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Entrepreneur

Patrick Boyer and collegues

Young entrepreneurs create a new dimension

School pupils make full use of opportunities created by Young Enterprise UK to get off to a flying start in the world of business

Entrepreneur 

DIY Kyoto owners Richard Woods, Jon Sawdon Smith and Greta Corke
DIY Kyoto

Keeping an eye on the rising cost of electricity was elementary for Wattson and Holmes

Entrepreneur 

Jane Asher found that it was better to raise her prices than to cut them
Lessons learnt in tough times

Companies that endured previous downturns offer some tips on how to survive

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Entrepreneur watch

Julie Diem Le with her range of Zoobug glasses

Boom or bust for our three entrepreneurs?

Three years ago we began following three start-up businesses. Here's how they have fared on the business roller-coaster

Internet entrepreneur Rob Taub training session for the Sussex Thunder Gridiron Football

Start-ups with winning ways

We have followed the fortunes of three small businesses and all are still continuing on the road to success

The sun shines on our start-ups

A year ago we decided to track three entrepreneurs with different business ideas. Rachel Bridge checks on their progress

Our first six months in business

Three fledgling firms in three very different markets are making good progress, writes Rachel Bridge

Best 100 Companies

Find out who you should be working for with our list of the top employers

My Big Idea

DIY Kyoto owners Richard Woods, Jon Sawdon Smith and Greta Corke

DIY Kyoto

Keeping an eye on the rising cost of electricity was elementary for Wattson and Holmes

Donna Baker, who left her job as a claims loss adjuster to launch a range of clothing for boys aged two to eight

Guy

When the boys' clothing market needed a shake-up, Donna Baker was just the Guy to do it

Cyclepods

James Steward's cycle storage redesign stole a march on the competition

findaTVexpert.com

Claire Richmond turned from being a programme maker into an expert producer - literally

The next big thing. We ask Silicon Valley entrepreneurs who, and what, are destined for success

Key challenges

Philip Green

Masterclass with UK’s top retailer

Last year’s Entrepreneur Challenge winner Matthew Riley and Sir Philip Green, the mentor he won, reveal how they got along

Fiona Hamilton in the cafe at her latest business, Fifi and Ally

Contacts put icing on the cake

In the last of four features on the challenges facing entrepreneurs, Andrew Stone looks at what networking can achieve

A mentor can tune your skills

What are the key challenges facing entrepreneurs? In the third of four features, we look at the importance of having a mentor

Appearances can be deceptive

Video: Rushing to judgment about a prospective employer may lead to misperceptions says Colin Day, the chief finance officer at Reckitt Benckiser

James Caan

How to minimise risk

James Caan's five part series on doing business in a tough climate

How to... get started

How to write a business plan

There are probably thousands of people with great ideas just waiting to be turned into profit, but ideas are nothing without a proper business plan

How to: Pitch for success

If your presentation is concise, clear and to-the-point, a three-minute pitch can elevate your career

How to: Keep the cash flowing

Cash, as the old adage goes, is king, and nowhere is that more true than for the day-to-day operations of a business

Learn how to woo the investors

Preparing a business so that it will appeal to financial backers is a tough process. Training courses can help

Bob Ford

Enterprise Clinic: Loki Ltd

Bob Ford gets expert advice on how to move his company to the next level

Time off to find new jobs | Taxing incentives

How long can redundant workers be paid to look for other jobs and can rewarding good ideas be taxing?

Expert determination

Experts cheaper than courts | Can I sack a long-term sick employee?

Business Letters

Small business and petty theft

Taking to the gin

Serial entrepreneur Martin Miller's early business ventures, as a schoolboy, included hamster breeding and a magazine for local teenagers

How I Made It: Martin Miller, founder of Martin Miller's Gin

After the last recession wiped out my firm I took to the gin

The Entrepreneur Challenge

Entrepreneur Challenge

Bank of Scotland Corporate £25 Million Entrepreneur Challenge - Winner Matthew Riley, founder of Daisy Communications

It's not just about winning

There are many benefits to taking part in the Challenge according to entrants

Prize fighting

A man wearing boxing gloves with Computer.

Big win competitions for small businesses

Your chance to compete for some of the most lucrative entrepreneurial awards

Patrick Boyer and collegues

A youthful dimension

Young Enterprise winners prepared for a healthy future

Andrew Ritchie, founder of Brompton Bicycle

How I made it

Brompton's Andrew Ritchie made the most of the business cycle

DIY Kyoto owners Richard Woods, Jon Sawdon Smith and Greta Corke

Our Big Idea

Reducing electricity cost was elementary for the Wattson and Holmes creators

Entrepreneur Challenge Q&A

Peter Cullum of Towergate.

What does it take to be a winner?

We quiz Challenge judge and entrepreneur Peter Cullum

      The Bank of Scotland
      Corporate £35million
      Entrepreneur Challenge

      Bank of Scotland

      Building on the huge success of 2007, Bank of Scotland Corporate is maintaining its reputation for being the Bank for Entrepreneurs with the Bank of Scotland Corporate £35 Million Entrepreneur Challenge.

      The Entrepreneur Challenge closed for entries on 19 May and the short listing process is underway in each of the regions. Seven regional winners will then be chosen from the finalists with each winner receiving up to £5m funding entirely free of interest for 3 years and free of arrangement fees.*

      Register below for news and updates.

      * Funding subject to status and terms to be agreed, security may be required.

      register for news and updates

      Video: The Entrepreneur Challenge

      Latest from the
      Entrepreneur
      Challenge

      Bank of Scotland

      Every application will be assigned to one of our seven regions. Our panels will choose a regional winner to go through to the national final.

      Explore the regions below:

      Bank of Scotland
      register for news and updates

      Story of the
      Entrepreneur
      Challenge 2007

      Bank of Scotland
      Matt Riley

      open quote markThank you very much to Bank of Scotland Corporate for this. It's absolutely fantastic and I'm really looking forward to working with them and Sir Philip Green in the future.open quote mark

      National Winner 2007
      Matt Riley,
      Daisy Communications
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      William Chase

      open quote markWe're absolutely amazed and the whole team is very flattered to win the Bank of Scotland Entrepreneur Challenge. It's great to know there is a bank out there that's supporting the entrepreneurs. . . .open quote mark

      Midlands & Mid Wales
      William Chase,
      Tyrrells Group Ltd
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      Chris Howell

      open quote markThis is fantastic news for DriveTech and fantastic news for road safety. What this award is going to do for DriveTech is ramp up the operation quickly so that we can make a fundamental difference to the lives of young people in this country.open quote mark

      South England & South Wales
      Chris Howell,
      Drivetech (UK) Plc
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      Ian Millner

      open quote markIt's brilliant! We've never won anything before... we're exhilarated and honoured... It's our responsibility now to do the right thing with this investment.open quote mark

      London
      Ian Millner,
      Iris Nation Worldwide Ltd
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      Michael Shand

      open quote markGetting this is more than we ever thought we could do, just being in the national final is great.open quote mark

      Scotland & Northern Ireland Winner
      Michael Shand,
      RB Farquhar (Manufacturing) Ltd
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