Press Releases
FEMALE ENTREPRENEUR HELPS FORWARD LADIES CLIMB PROPERTY LADDER OF SUCCESS
Female entrepreneur, Maria Davies, who started life in the back-to-back terraces of Liverpool and now has a property portfolio worth millions and a thriving public speaking business, shared her experiences of successfully climbing the property ladder with members of Forward Ladies.
Maria, who now lives in Sussex recently travelled to Yorkshire to speak to Forward Ladies around the region including Bradford (Gumption Centre) and York (Ramada Jarvis).
Maria turned to property development in the early 1990’s while she was working in the City of London and in 2000 left her high powered job as European IT manager with a US law firm to focus full time on her property portfolio and property mentoring and coaching for women.
She said: “The Forward Ladies made me feel very welcome and were eager to learn as much as they could about investing in property. The market is currently going through an uncertain period and as a result there are some fabulous deals around and I firmly believe that property is a good, long term investment.”
FORWARD LADIES ‘FLY THE FLAG’ IN EUROPE
Businesswomen will be ‘flying the flag’ for the region when they embark on a series of European trips (including Belgium, Italy and Latvia) which are partly funded by the European Commission and have been organised by Forward Ladies.
Etta Cohen, managing director of Forward Ladies, explained: “We wanted to give the 40 strong party of women (all of whom are interested in working with their European counterparts or doing business in Europe) the opportunity to find out more about how the EU works. During our stay in Brussels (1-3 April) we visited the Commission, the Parliament and met MEPs, etc., to gain an understanding of how it all works, how it affects us and our business.”
Following their fact finding mission, the Forward Ladies will make a return visit to Europe in May with 20 members visit Milan in Italy (12-14 May). whilst the rest head for Riga in Latvia (19-21 May). During their stay in both countries they will meet with senior representatives of business and trade organisations (including the head of external trade at the Italian stock exchange and visit Studio Natural (a hand woven linen manufacturer and studio) run by Latvian businesswoman, Laima Kaugure.
Etta added: “All the women going on the trips have very busy lives, with the majority of them holding senior management roles or owning their own businesses. We have gone to a lot of effort to put together a time effective programme that will provide them with the commercial information and contacts they need to conduct business abroad.
“There are terrific opportunities for our members to do business in Europe, particularly in accession countries such as Latvia which are developing incredibly quickly and are eager to build relationships with the UK.”
MOTOR GROUP GETS INTO TOP GEAR WITH FORWARD LADIES
Forward Ladies has linked up with Bradford-based JCT600 (one of the largest privately owned motor groups in the UK) which will provide members of the women’s networking group with the facility to drop into any of its 42 locations across the North for refreshments and have their tyres and washer bottles checked on a complimentary basis. JCT600 are also planning to offer members a dedicated ‘fast track’ car purchasing service.
These actions show just how seriously JCT600 takes its growing number of female customers (who, nowadays, influence 80% of all car purchases) and their increasing spending power.
Forward Ladies, the North’s fastest growing women’s networking and business support group, which is supported by Yorkshire Forward, has worked closely with JCT600 to help gather valuable knowledge on women’s experiences of buying and servicing their cars and how these processes can be improved.
Chris Gilliver, marketing manager for JCT600, said: “The Forward Ladies focus group, which was held at our head office in Apperly Bridge, gave us some really important pointers and feedback. Businesswomen have busy lives and it was clear that many of them found purchasing a car very laborious and time consuming. Also, the women said they resented being asked by some sales executives if they needed to get permission from a third party before purchasing a vehicle or authorising a service.
“All our customers are very important to us and we recognise that many women now have their own disposable incomes and want to be in the driving seat when it comes to choosing a vehicle. Members of Forward Ladies visiting our dealerships will be made very welcome and we look forward to many of them becoming valued customers.”
Etta Cohen, managing director of Forward Ladies said: “With nearly half of the drivers on UK roads being women, it is unbelievable that some sectors of the motor trade (unlike JCT600) still hold old fashioned attitudes towards female customers. We are delighted to have forged a relationship with a ‘go ahead’ company who wish to move with the times.
SPONSORSHIP KICK STARTS NEW YEAR FOR GIRLS FOOTBALL TEAM
The New Year for Burley Trojans under 11 girls football team has kicked off to a flying start thanks to the sponsorship of the team’s kit by Forward Ladies, the North’s fastest growing women’s networking and business support group.
Forward Ladies, which is supported by Yorkshire Forward as part of its commitment to encouraging greater levels of female entrepreneurship in the region, now has over 3000 women on its database.
The Burley Trojans girls’ team was formed six years ago and plays matches in both the West Riding and Harrogate & District Girls leagues.
“As well as benefiting from the physical activity of participating in sports, the girls also gain enormously from learning the benefits of working as a team and making friends with girls from other schools,” explained team manager, Ian Sunderland.
Etta Cohen, managing director of Forward Ladies, who is a great football fan and long time supporter of Leeds United, said: “We are very keen to get involved and support our local communities and are delighted to be linked to such a go-ahead, enthusiastic team of young female footballers.”
Ian Sunderland added: “The new strip has been a real morale boost and the girls can now go out on to the pitch with pride, knowing that they look a really professional team, which I am sure will have a positive impact on the way they play.”
PRIZE DROPS INTO THE ‘LAP’ OF FORWARD LADY
The New Year has got off to a great start for Carole Clarkson who has won a laptop donated by North Yorkshire based Gritstone Computers in a lucky draw organised by Forward Ladies.
Etta Cohen, managing director of Forward Ladies, explained: “Just before Christmas, Edward Barker from Gritstone, offered our members the opportunity to win the laptop which was a fabulous prize worth more than £1000.”
Carole Clarkson travelled from Hull, where she works for Sirius Enterprise Agency, to collect her prize at a recent Forward Ladies event held at The Harrogate Grille in Harrogate. She said: “I was so surprised when I heard that I had won the laptop, which will be extremely useful when I attend business meetings and events.”
“We also threw in a package which included mobile technology, Microsoft Office Professional 2007, Antivirus software and a year’s back up support,” explained Charlotte Foster, sales and marketing associate with Skipton based, Gritstone and a Forward Ladies member herself. She added: “The flexibility of a stylish, slim laptop computer is ideal for busy career women, such as the Forward Ladies.”
For further information on Gritstone Computers visit http://www.gritstone.co.uk/
GOOD FORTUNE ON THE CARDS FOR HOSPICE
A charity ‘psychic’ event organised by Forward Ladies and hosted by Woodlands, Leeds raised nearly £1000 for Sue Ryder Care Wheatfields Hospice, Leeds.
Etta Cohen, managing director of Forward Ladies, said: “We actively support a range of local charities, including Wheatfields Hospice, and were delighted with the support our members gave to this event which ‘sold’ out almost as soon as it appeared on our website.”
Sue France, head of PR for the Tomahawk Group hotel and retail chain arranged for Woodlands to host the event, and organised a business card draw for a range of prizes, including a night for two at Tomahawk’s Great Victoria hotel in Bradford and tickets for the musical, Joseph at the Alhambra theatre.
Rosemary Sheen, The Sue Ryder Care fundraising manager at Wheatfields Hospice, said: “It costs over £2million a year to provide the love and care for which Wheatfields has become so well known. Well over £1 million has to be raised by events and activities, and we are dependent on the support of the local community.”
She added: “We are thrilled with the amount of money that has been raised and are indebted to Forward Ladies and everyone else who supported the event, including the psychics who so generously gave their time and expertise to read the tarot cards and Woodlands for providing such a beautiful venue and a delicious afternoon tea.”
TESCO DIRECTOR DELIVERS SPEECH TO LEADING WOMEN’S NETWORKING GROUP
Andrew Higginson, Finance & Strategy Director for Tesco plc was the guest speaker at a recent Forward Ladies 50/50 event held at Leeds United Banqueting Suite.
Appointed to the Tesco Board 10 year’s ago, Andrew is a member of the 100 Group of Finance Directors, Chairman of Tesco Personal Finance and a Non-executive Director of BSkyB PLC. He is also responsible for retailing services, including tesco.com, Tesco Telecoms and Tesco Direct. Driven by his shrewd strategy and financial management, Tesco became the first UK retailer in 2005 to report profits in excess of £2bn.
During his wide ranging talk, Andrew shared with the audience the history of Tesco’s success to date and the important role its 250,000 employees play in driving the business forward (through shared ownership and shared incentive schemes, over 165,000 of its people have a personal stake in Tesco.) He also gave an insight into the company’s global expansion plans including the opening of its first store on the West Coast of America later this year.
Etta Cohen, managing director of Forward Ladies said: “Being able to hear at first hand from someone of Andrew’s calibre and business acumen was invaluable to our members and their guests. We are very grateful to him for taking time out of his extremely busy schedule to travel to Yorkshire to be with us.”
Alex McWhirter, head of enterprise at Yorkshire Forward adds; “Tesco is one of the best known retail brands in the UK, and demands high levels of innovation and enterprise. Andrew Higginson has a wealth of expertise and experience in these innovative and enterprising retail areas and offered a significant insight to entrepreneurs at all stages of business growth.”
FORWARD LADIES SPREADS ITS WINGS
Described by Simon Hill, Yorkshire Forward’s executive director of business development, as ‘one of the regional development agency’s most successful spin offs’, Forward Ladies, a not-for-profit women’s business networking organisation, is now looking to the future with confidence.
Following a period of funding and support by the RDA, Forward Ladies has opened offices at 1 City Square, Leeds and founder, Etta Cohen, has taken up the role of managing director.
Simon explained: “Recognising and supporting successful business models and, at the right time, encouraging them to spread their wings and become independent is one of the key elements in our on-going drive to push the economy of the region forward.”
Founded by Etta six years ago, with just five business acquaintances, Forward Ladies now has over 3000 members. The name Forward Ladies was born shortly after Etta began working at Yorkshire Forward and, in Etta’s own words: “The RDA’s backing and vision of the group’s potential has been fundamental to our success and knowing we can still turn to them for support and advice is a great help.”
She added: “The original idea behind Forward Ladies was to provide opportunities for women from all walks of life and backgrounds to come together in a comfortable environment with no hard sell or pressure and build both personal and professional relationships.”
The group now offers a range of other services, including mentoring, coaching and workshops and its members are also conducting business on an international level through a series of trade missions organised in conjunction with UKTI (including earlier this year the first all female mission to Hong Kong.)
Simon added: “Following a call earlier this year by the government for 1000 female entrepreneurs across the UK to help and inspire more women to set up their own businesses, we have nominated 100 regional businesswomen to become ambassadors for the initiative. As an indication of our confidence in Etta, we have awarded Forward Ladies a contract to deliver the Ambassador programme across the region on our behalf.”
O2 CONNECTS WITH FORWARD LADIES
O2, the UK’s top-ranked mobile operator, has announced a website sponsorship deal with Forward Ladies, the North’s fastest growing womens’ networking and business support group.
Forward Ladies, which is supported by Yorkshire Forward as part of its commitment to encouraging greater levels of female entrepreneurship in the region, now has over 3000 women on its database and the group’s website is proving hugely popular, receiving thousands of hits a year.
From its roots in Yorkshire, the group has successfully expanded into the North West, with plans to spread into Derby, Nottingham, up to the North East and, in the future, possibly cross over the border into Scotland.
Speaking in Leeds at O2’s largest centre in the UK (which has almost 3,000 employees), Ann Pickering, Head of HR for O2 UK explained: “As a company, we firmly believe in supporting women and, from a personal perspective, living in Sheffield, it will be extremely useful for me to be able to tap into such an active regional network.”
Cheryl Black, Customer Service Director, O2 UK, who also lives in Yorkshire, agreed and added: “At O2 we want to have the very best people working for us and are committed to ensuring that our women employees reach their maximum potential.
“Also, we have many female entrepreneurial customers who we want to support. Historically, women have not always had the same opportunities to network as their male counterparts and Forward Ladies has certainly filled this niche.”
Cheryl and Ann are two of the 100 businesswomen from across the region nominated by Yorkshire Forward, to become Women’s Enterprise Ambassadors (a national network of businesswomen which has been set up by the government to give women the self-belief, confidence and support to start their own businesses).
The network aims to target women of all ages, across all sectors of society. In particular, young women who are considering their career choices; women over 30 who may have just had children and are taking stock of their future, balancing family commitments with work requirements; and women over 50 who have retired early or whose children may have left home.
Etta Cohen, managing director of Forward Ladies said: “We are delighted to have the backing of such a high profile and powerful brand as O2 and, through our website, we will also be publicising the important work the company does in engaging local communities.”