Dragons' Den finale which saw the winner, Ben Slater of Rapid Pack Fulfilment Ltd, the Oldbury based innovative 3PL service, walk away with prize money of a £1000, six months’ worth of marketing and branding advice from a creative business mentor for their enterprise, and the use of the first-class facilities at the Black Country IOT.

Runner up, Wendy Powis of WM Bookkeeping, won a year’s free membership of the region’s longest running business support organisation and a business mentor for six months.

The event, at the Black Country Marches Institute of Technology, (IOT), business partner to the Start Up Business Club was organised by the Chamber’s new business start-up expert, Alison Trinder and saw entrepreneurs from across the region join Dragon’s Den style judges Alison Bradley, director at Central Business Finance, Carolyn Smith, founder and managing director of Wolverhampton based creative agency TPSquared, Harinder Kunor, local enterprise manager for NatWest and Mahmudur Jaigirdar, director at Tipton based, Lets Sanify.

The Five Finalists:

Chris Dowen – Morserv Ltd – risk, intelligence, and investigation services

Ben Slater – Rapid Pack Fulfilment Ltd - innovative 3PL service that helps online stores scale easier and more profitably

Charlotte Davies – Charlotte the Copywriter

Rebecca Moorhouse – Saving Thyme – virtual assistant services

Wendy Powis – WM Bookkeeping - support services which enable businesses to run effectively

Alison Trinder start-up business account manager at the Chamber said, “Our business start-ups faced a panel of some of some of the region’s leading business advisors and entrepreneurs in this new style event for us. I want to thank all our Dragons for stepping forward to judge and offer their expertise to our finalists.

“It was an excellent final and an event that we will definitely be repeating in the future.”

Dragons' Den Judges’ comments:

“Congratulations to all involved. The standard of pitches from the five finalists were super impressive, all with clear ideas and ambition with well-structured business plans. I was also super impressed by the support that the start-up club members give to each other and that is testament to Alison Trinder who goes above and beyond to help black country businesses thrive.

"I’ve experienced that myself first-hand. I hope this opportunity becomes an annual event for future start up club members.”

Carolyn Smith, founder and managing director of Wolverhampton based creative agency TPSquared

“It was an absolute pleasure to be part of the judging panel, fantastic pitches making it difficult to decide with all finalists’ worthy winners.”

Harinder Kunor, local enterprise manager for NatWest

"It was a pleasure, and the calibre of the candidates was immense, it’s just a shame that they all deserved to win.

"They showed great business attributes and were so passionate in what they do. I am sure they will all have successful businesses going forward. Thank you for letting me be part of it."

Mahmudur Jaigirdar, director Lets Sanify

To find out more about the Black Country Chamber of Commerce Start Up Business Club please contact Alison Trinder - AlisonTrinder@blackcountrychamber.co.uk or call her on 07980 906921