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Experts
Introducing Our Expert Panel
I have gathered the crème de la entrepreneurial crème, who have generously agreed to share their business knowledge and online experience. Get to know them by checking out their biography and brief business summaries before you read their advice.
Jo Haigh, Author and Head of Corporate Finance, MGR
Business: FDS Group and MGR
Website: www.jo-haigh.com
Type of site: Business Advisors
Jo Haigh is a Partner and Head of Corporate Finance for The ATF Group; a company based in London and Yorkshire, and a partner in the fds Group, a specialist training and development business. Jo has a long list of Awards, Titles and Achievements, and she is a bestselling author. Jo’s first book, The Business Rules, published 2005 and 2006, has been such a success that a foreign rights deal has been confirmed with a publisher in China. Jo’s second book, An Entrepreneur’s Guide, was published in March 2007 and her third book, Tales from the Glass Ceiling - A Survival Guide for Women in Business, was published in June 2008 and sold out of its first reprint after 5 days It was best selling business book of the year 2008 selling over 500k copies.
Karen Hanton, Chief Executive, Toptable
Business: Toptable
Website: www.toptable.com
Type of site: Restaurant booking service
From her initial training and career in HR, she has founded and developed a number of successful ventures over the past 15 years. Karen is widely known within the industry as a pioneer within new media, regularly lecturing on the subject and coaching young entrepreneurs. She has also received significant public recognition including the Financial Times/Moet Hennessy Extraordinary Achievers Award, named as one of today's top 30 entrepreneurs in New Business Magazine and named one of the top 100 most influential people in the first decade of the internet in an NOP/e-consultancy poll.
Polly Gowers, Founder, Everyclick.com
Business: Everyclick
Website: www.everyclick.com
Type of site: Charity
Polly founded Everyclick.com, the website that enables consumers to give to any UK charity in the way that they want. Everyclick.com is a search engine that gives half of its revenue to charity. Its technology has been specifically created to provide a sustainable, no cost fundraising tool for all charities. It provides any internet user with a free and hassle-free way to raise money for the charity of their choice. Polly was voted WEBA Ethical Entrepreneur of the Year 2007 and a Blackberry Woman in Technology Award winner in 2008. Everyclick.com was voted website of the Year 2008 and was nominated as a Media Tech 100 company 2009.
Max Benson, MBE, Co-Founder, everywoman
Business: everywoman
Website: www.everywoman.com
Type of site: Women’s Networking Community
Max Benson MBE is co-founder of everywoman, one of the leading global brands for women in business. Everywoman understands what resources and support services women in business need in order to realise their business ambitions. She is one of the UK’s leading advocates for women in business and female entrepreneurs, Max has first-hand experience of the challenges small business owners encounter as they start and grow their ventures. Max has attracted the attentions of corporate partners including IBM, NatWest and BT. Max was appointed MBE in the 2009 New Year Honours, in recognition of her service to women’s enterprise.
Carrie Longton, Co-Founder, Mumsnet
Business: Mumsnet.com
Website: www.mumsnet.com
Type of site: Parenting Community
Mumsnet was set up in January 2000 by Justine Roberts, a sports journalist, and Carrie Longton, a TV producer. Inspired by their antenatal class group as the best source of information on everything from sleep problems to choosing first shoes, Justine and Carrie wanted to build a much larger circle of parents sharing their know-how on the net. Mumsnet Towers is staffed by mums working flexibly part time. Their philosophy is simple: To make parents' lives easier by pooling knowledge and experience.
Debbie Bird, Editor, Babyworld
Business: Babyworld
Website: www.babyworld.co.uk
Type of site: Baby Community.
Debbie has been the Editor of babyworld.co.uk, the UK’s leading online Parenting Magazine, for nearly 18 months and knows how essential advice sites are to new parents. She is responsible for the creation of all editorial content for the site, which currently has around 20,000 pages. She aims to develop and improve the site over the next year, updating the advice and positively moving the site into the next decade. Debbie was awarded “Highly Commended” in the Home Worker Award Category in the Remote Home Workers Award 2009.
Jon Buxton, Operations Director, Babyworld
Business: Babyworld
Website: www.babyworld.co.uk
Type of site: Baby Community.
Jon joined babyworld in July 1999, prior to which he was the Product Manager for the IT security cluster at Elsevier Advanced Technology. He has also held positions in Finance, Purchasing, Retailing, Customer Services and IT. Jon has turned his hand to network administration, marketing, e-commerce, graphic design, customer service and operations - sometimes all on the same day.
Clare Medden, Medden Design
Business: Medden Website Design
Website: www.medden.co.uk
Type of site: Website Developer
Clare Medden worked for over 10 years in advertising and after a short break to have two children began her career in the world of website design. Four years on, and Medden Website Design is flourishing. The company prides itself on offering a friendly and reliable service and strives to create websites that are both individual, expandable and future proof.
More Info
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