Workshops backed

Feb 27 2008 by Karen Dent, The Journal

FORMER TV dragon Rachel Elnaugh is backing a series of free workshops to encourage more people to start their own enterprises.

The entrepreneur, who has learned about success and failure the hard way, is supporting the NOW North East initiative put together by Business Link to help turn business ideas into reality.

Ms Elnaugh set up gift company Red Letter Days at the age of 24 and appeared as a dragon on BBC TV’s Dragons’ Den five years ago. In 2005, her business – which had a £14m turnover – was hit by a financial crisis and was taken over by fellow TV panellists Theo Paphitis and Peter Jones.

Now working to mentor and adviser with small business owners, she says: “Dragons’ Den has become a bit caricatured. It kind of sends out a message that business is all about being hard-nosed and cutting people down. We need to be more supportive of enterprises.”

Places on the NOW North East programme are available on a first-come, first-served basis at www. nownorth east.co.uk.