Leicester's Entrepreneurial Spirit Celebrated at Launch of New Business Guide

Added by Love Business East Midlands | 12 August 2022

UPDATED: 12 August 2022

The publication of a new guide that celebrates Leicester’s entrepreneurial spirit has been officially launched by Sir Peter Soulsby, City Mayor, at a celebratory reception at Leicester’s The Gresham Works.

The brochure, City of Entrepreneurs, available both in print and digitally, has been commissioned by Leicester City Council to commemorate Leicester being named as the UK’s most entrepreneurial city.* Featuring twenty inspiring success stories from Leicester entrepreneurs in a diverse range of industries, the guide highlights the range of support available to both new start start-ups and established firms, demonstrating that Leicester means Business for everyone.

Sir Peter Soulsby, City Mayor commented:

“We’re incredibly proud of Leicester’s fantastic reputation as a supportive and inspiring place in which to start a business. From securing advice and support from initiatives such as the Business Gateway Growth Hub, to finding the right premises through Leicester City Council’s growing portfolio of managed workspaces, the wealth of support for entrepreneurs in the city is second to none. We hope that by sharing these personal stories from entrepreneurs across the city we can inspire future generations to start their very own success story here in Leicester.”

The entrepreneurs shared their personal stories of success including details on how they became an entrepreneur, where they found support, what obstacles they overcame, their plans for the future, and why they chose Leicester as the place to start their business.

The full list of interviewees is as follows:

Paul Baker, waste management specialist at Bakers Waste,
Peter Gardener, chocolatier at Cocoa Amore,
Dr Harai Singh Virdee, Dentist at Dental Art,
Mark Esho MBE, internet specialist and disabled rights activist at Easy Internet Services,
Akhil Valjee, automotive industry manufacturer at Ecomotive Manufacturing,
Femida Latif, spa and salon owner at Femi Health and Beauty,
Blake Edwards, salon owner at Flappers & Gentlemen,
Jim Willis, digital specialist at Bulb Studios and independent brewer at Framework Brewery,
Yasin El Ashrafi, recording studio owner at HQ Recording,
Kwoklyn Wan, celebrity chef
Glynis Wright MBE, solicitor at Nelson's Solicitors,
Kiran Parmar, hotelier at The Parmar Collection,
Callum McKeefery, online review expert at Review IO,
Nasreen Khan, wedding and party planner at Rococo Events,
Roshni Desai, lingerie designer
Pawlett Brookes, arts and festival organiser at Serendipity Institute of Black Arts and Heritage,
Tejas Shah, textiles manufacturer at Shahtex,
Angela Orton, manufacturer at Structural Adhesives,
Sam Hagger, hospitality operator at The Beautiful Pubs Collective,
Dr Asiya Maula, Dr Dominic Greenyer and Fatema Contractor of medical clinic The Health Suite.

Speaking at the event, Femi La Tif, of Femi Health and Beauty, said,

“It was a welcome surprise and an honour to be asked to be part of this project celebrating business success stories from the city. It was wonderful to be able to reflect back on my journey as a business owner, and reading through the guide I can see so many similarities in the stories of my peers – the passion, the determination and the will to succeed.”

“Looking around the room it is incredible to see the diverse range of entrepreneurs that have built their business from the ground up right here in Leicester. It is such a supportive city to be an entrepreneur in – the business community pulls together and I’m proud to be part of that. I hope this guide will inspire the next generation of budding entrepreneurs to believe in themselves and follow their dreams. If these stories teach us anything, it’s that with hard work and the right support, there is no limit to what you can achieve.”

The City of Entrepreneurs Guide is available online: City of Entrepreneurs (visitleicester.info). Limited print copies are available – please email Gitte.Magielse@leicester.gov.uk to request a copy whilst stocks are available.

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