I graduated from University just as the recession hit. This meant the job I’d secured working in Marketing was made redundant before I could even get my feet under the table. My business partner Adam was also made redundant at the same time.
The NatWest everywoman awards are about empowering and inspiring to give women that confidence and courage to follow their dreams. I believe that it’s crucial to empower young generations of future female entrepreneurs in the same way that I felt empowered to start PetShopBowl.co.uk.
As a result we had a huge uphill battle to even start PetShopBowl.co.uk. We weren’t able to fund the business until The Prince’s Trust loaned us £5,000 to get started. We managed to negotiate a free stand at Crufts to raise awareness, slept in the car and even ate display products. Surprisingly, I’ve eaten worse!
Everyone we met, from our business mentor to our customers, all seemed to acknowledge that PetShopBowl.co.uk was a business set to go places. They recognised that the way pet food was purchased was an outdated system and if we could help people save money along the way, then all the better.
The business was growing, customers were coming in and trading was going well. We’d even picked up a few business awards.
Winning a NatWest everywoman Award was a huge surprise. It really has driven me to push PetShopBowl.co.uk to the next level. Right now, we’re working on a number of longer-term projects that will help the brand grow. As an example, we are developing PetShopBowl.co.uk’s own branded dog food, that’ll compete at the very top of the market.
The NatWest everywoman awards are about empowering and inspiring to give women that confidence and courage to follow their dreams. I believe that it’s crucial to empower young generations of future female entrepreneurs in the same way that I felt empowered to start PetShopBowl.co.uk.
If you’re thinking about entering the NatWest everywoman awards than I’d advise you to go for it! Obviously winning the award was great but what I always remember about it was having the chance to meet so many inspirational women from so many different backgrounds.
Three years after being founded, PetShopBowl.co.uk is the UK’s leading online pet retailer with a multi-million pound turnover.
Lexi is the current holder of the Natwest everywoman Artermis Award (for most inspirational woman running a business aged 25 or under)
Nominations for the 2014 Awards are open here: https://www.everywoman.com/award/the-natwest-everywoman-awards-