Young Cumbrian Entrepreneurs Showcase Innovative Businesses Through Positive Enterprise Programme

Young entrepreneurs from Furness and West Cumbria have celebrated the success of the Positive Enterprise programme, turning creative business ideas into thriving ventures with mentoring and funding support.

A new generation of young entrepreneurs in Cumbria is proving that great business ideas can come from anywhere, with ventures ranging from AI-powered technology and sustainable furniture restoration to authentic Nigerian cuisine and creative fashion design.

Fifteen aspiring business owners aged between 14 and 25 from Furness and West Cumbria celebrated the success of the Positive Enterprise programme this week after spending the past six months developing their businesses with expert mentoring, practical training and financial support.

Run by Cumbria Community Foundation in partnership with the Centre for Leadership Performance (CforLP), the programme was designed to help young people transform promising ideas into viable businesses. Each participant received a £1,000 start-up grant earlier this year, enabling them to launch or expand ventures as diverse as pet photography, mobile make-up services, fragrances inspired by the scents of Cumbria, gutter cleaning, AI virtual assistants and specialist food businesses.

The programme culminated in celebration events at the Carnegie Theatre in Workington and The Bridge in Barrow, where participants presented their business journeys, sharing both their achievements and the challenges they had overcome.

In West Cumbria, 21-year-old Maria Ferreira from Workington impressed judges with her business, Ferrocious Furniture, which restores and reupholsters unwanted furniture. She received an additional £1,000 investment, which she plans to use to run workshops teaching others how to upcycle household items instead of throwing them away.

Maria said she hopes to inspire more people to see creative careers as a genuine possibility, particularly in areas where opportunities can feel limited. Her mentor, Rachel Stewart, praised her determination and described the mentoring experience as a rewarding team effort.

Runner-up Holly Chamberlain, 20, from Cockermouth, received £500 for her sewing and knitting pattern business, Un Petit Rêve, where she designs clothing, creates knitting patterns and hosts workshops encouraging others to develop crafting skills.

Meanwhile, the programme expanded into Furness for the first time this year. Barrow entrepreneur Travis Drake secured the top award of £1,000 for Buzz Trackers, an innovative device designed to help people locate frequently misplaced items such as television remote controls. Travis credited both the funding and the guidance of his mentor, James Batchelor, with helping him refine his business ideas.

The Furness runner-up was 18-year-old Rukky Jokoh, whose business Rukky's Naija Hub brings authentic Nigerian food to local customers. She said the programme had enabled her to transform a personal passion into a sustainable business.

The Positive Enterprise initiative is now in its fourth year in West Cumbria and made its Furness debut in 2026. Funding has come from organisations including Sellafield Ltd, the Printers Inc Social Mobility Fund, Thomas Graham & Sons Ltd, private donors and supporters committed to improving opportunities for young people across the region.

Beyond financial backing, participants benefited from experienced business mentors, leadership training and practical workshops covering essential entrepreneurial skills including negotiation, time management and business planning.

Organisers believe the programme continues to grow in both quality and impact, helping ambitious young people gain the confidence, networks and experience needed to build successful futures.

Applications for the 2027 Positive Enterprise programme will open later this year, with opportunities available for both aspiring entrepreneurs and volunteer business mentors.

For readers interested in taking part or volunteering as a mentor, more information about the Positive Enterprise programme is available from Cumbria Community Foundation. https://www.cumbriafoundation.org/fund/positiveenterprise

Entrepreneurs at Lancaster University Team Up: Fear as Fuel for Business Success

Two entrepreneurs shaping the next generation at Lancaster University Management School have released an insightful interview on how fear, often seen as a hurdle, can actually propel leaders and startups forward.

Neil Jurd OBE, founder of Leader Connect (a successful leadership training platform) and Entrepreneur in Residence/Honorary Teaching Fellow at LUMS, sits down with Dr Brian Gregory, Senior Teaching Fellow in Entrepreneurship and Strategy, and Director of the university's Entrepreneurs in Residence programme, in a new Leader-Connect podcast/video.

Brian, who left school at 16 and built Safety Management (UK) into a leading fire safety firm before transitioning to academia, shares insights from his 2025 PhD, "Heart-centred Networks: Powered by the Brain and Driven by the Heart." The research shows fear sharpens focus in uncertain markets, while "unrequited reciprocity," giving support without strings, creates resilient networks that spark innovation and growth.

Neil, who runs Leader Connect delivering practical courses to thousands, ties it to everyday business: "Brian's work proves what I've seen running my company, acknowledge fear, build trust through real help, and watch momentum build."

Brian adds: "In entrepreneurship, fear signals opportunity. Heart-centred connections turn it into advantage—something I learned scaling my own ventures."

The 49-minute chat (January 2026 release) previews Brian's upcoming course on emotional intelligence for founders. Free to watch: https://leader-connect.co.uk/videos/interview-with-brian-gregory

The young entrepreneurs taking business to the next level

Ten young entrepreneurs with brilliant business ideas from software development to gutter cleaning have been accepted onto an exciting programme to help them bring their plans to life.

The young people, aged between 14 and 21 from across West Cumbria, have been chosen to take part in the Positive Enterprise programme, run by Cumbria Community Foundation and the Centre for Leadership Performance (CforLP).

They will each receive a £1,000 grant, plus workshops, expert advice, mentoring and the opportunity to shadow local entrepreneurs.

Each participant will also be paired with an experienced businessperson to act as a mentor and guide them through highs and lows of running their own business.

This is the fourth year of the programme, which will also run in the Furness area for the first time this year. The West Cumbria launch took place at LEVELS in Whitehaven, where participants and their families, mentors and organisers had chance to get to know each other and hear about previous success stories.

Business ideas this year include furniture reupholstering, buying and selling vintage sports memorabilia, software development, and gutter maintenance.

Aiden Gill, 15, of Dearham, has been selected to take part with his idea of creating a new fragrance. He said: “I’m most looking forward to trying new things. I’ve done some research into making a fragrance and this programme seems like a really good opportunity to give it a go.”

Chloe Pennington took part in Positive Enterprise in 2024 to develop her business, Chloes Chateau. She sells original art and gifts, transforming her own brightly coloured, hand-drawn artwork showing scenes from West Cumbria and beyond into prints, mugs and other giftware.

Chloe gave her advice to this year’s participants: “Take every opportunity; you don’t know where it will lead. If it’s not working for you – pivot. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. The experience itself is worth much more than the money.”

The programme is funded by Sellafield Ltd, through the Transforming West Cumbria programme, Thomas Graham & Sons Ltd, the Printers Inc Social Mobility Fund, and a private donor.

Stuart McCourt, Social Impact Manager at Sellafield Ltd, told That's Business: “We always look forward to the launch of the new Positive Enterprise cohorts each year. Meeting the new participants and seeing the passion behind their ideas was fantastic. The success of previous beneficiaries proves the programme’s impact – helping young entrepreneurs get started and giving them the tools to build sustainable, growing businesses.”

The programme is delivered by CforLP. Project Lead Rhianna Smith said: “At the very start of this year’s Positive Enterprise programme, we’re already seeing a diverse group of young people bringing forward a broad and creative range of business ideas that reflect their different experiences, interests and ambitions. Positive Enterprise doesn't just focus on the business outcomes, the real impact is long-term – supporting participants to build confidence, resilience and essential skills that shape their futures.

“Now in its fourth year, the programme continues to support alumni beyond delivery, helping them apply what they’ve learned as they move into education, employment or self-employment. It’s a privilege to be part of another year supporting young people as they take their first steps on that journey.”

Annalee Holliday, Head of Grants Practice & Programmes at Cumbria Community Foundation, added: “Positive Enterprise has a fantastic track record of delivering practical support and advice to young people starting out in business. There are so many success stories from the first three years of the programme – not only in terms of the number of businesses still going from strength to strength, but the confidence and life skills it has given those taking part.

“Positive Enterprise really does have a transformational effect on the lives of the young people taking part, and we are very grateful to the funders and mentors giving up their time to share their skills and experience.”

For more information visit www.cumbriafoundation.org/positive-enterprise/

TikTok Shop and The King's Trust Help the Next Generation of UK Entrepreneurs Soar

A wave of young entrepreneurs will soon be the recipients of unique enterprising opportunities in the UK, thanks to an exciting new partnership.

SOAR brings together The King's Trust charity, which supports young people to build the confidence and skills to secure a job or setup a business, and leading discovery commerce platform TikTok Shop, who are launching their established global SOAR programme (Supporting Our Artisans and Retailers) in the UK for the first time.

Originally launched last year in the US, SOAR was created to empower small and medium businesses (SMBs), entrepreneurs and creators on TikTok Shop with tailored support and resources to help them rapidly advance their businesses. 

SOAR will work with young people on The King’s Trust Enterprise programme, which offers support and funding to help young people aged 18-30 start their own business.

The UK arm of the initiative aims to equip young founders aged 18-35, particularly those who aren't in education, employment or training (NEET), with tools to build successful and sustainable businesses in today's fast moving digital economy. 

The UK programme follows the success of its US counterpart, which last year saw 80 SMBs graduate from the initiative through accelerators for underrepresented groups, including women-owned businesses and veterans.

In the US, graduates of SOAR on average have grown their sales by 200%, doubling their follower base within just eight weeks. With over 2,500 applicants, the US programme demonstrated a strong appetite among entrepreneurs for this kind of support. It's expected to help over 1,000 entrepreneurs every year across markets.

Expanding the Impact of Our Partnership

This initiative builds on the partnership between TikTok and The King’s Trust, which launched in 2024. 

Through its support for The King’s Trust Enterprise programme, TikTok is helping more young people from a wide range of backgrounds to turn their ideas into businesses. 

Alongside the SOAR partnership, TikTok has also provided advertising credits to help The King’s Trust reach more young people on the platform and raise awareness of the opportunities available to them. 

Together, we’re ensuring more young people can gain the confidence, skills and support they need to take control of their future.

Empowering Young Founders Through Discovery Commerce 

Through this partnership, young founders in the UK will gain the tools to turn ideas into sustainable businesses, while developing the skills needed to succeed in the world of e-commerce.

The SOAR programme will guide participants through each stage of business development - from planning and launch to advanced growth. Training will cover digital marketing, logistics and operations, alongside building confidence, resilience and networks. 

TikTok Shop Training and Tools

Entrepreneurs will also benefit from personalised onboarding to TikTok Shop, including:

Best practices for selling through live streaming

Guidance on working with creators

Using promotional tools effectively

The goal is to equip young entrepreneurs with the skills, mentorship and platform access they need to launch and grow successful businesses, while driving inclusive economic growth.

Three Key Areas of Focus for UK Entrepreneurs 

The UK SOAR programme will focus on three priorities:

Digital Skills Development - Bridging the e-commerce skills gap identified in the UK and EU Digital Education Action Plan

Youth Economic Empowerment - Helping NEET individuals transition into sustainable self-employment

Entrepreneurial Growth – Supporting young innovators to scale their businesses both within the UK and internationally

Jan Wilk, Head of TikTok Shop UK told That's Business: “We believe e-commerce should be about more than transactions, it’s about connection, creativity and opportunity. That’s why we’re so excited to be launching SOAR in the UK for the very first time, building on the programme’s proven success globally.

"Through SOAR, we’re proud to work with The King’s Trust to give young entrepreneurs the skills, confidence and visibility they need to grow their businesses and make an impact. By empowering participants to create meaningful shopping experiences through storytelling and engagement, and by supporting underrepresented groups, we aim to spark inclusive economic growth while helping the next generation of entrepreneurs thrive."

Jo McKnight, Head of Enterprise at The King’s Trust added: “The King’s Trust Enterprise programme has supported tens of thousands of young people into self-employment, with TikTok’s support enabling us to reach even more young entrepreneurs access the confidence, skills and opportunities to make this happen.

“By combining our experience and knowledge with TikTok Shop’s platform, expertise and e-commerce tools, we can continue to help young entrepreneurs across the UK turn their ideas into thriving businesses and ultimately, to take control of their future.”

https://www.tiktok.com/shop

TBD Media Group presents A Moment With’ campaign hosted on WELT; Uncovering industry leaders inspiring leaders

TBD Media Group proudly introduces 'A Moment With,' an engaging series now hosted on WELT. This dynamic show delves into the lives of visionary leaders and entrepreneurs, unravelling their paths to industry-shaping and leading success.

Great leaders and entrepreneurs have historically disrupted industries by way of their brilliance and innovation. 'A Moment With' spotlights these luminaries, providing intimate interviews reveal how their journeys have influenced their lives and achievements.

CEO Paolo Zanini states, "At TBD Media Group, we're committed to capturing the essence of human accomplishments. 'A Moment With' aims to inspire, educate, and empower our audience."

Viewers can anticipate thought-provoking discussions unveiling the wisdom and resilience propelling these luminaries to greatness. Each episode offers invaluable insights for aspiring leaders, entrepreneurs, and enthusiasts.

Join us on this remarkable journey as TBD Media Group presents 'A Moment With' on WELT. Get ready to be motivated, inspired, and deeply moved by the stories of industry trailblazers.

For more information and to watch the series, please visit: https://www.welt.de/Advertorials/thought-leaders/

Companies featured in this series:

CEO of Maria Galland: Kirsten Hangarter

Managing Directors of Interxion: Yves Zischek & Volkar Ludwig.

https://www.tbdmediagroup.com