The Sage One Senior Entrepreneur of the Year 2012 Award Winners

We are delighted to announce our Sage One Senior Entrepreneur of the Year Award Winners for 2012, are:

Alex Douglas-Kane – Best New Service

Alex, 53, from Cheshire, impressed the ‘Best New Service’ judge with her business, ‘Schola Forest’ – a forest school and outdoor learning provider, offering services to schools.  The service gives children and young people opportunities to have regular guided sessions in woodlands allowing for the development of self-confidence, and self-esteem.

 

Alex said: “It is a fundamental tenet of ours that what can be learnt indoors can be learnt outdoors, with ancillary physical, social and mental health benefits.”

 

Bryher Scudamore – Best New Digital Business

With a background in journalism, Bryher, 62, from London, decided to change her life by using all of her savings and mortgaging her home to create her own online autobiography business, ‘autodotbiography’. Putting the internet at the heart of her business, Bryher created a unique online system that means that anyone, no matter how skilled or unskilled at writing, can produce a beautifully written, lavishly illustrated book of their life story for their family.

Bryher decided to create the business after the death of her mother. Bryher said: “When she died unexpectedly she took her memories with her and I was left with so many unanswered questions. I didn’t want any other families to be left in the same situation.”

Malcolm Victory – Best New Product and The Senior Entrepreneur of the Year

Beating off stiff competition, Malcolm Victory, 61, from Malvern, won both the Best New Product Award and The Senior Entrepreneur of the Year Award for his product – The Rotaire Dryline – a rain cover for a rotary washing line and the laundry hung upon it. Malcolm’s product was borne out of thinking about a simple, cost effective solution to the age old problem of English weather ruining the ability to dry clothes outside. Thanks to the waterproof cover of the Rotaire Dryline and the ingenious mesh skirt which traps sideways rain, users can hang out the laundry whatever the weather is going to do.

Malcolm said: “Ireland is proving a very good market and I will set up distribution there, and I hope to sell into the continental EU and US markets as cash flow increases.”

A huge congratulations goes out to Alex, Bryher and Malcolm, who are an inspiration to all over 50s who want to take the plunge into self-employment.