Women in business complete £1m turnover challenge

More than 80 business women have taken part in the Spectacular Challenge to £1m, which ran from January 5 to February 5 and was launched by business coach Trudy Simmons.

The aim was to encourage business owners to remain positive and focused as the country entered its third lockdown.

Trudy said: ‘We know that January can be a slow month for some businesses but as we went into another lockdown, I wanted to help people feel motivated and start the year in a place of success rather than uncertainty.

‘I’ve been so proud of how the various businesses have risen to this challenge and we are pleased that collective £1m will be circulating back into their businesses and the local economy.’

The final total was £1,056,895. Throughout the challenge, participants have logged their sales as a group and supported each other through online networking events and workshops. Businesses have ranged from accountants to craft suppliers to social media consultants and are based all over the county.

Many of the business owners have made more income in January than they have in previous years as a result of the challenge and say the challenge has helped them remain motivated during the uncertain start to the year.

Melanie Beech runs an accountancy firm in Gosport called Melanie Beech Accountancy Services. She said: ‘This challenge has definitely made me focus on planning to grow my business and focus on who I’m looking for. It’s also spurred me on to be more proactive on social media which has resulted in three new monthly clients.’

SEE ALSO: Rude words on biscuits prove a hit for Southsea baker

Trudy, who is based in Winchester, also runs the Hampshire Women’s Business Facebook Group and leads the Hampshire Women’s Business Awards. She believes that while the COVID-19 pandemic has been very challenging for many businesses, it could also present opportunities for people.

‘The coronavirus has affected us all – people have lost their incomes, businesses have had to close, or people have been furloughed. The uncertainty has been hard on everyone,’ she said.

‘However, I believe that this is also an opportunity for so many people to start their own venture or try the career they’ve always wanted to pursue. There are opportunities to retrain and develop new skills to allow our professional selves to flourish. The Spectacular Challenge to £1m was designed to help kickstart 2021 on a positive step, especially as another lockdown had just started and I am so pleased, our group rose to the challenge.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

Thank you for reading this story.

You can subscribe here for unlimited access to Portsmouth news and information online.

Every subscription helps us continue providing trusted, local journalism and campaign on your behalf for our city.