BEST NEW SOLE TRADER
SPONSORED BY ADDITIONAL LENGTHS
AWARDS 2022
FINALIST
Melissa Jane Floral
Winner – Victoria Lynch , managing director of category sponsors Additional Lengths , presents the Best New Sole Trader award to Trew Surveying director Neil Trewick .
WINNER
Trew Surveying
From being made redundant to award-winning new business – it ’ s been quite a year for house surveyor Neil Trewick .
Having been made redundant in March , Neil was faced with a difficult dilemma – find a job or start his own business . He chose the latter and incredibly , seven days later , Trew Surveying Ltd was up and running . All this just one month before his wedding to Lucy on April 17 . Seven months on from those whirlwind first weeks , he ’ s a contented man indeed .
For not only is he happily living in Ingleby Barwick with Lucy and their pet dog Olive , the business has also taken off – remarkable for someone whose house surveying career seemed on rocky ground with that redundancy bombshell . He said : “ I started something with a gun to my head , almost , and it has absolutely skyrocketed .” Neil added : “ If I hadn ’ t been made redundant , I definitely wouldn ’ t be doing this – it was the nudge I needed so sometimes things happen for a reason .
“ We all get hits , there ’ s always bumps in the road and everyone ’ s journey is different – but you ’ re never down and out . As long as you can pick yourself up , dust yourself off and have a real go .”
And what ’ s next for Trew Surveying ? Neil said : “ I just want to really push on and expand in Teesside . I ’ d really love to create some jobs for local Teessiders , that ’ s a passion of mine . And to expand in the North-East , I ’ d be delighted with that – but just one step at a time .”
SPONSOR MESSAGE
Richard Ashley , Additional Lengths director , said : “ We were honoured to have sponsored the Best New Sole Trader category , celebrating those who are flying solo in the business world . Well done to all of the amazing shortlisted businesses and , of course , to the winner , Trew Surveying . The business has shown outstanding success in such a short period and we are so excited to see what ’ s next .”
Specialising in weddings and dried arrangements but undertaking all aspects of floral design , Melissa Jane Mullen started her Stockton-based business aged just 20 with £ 100 in the bank .
Two years on , thanks to her determination and talent , her business has grown to such an extent , she ’ s secured a mortgage on a new home with her partner and plans an ecofriendly workshop in her back garden .
Her leading products include pampas displays and eucalyptus shower bunches – dreamed up during Covid for decoration purposes AND for relieving blocked sinuses ! Increasing numbers of firms are also trusting her for those eye-catching displays and arrangements .
FINALIST
Styledbylea
With several years ’ experience in the fashion industry , skilled seamstress Leanne Robertson decided to go it alone by opening her own small fashion clothing boutique , combined with a sewing studio .
And it ’ s a move that ’ s paying off , with Leanne having achieved in her first six months what she planned to do in a year .
One of the area ’ s few boutiques with its own sewing studio , complete with experienced in-house stylist and designer , upcycling old garments is a particular speciality at the Stockton boutique – the cheapest and best way to get a carefully designed , bespoke piece of clothing or outfit .
The voice of business in the Tees region | 117