Pictured: Lorna Allen with Jenny and her teacher
Local mum and entrepreneur, Lorna Allen, has earned herself a
place in the final lineup of The Mumpreneur Awards, an annual
ceremony aimed at celebrating parents throughout the UK who manage
the difficult task of juggling business with family life.
The mother of 2 runs Live and Learn Homestays Ltd., an
organisation offering personalised English courses and leisure
activities to people visiting the Midlands region from abroad.
Lorna's customers (homestay guests) benefit from a full immersion
experience where they are placed with host families and have the
unique opportunity to improve their English skills and learn about
British culture through sharing their host families' lives.
Lorna has been shortlisted for the Best Online Business Award,
sponsored by Create, which is open to businesses that operate
through a website. They'll prove that getting online is a great
investment for any business. Having launched Live and Learn
Homestays in April 2008 and creating a website aimed at engaging
and informing potential customers, Lorna hopes that she has what it
takes to walk away with the prize!
As well as being shortlisted for this category, Lorna is also in
with the chance of winning the title of Inspirational Business Mum
2011, sponsored by Intuit, which will be awarded to the mum who is
an inspiration to all women in business, and could walk away with a
fantastic prize package including a family holiday at Haulfryn's
Devon Hills.
Having reached the finals of The Mumpreneur Awards, Lorna said
"I am so excited about reaching the finals and proud to have been
recognised for my achievements. My website is the first point of
contact for my customers and my aim is to develop it further so
that it continues to address their needs."
Judging Lorna's entry will be a panel of top entrepreneurs
including BBC Dragon, Duncan Bannatyne, but she'll have to wait
until 25th September, when the winners will be announced at the
Mumpreneur Conference, sponsored by Yell and DHL Express.
The Conference will be held at the Heart of England Conference
Centre in Warwickshire and is open to all parents who juggle family
and business and also for those interested in taking the plunge and
starting up. Ticket prices start at just £37.50 and can be
purchased through the Mumpreneur website where you'll find a whole
range of resources and information for business mums -
www.mumpreneuruk.com