We headed to Birmingham last weekend for the Mumpreneur annual conference and the Mumpreneur 2013 Awards where Alexanders’ Director and mother of two, Sam Pope, was nominated for the category of Best Supporting Business. So, we were excited and just a bit nervous about what to expect.
The day was a real eye-opener and full of motivational stories from women who manage to juggle the demands of parenthood with successfully growing a business. After a chance to meet other finalists and mumpreneurs from all over the UK and to listen to inspiring talks from businesswomen like Anna Kennedy (who also sponsored Sam’s category), it was time for the awards lunch.
Sam’s category of Best Supporting Business was open to parents whose businesses support others in some way, and which offer “accessible, affordable services that provide a fantastic support system to others”.
Although Sam didn’t win this time, there were more than 2,000 nominations across all categories, so were were all just delighted that she made it to the list of finalists.
“I started developing Alexanders just before I gave birth to my first child and I run the business with my husband, Alex,” Sam explains. “So there’s always been a sense of family at the very core of the business.
“And in the workplace we hope the staff feel like extended family. This is really important to us and I take the time to nurture and motivate our staff with workshops and training, and parties twice a year.
“We had a fantastic time at the Mumpreneur event. Unique Kids & Co were worthy winners of Best Supporting Business, so it didn’t really matter that I didn’t win. I was just really proud to have been nominated.
“We took the kids with us too. I thought it would be nice for them to get a sense of what I’ve been up to for the last ten years!”
If you need help moving home or moving a business, contact Alexanders on 0333 800 2323 to speak to one of the team.