WINNER :
BEST NEWCOMER
WINNER :
CHERYL SPEARS
( SPEAR-HEADS )
Just two months after setting up her own business , new Tees Businesswomen Award-winner Cheryl Spears had to put it on hold – but for a very good reason .
An experienced business development and sales professional with more than 25 years under her belt , Cheryl formed Stockton-based Spearheads last September .
However , everything was paused when one of her twin daughters , Mia , developed serious health complications .
Rather than growing her fledgling business , Cheryl found herself in Newcastle ’ s Freeman Hospital after Mia ’ s pacemaker failed .
Thankfully , after a worrying few weeks , Mia ’ s condition improved – she ’ s three in December and is now “ doing brilliantly ,” says Cheryl .
And her recovery means mum has returned to the task of growing Spearheads , with husband Tony taking the primary role of caring for Mia and her twin Fay .
The relaunched Spear-heads is already doing so well , Cheryl is now the proud holder of the Best Newcomer title from the Tees Businesswomen Awards 2024 .
And Cheryl , who was “ honoured and surprised ” to pick up the award , says her family is inspiring her to make a success of it .
She said : “ I want my girls to know that it doesn ’ t matter what you do in life , just be happy and achieve what you want to .”
Setting up on her own , she admits , was “ scary ” but necessary . She said : “ I ’ d got to a stage in my life where , with the little one , I had to have flexibility but it ’ s the best thing I ’ ve ever done .”
The plan now is for “ more sales , more clients and more jobs .”
She said : “ At the moment , I have 12 clients but that ’ s growing all the time . There ’ s me and five freelancers , but the main aim in the next year is to get someone full-time in the office with me – someone who can take the admin away from me because I ’ m a sales person !
“ I want to be back out there selling – it ’ s about doing the stuff I love again .”
Sponsored by Durata
Presentation – Alison McGee of category sponsor Durata hands the Best Newcomer award to Spear-heads MD Cheryl Spears .
FINALIST : FINALIST :
Rachael Evans
( Sembcorp )
Rachael is the first female senior performance process engineer at Sembcorp in the UK and a leader in chemical engineering , holding a master ’ s degree and chartered status with the Institution of Chemical Engineers ( IChemE ).
Rachael ’ s blend of technical skill , leadership and commitment to continuous improvement makes her a standout professional and an inspiring role model for women in engineering .
Her ability to pick up complex information , understand and offer solutions is invaluable . Her strong interpersonal skills and genuine attitude towards quality delivery also ensure she is an asset to any team .
Lucy Gladstone
( AM Recruitment )
A WORD FROM THE SPONSOR
Having joined AM Recruitment as a “ young , outspoken school-leaver ” seven years ago , Lucy , 24 , has gone from strength to strength in terms of personal growth and now takes on responsibilities that would usually be assigned to members of staff with many more years of work-life experience .
From single-handedly achieving accreditation such as AM ’ s first ISO9001 and RISQS , to managing an office with a team of recruiters that have more than 50 years of industry knowledge between them , setting up a full administration department and leading on all HR and compliance aspects of the business , Lucy shines brightly .
Alison McGee , quality director , Durata This award is for up-and-coming people – the people we need to champion and say , ‘ Well done for making that start and carrying on with your business ’. They ’ re inspiring the next tranche of people coming through . And Cheryl is a force to be reckoned with – through all sorts of adversity , she ’ s struggled through , made a fantastic business and the fact she ’ s taken on more people to work for her is testament to her own hard work .
154 | Tees Business