Enterprising Women acquires Mission Possible

Oxfordshire-based company, Mission Possible, has been sold to YTKO who run the UK’s leading enterprise community for women, Enterprising Women.   Founder Sue Stockdale, who started Mission Possible in 1997 to help women get inspiration and information on how to start up and grow a business, said she was delighted to that the new owners were also fully committed to providing high quality support for women.

Sue commented, “We have been passionate about supporting entrepreneurial women for the last 12 years, and I feel confident that Enterprising Women will not only continue to deliver fantastic events and training, but will expand the range of services available in Oxfordshire & the South West so that even more women can fulfil their potential in business.”

Enterprising Women started in 2006 in response to a recognised need to unlock and stimulate the economic potential of women's entrepreneurship in the East of England. A partnership led by Bev Hurley, Chief Executive of YTKO, a Prowess Flagship Award holder, won a tender from the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) and the European Social Fund to begin transforming women's enterprise support. She founded Enterprising Women to make this step change, and increase the number, and success, of women-owned businesses.

The strategy involved a unique business model centred on the concept of community, and focused on addressing the needs of women at all stages of the enterprise journey, from pre-start to high growth. Enterprising Women encouraged all organisations and networks in the region that had something to offer to join the community and promote their services and events, so that women need only go to one place to find everything they needed.

Since then, Enterprising Women has grown rapidly, supporting nearly 5500 members, and went national across the UK in the Autumn of 2008. It offers women a full online profile, home page publicity and news opportunities, a wealth of resources and guides, mentors, access to a £10m Loan Fund, partner and networking events, annual Awards and specialist women-only start-up and growth training programmes.

Bev commented, “I’ve admired Sue’s work for many years, and I’m delighted that we can build on what she has achieved in Oxfordshire and the South West.   Enterprising Women is already supporting YTKO’s new Intensive Start-up Support programmes in Cornwall and Plymouth, and we look forward to bringing the benefits of membership to women and support organisations throughout the whole region.  We’re developing new products and services all the time in response to women’s needs, and are looking forward to helping many more women achieve their Mission!”

Enterprising Women   www.enterprising-women.org

Enterprising Women was founded by Bev Hurley in 2006, building on YTKO’s long track record in helping clients start and grow successful businesses.  Now the UK’s most dynamic community for women entrepreneurs, it supports over 5500 members across the UK through offers a comprehensive range of valuable services.

Download our Membership Benefits brochure at www.enterprising-women.org/benefits

The highlights of our last research evaluation at www.enterprising-women.org/highlights

Enterprising Women aids economic development at www.enterprising-women.org/overview

Take our new growth survey at www.enterprising-women.org/growth

Email : Sandy Plange, sandy@enterprising-women.org

Tel: 01223 421475

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Bev Hurley

Bev is a serial entrepreneur who has grown three successful companies prior to joining YTKO as Chief Executive in 1999. YTKO is a business consultancy working with entrepreneurs, multinational companies, universities and Regional Development Agencies to from five offices across Europe.  It holds the Prowess Flagship Award for women’s enterprise support across all its locations and work. 

She is an angel investor and non-executive director, mentor, lecturer, and passionate UK Women’s Enterprise Ambassador.  In addition, Bev is an Enterprise Fellow at the University of East Anglia, Entrepreneur in Residence at Anglia Ruskin University, a board member of EEDA and the East of England Science and Industry Council, Prowess, and a member of the Strategic Advisory Group of the European Centre fore Women in Technology.

Mission Possible Ltd:    www.missionpossible.co.uk

Mission Possible was founded by Sue Stockdale in 1997.  The company has helped hundreds of business-women at all stages of their business and career journey. It provides a variety of services including networking events in Swindon, Oxfordshire and Bath, a comprehensive website, and peer support meetings for growing businesses.

Sue Stockdale:   www.suestockdale.com

Sue is a unique mixture of successful business woman and a record-breaking polar explorer who works with top business leaders and entrepreneurs helping them to achieve challenging goals. She is Chair of the London Chapter of Women Presidents Organisation – for women business owners with annual turnovers in excess of $1million, and author of Secrets of Successful Women Entrepreneurs.