#BWSMAGAZINE
Dundee’s female Entrepreneurs
Pitch their business concept to a panel of
experts as part of a Coca-Cola initiative
Angus Chamber of Commerce, DC
Thomson, Coca-Cola, Royal Bank
of Scotland, RSB Lindsays Solicitors
and freelance marketing and
finance experts. The opportunities
to arise from the pitches
included:
advice,
networking
opportunities, discounts, referrals
and consultancy. Program Director
Angie Foreman wants to ensure that the support
doesn’t end once the pitch is over. Angie has
been working to create a support network for
the women, which now comprises of 24 local
and national businesses and organisations – the
support for the program is ever growing.
Scottish Enterprise at Green Market, Dundee
hosted 11 budding female entrepreneurs as they
pitched their business ideas and aspirations to
a support panel of local and national business
experts. The women – who are all from the
Dundee, Angus, Tayside and Fife area – had
completed a one-week intensive course entitled
“Fast Track to Business Success” which was
created as part of Coca-Cola’s corporate social
responsibility initiative – 5by20. The Coca-Cola
5by20 program is part of a global initiative set to
create 5 million female entrepreneurs by 2020.
The program sets out to economically empower
women offering them practical support and
training throughout all stages of their business
development. Dundee is the first city within
Western Europe to be introduced to the program
which has been greatly received by the city’s
ambitious female entrepreneurs; with 53 women
having benefitted from the free training and
support since April this year.
“It is fantastic to see how involved businesses and
organisations in the Dundee area and throughout
Scotland are in the 5by20 program.” “We have
already had some great success stories from
the 5by20 scheme and I firmly believe that the
program is set to be on Scotland’s map!” – Angie
Foreman Program Director. The success stories
that Angie speaks of include Carrie Shannon,
who is the owner of the newly founded Gin Fest
which took place at the Bonar Hall, Dundee in
June and throughout various locations in Scotland.
Carrie pitched to the panel after completing
the one-week intensive “Fast Track to Business
Success” program by Coca-Cola 5by20 back in
April and received sponsorship from drinks giant
Schweppes and national press coverage for her
involvement in the program and her innovation.
The latest group of women to benefit from this
course showcased an interesting and diverse
array of business concepts including; wine
tasting events, dress making, holistic therapies
and much more. The common ground all of the
entrepreneur’s share is the desire to successfully
run and manage their own business with the
support and knowledge that Coca-Cola 5by20
provides. The women used this knowledge
amongst other newly acquired skills to develop
their business concept in preparation for pitching
to a support panel of experts.
Interested in attending the Coca-Cola 5by20
Dundee courses? You can keep track of
their course dates on their Facebook page at
www.facebook.com/5by20Dundee
The panel included representatives from: Dundee
City Council, Scottish Enterprise, Dundee and
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