Leading businesswomen Michelle Mone OBE continued the Government review into supporting entrepreneurship in disadvantaged communities today (September 7) with a visit to Pool Innovation Centre.
Mone met local entrepreneurs at the Pool Innovation Centre who have set up a business in the area, ranging from video analysis, wedding and event planning, energy efficiency, marketing, and sports equipment.
She then went on to Penzance to meet people who have set up businesses with help from the Government’s New Enterprise Allowance (NEA) scheme.
She said: “There’s a strong spirit of entrepreneurship in the south west, with half a million businesses in the region, which is why I’m looking forward to visiting the region to meet jobseekers, employers and staff delivering the New Enterprise Allowance.
“I am travelling across the country learning about the barriers people face in setting up their own businesses. I want to talk to as many people as possible to explore what changes are needed so people from all backgrounds and of all ages can be successful entrepreneurs.”
Sandra Rothwell, chief executive of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership, added: “Entrepreneurs are the lifeblood of a small business economy like ours and it’s vital that people have the opportunity to turn great ideas into thriving businesses, regardless of background. We’ve been able to share with Michelle some of our success stories in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly and explore the barriers to starting a business in a disadvantaged area which we hope will inform her review.”
Mone has been asked to draw on her own experiences of setting up and running her own successful businesses for a review that will make recommendations to Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith and Business Secretary Sajid Javid in 2016.