Olwyn's risk is inspiration

Apr 5 2005 By Helen Logan Evening Gazette

Businesswoman Olwyn Ogden has proved you are never too old to tread the entrepreneurial route.

At the age of 50, she achieved her dream of becoming her own boss.

But she took the biggest gamble of her life to do it - selling her home to get the business up and running.

And, as we report today, her determination has paid off and her garment-altering and fancy dress-making business is expanding.

She is a prime example of the inspirational stories we want to feature during the Evening Gazette's Year of Enterprise - part of the Tees Pride campaign which turns the spotlight on the work of those helping make Tees Valley a better place to live and work and getting behind the key issues affecting local people.

Certainly millionaire businessman Duncan Bannatyne would approve of Olwyn's commitment.

The Darlington-based fitness club tycoon recently put young North-east entrepreneurs to the test on a television programme.

Here he examined the businesses and gave a verdict on whether he thought they would succeed.

And one thing he believed was essential to the making of a successful entrepreneur was being prepared to stake everything you have - including your house - to get your business off the ground.

And talking of Duncan Bannatyne, I understand - although it has yet to be officially confirmed - that he has been signed up to appear in a second series of the BBC show Dragons' Den where aspiring tycoons pitch their plans to try to secure cash to boost their businesses.