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Success Stories

Be inspired by other female entrepreneurs who have turned their ideas into successful businesses.

Shipa Khan

Shipa Khan is Vice-Chair of the Portsmouth (PBBA) Portsmouth Bangladesh Business Association and Community Development Officer at the Portsmouth City Council.

Read more … Shipa Khan

Salina Ali

Salina is a chartered accountant and lecturer currently working for the University of Portsmouth. She is also a member of PBBA (Portsmouth Bangladeshi Business Association), and sister of Entrepreneur in Resident, Faz Ahmed, owner of well-known The Akash restaurant in Southsea.

Read more … Salina Ali

Jodie Hughes

Through AWE, Jodie learnt how to value herself as a businesswoman. She took what felt like an almost impossible task and broke it down into small chunks of achievable targets.

Read more … Jodie Hughes

Selina Keedwell

Selina, Artistic Director of the Somerset Youth Theatre Community Interest Company, explains how they work in rural locations across Somerset, working with young people to provide a safe place for them to explore, create and find their voice through theatre. 

Read more … Selina Keedwell

Carmen Wong

Carmen describes how Community Interest Company, JarSquad puts joy and connection in jars by bringing surplus fruit and veg and people together to create something “magic”

Read more … Carmen Wong

Imen Ayari

Imen Ayari is a business coach and a marketing expert, as well as a mentor for AWE. Originally from Tunisia, Imen decided to enter the beauty industry back in 1997.

Read more … Imen Ayari

Siobainn Chaplin

Siobainn is using her long career in working with young people in her new service designed to help children and their parents or carers to start to communicate again and understand each other’s perspective during difficult times.

Read more … Siobainn Chaplin

Vanessa Miles

Vanessa Miles has worked as a photographer for decades with her photographs gracing the pages and websites of celebrated publications. Now working as a freelance photographer and running a social enterprise, she received help from AWE which taught her some important lessons.

Read more … Vanessa Miles

Ruth Chadwick

The idea of establishing a fleece felting enterprise had been percolating in Ruth’s mind for several years, so when she was made redundant from her role as a Kindergarten Teacher at age 63, Ruth felt it was the right time to implement her idea and invested in a felt-making machine.

Read more … Ruth Chadwick

Ruth James

“I met someone who directed me to the AWE Making a Difference programme. It was the perfect timing and it has really helped me navigate all the practical steps I need to take in order to expand my idea.”

Read more … Ruth James

Emma-Jayne Murphy

“AWE has been amazing because it has helped me to do things differently. Being able to join the weekly AWE group with other women, has been very supportive and inspiring.” Find out more about Emma’s experience setting up a charity.

Read more … Emma-Jayne Murphy

Sharon Lobb

Sharon Lobb felt the need for a change and a new challenge, which coincided with her daughter’s desire to start a new retail business. Therefore mother and daughter decided to go into business together. They wanted to build a retail business which sold quirky and unique things, as well as traditional and quality items for…

Read more … Sharon Lobb

Jo Onda

Jo realised that she might be able to turn her exceptional baking skills, having made cakes for her family, into a business. However she felt she did not possess the skills she needed to start her business, and she also lacked the confidence to do so.

Read more … Jo Onda

Ruth Daddow

Ruth Daddow, the founder of She Decorates is a painting and decorating business based in Redruth, Cornwall, focusing on residential properties and small businesses. Ruth has always enjoyed decorating, so when her teaching contract came to an end, her family and friends encouraged her do something different and to start a decorating business and she…

Read more … Ruth Daddow