Success on the cards for net entrepreneur

Dec 13 2007 by Peter McCusker, The Journal

AN e-entrepreneur has launched her own range of Christmas cards after she was named as a finalist in an internet trading competition.

Melanie Dixon, from Dunston, was one of 10 budding entrepreneurs from across the region who each won £2,000 to start their own business via eBay, in a challenge run by regional development agency One NorthEast and e-business champions The North East Regional Portal.

The idea of the ‘YouTrade’ competition was to encourage online entrepreneurship across the North-East and now, less than a year after launching her business ‘Colourwithme’ which sells pre-designed cartoon birthday cards for kids to colour themselves, Melanie has expanded her range to tap into the festive market.

“Making it as one of the final 10 YouTraders was the funniest feeling; I was proud, happy and scared all rolled into one,” she said.

“All the hard work involved in getting the business plan together and working on my presentation had paid off. It’s still very early days – but ultimately I want a recognised brand out there that everyone wants to buy.”

YouTrade was launched last November. Among the other successful pitches to the Dragons’ Den style panel were business plans for jewellery and accessories, fitness equipment sales, and antiques companies.

All the winners have now started trading via eBay, and are competing to be the most successful in their first year of trading. They are getting support through a series of boot camps about all aspects of running an internet business and entrepreneurship in general.

Emmanuelle Martinot, e-Business technical adviser at One NorthEast, said: “If we are to achieve the region’s aim of starting 22,000 new businesses in the next decade to help us close the productivity gap between the North-East and other English regions, we have to develop our entrepreneurial culture and make sure people have access to the skills they’ll need to succeed in running their own business.

“All our YouTraders are demonstrating that, with hard work, strong business advice and a quality idea, the opportunities are out there.”