Recognition across entrepreneurship and business leadership, including national awards and industry accolades built over multiple years.
They’ve been dubbed the ‘mumpreneurs’ – the women who raise their families while setting up successful small businesses from home.
Today, the Mail proudly announces the winner of our first Mumpreneur Of The Year Award, in association with the NatWest Everywoman Awards, recognising business excellence in female entrepreneurs. Her story – and those of our two runners-up – will inspire you and prove that being a mother need never stand in the way of success…
Sarah Pittendrigh, 44, is the founder of Simply Bows & Chair Covers. Sarah lives in Co Durham with her farmer husband Stewart, 45, and their son, William, 16.
To call Sarah Pittendrigh remarkable is an understatement. She hasn’t just launched a phenomenally successful business while raising her son as a single mum. She’s also done it while twice battling cancer and also helping to nurse her dying mother-in-law.
Simply Bows and Chair Covers Managing Director, Sarah Pittendrigh recently attended the finals of the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) Chamber Awards 2012 and was delighted to pick up the Winner’s award for Most Promising UK Business!
Simply Bows and Chair Covers MD Sarah Pittendrigh Won Female Entrepreneur, Best Small Business 2012 (WIN Awards)
Simply Bows and Chair Covers were delighted to win the 2012 Newcomer of the Year North East Business Award.
Each Sunday between 5pm and 7.30pm Theo, best known for appearing on the BBC’s Dragon’s Den series and being Chairman of Ryman Stationary, asks his quarter of a million followers on Twitter to send him details of their small businesses and why they deserve to be named as one of his top six of the week.
Using the hash-tag #SBS (Small Business Sunday) thousands of businesses contact Theo each week which he then reviews and chooses who he deems to be the best. Winners are then named via his Twitter account on Monday evening and added to his successful website, http://theopaphitissbs.com/ . Week commencing 22.10.12 Simply Bows and Chair Covers was one of the six chosen businesses.
Every Wednesday, Jacqueline Gold (Chief Executive of Knickerbox and Ann Summers) invites female business owners to tweet her their business and she chooses her favourite three to become #WOW (Women on Wednesday) winners. I’m so pleased to share with you that today, she chose Simply Bows and Chair Covers!
For the second year running we were thrilled to be runner up in the Franchise Marketing Awards for Best Website. The winner of the this award was McDonalds!
“I’m very excited to be writing my book with Eleanor Mills, a former editor of The Sunday Times and The Sunday Times magazine, which tells the story from breaking down to breaking through, my journey from bankrupt single mum to multi-award winning entrepreneur.”
— Sarah Pittendrigh
In my book I share the story behind the methodology and the adversity that shaped it.
From bankrupt single mum to multi award-winning entrepreneur, the journey became the foundation of The I CAN Method.
The book reached number one across seven Amazon categories and continues to inspire leaders looking to rethink what is possible.
Private, strategic mentoring for founders and leaders who need space to think clearly, reset direction and move forward with confidence.
Experience-led keynote talks designed to inspire audiences with real stories of resilience, reinvention and practical mindset shifts.
