Women Entrepreneurs Help Light The 'Spark' In Others

North East women are about to experience a sparkling event that’s all about successful female business owners helping them turn their own ideas into money-makers.

The FREE Spark Your Potential event is taking place in Sunderland on the afternoon of Wednesday 15th October, coordinated by Spark, the Women’s Enterprise Ambassador Network and Make Your Mark. It will bring successful entrepreneurs and enterprise experts across the region together to encourage women to recognise the brilliant business opportunities for them.

Some of the region’s top female entrepreneurs are giving up their time to meet with women with a spark of an idea, or a business that they intend to grow. Sessions include ‘Inspirational Women’ seminar with guest speaker Kim Inglis, local ITV presenter and Nickie Gott North East Woman Entrepreneur of the Year, and the secrets of PR and marketing in the modern age by Kari Owers of O Communications and Siobhan Bales of the bgroup.

Attendees will have the opportunity to hear first hand anecdotes and advice from their own personal journeys. The highlight of the day is an invaluable opportunity to experience a one-to-one advice session with an industry expert of their choice - individuals the women feel can help them the most; be it general business advisors, marketeers, accountants or lawyers.

In the North East there are 107,000 self-employed individuals, of which 28,000 are women*. Spark wants to celebrate the success of those already out there, being enterprising, and encourage others to do the same. Make your Mark works in the north east to bring the message of entrepreneurship alive for younger people, and has already successfully launched the Girls, Make your Mark! programme across the region.

Kari Owers is a local successful female entrepreneur who runs the award winning PR agency, O Communications in Newcastle and will be sharing her story at the event. She comments, “I know from experience how daunting getting that project up and running can seem at first. But once you’ve taken the plunge and enlist the support available to you, it’s an empowering and life-changing experience.

The Spark Your Potential Personal Venture Workshop for Women will help you to shake off any inhibitions, talk to people who have already made the leap and get some practical tips and tools to help you achieve the success you’re dreaming of.”

Emma Thorn from Spark, the Women’s Enterprise Ambassador Network coordinating the event comments; “The north east is already home to many successful female entrepreneurs – just look to your local high street for inspiration. The workout will energise and inspire more women to go out and grab opportunities whilst also connecting them to like-minded others to make their dreams become a reality.”

One NorthEast’s Head of Business, Enterprise and Skills, Tim Pain, said: “The Regional Economic Strategy sets out the aim of substantially increasing the number of businesses in North East England by 2016, and enabling more women to become their own boss is an important factor in making that happen.

Often, it’s hearing about the experiences of other female entrepreneurs which can really inspire women to take the next step - this event is a valuable opportunity to do that, as well as picking up information about the excellent support available to new entrepreneurs in the North East.”

The Spark Your Potential event will be held at the Sunderland’s National Glass Centre. To register please log onto www.sparkambassadors.org.uk and follow the registration process

If we can, you can has also been working in partnership with Spark Your Potential. Having interviewed some incredibly inspirational women entrepreneurs, we've designed a series of postcards with the aim of looking at what really drives women into business.

Each woman has their own reason for doing it, but it's their unique qualities, whether they're conscious of them or not, which will make them into successful entrepreneurs. Look out for the postcards in the delegate bags!!