Would you like Richard Branson as your mentor?

shopify_entrepreneur_island

That’s not all, you could also have Marie Forleo and The Four Hour Work Week’s Tim Ferris as your mentors, too!

To have a chance at being mentored by these big names in the business world – plus 5 nights on Richard Branson’s Necker Island – just enter Shopify’s Build A Business Competition.

Here’s how it works…

You’ll need to launch an online store with Shopify. Next, it’s time to get selling. After the eight-month competition, Shopify will calculate your sales. Sell the most during the competition, and receive the grand prize.

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to gain mentorship and ask for insight from these renowned mentors. When else will you get the chance to chat with Richard Branson about your startup on his private island?

For more info and to enter, click here.

(Want to check out Shopify? You can sign up for a free 14 day trial on the competition page too.)

Here’s how a good business idea could change your life…

A good idea really could change your life, but that’s just the start. You’ll need support, advice and funding to turn that idea into a thriving business.

You also need to be different; to stand out and to do things differently from the other businesses out there.

Orange are looking for the UK’s next different business. If you’ve got a fresh idea, why not tell Orange all about it? You could win a year’s backing and support to make it happen.

Orange understands different business thinking because they’ve always been different. Launching in 1994 into a competitive market, they’ve had a stream of new ideas, from being the first mobile company to charge calls by the second, to offering something completely different like 2 for 1 cinema tickets and pizza deals.

orange different business comp

Now Orange are giving you the chance to follow in their footsteps. The Orange Different Business Competition has a prize worth up to £200,000 which includes:

  • Investment capital
  • Legal advice
  • Business planning advice
  • Mentoring
  • Marketing consultancy

Their panel of judges includes some of the UK’s most successful business leaders – tell them about your innovative new idea and you could become the UK’s next different business. They’re looking for a different idea, different approaches, clear strategies – something that’s worth funding. (But don’t worry, there’s advice on how to complete your application on the Win Your Business website).

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned from my self-employed life is that you can’t do it all alone. That makes for a long, slow-learning process.

Yes, I’ve been there and done that!

Plus we all know that business funding is hard to get hold of these days. So if you’ve got a good idea, the Orange Different Business Competition is a rare opportunity to get your business both funding AND support at the same time.

And if you don’t have a great business idea in mind right now, why not tell a friend who might have one of their own?

Go to Win Your Business to find out more and to enter.

Sponsored Post

Have You Got a Gorgeous Baby?

Of course, haven’t we all?!

The NEXT Baby Boutique Model Competition, in association with Prima Baby magazine, is looking for Britain’s cutest and most photogenic infants aged from newborn up to 36 months (born 19th November 2007 or later) which will be split over two categories: from birth up to 18-months, and from 19-months up to 36-months.

Winners will receive £500 of Next vouchers, a 12-month modelling contract with Urban Angels and take part in a photoshoot for NEXT and Prima Baby.

To enter, upload your photo by 12 noon on the 16th November 2010 by visiting facebook.com/nextonline. Entries can only be made by parents or legal guardians and please be sure that the photograph you upload shows your baby fully dressed and wide-awake!

Be sure to ask all your friends and family to support your entry as they can vote on Facebook  right up until 12 noon on the 19th November 2010. (Only one vote per person per entry and check out facebook.com/nextonline for full terms and conditions.)

Win a Home Business

Yes, you did read that right!

Following on from the post five tips for entering awards a couple of weeks ago, I thought I'd have a nose around for awards I could enter. As I've not actually launched my new business yet (but watch this space!) I was looking for awards I could enter next year. But it turns out that you can actually win a business at the BT Remote Worker Awards.

If you're not currenly working from home, you could win a franchise to run local magazine 'The Snippet' worth £10,000 and runners up will win business start up kits from Kleeneze and Phoenix trading. These are the prizes for the Arise Be Your Own Boss Award.

Fancy running a drama school for children? A £15,000 Helen O'Grady Drama Academy franchise is the prize for the Helen O'Grady Special Award. There are a couple of other wards that you could enter if you're already running a businesss (Parentpreneur Award, Home Business Award, maybe the Freelance Consultant Award). I'll definitely be getting my entry in next year!

It's a bit late for me now I've finally decided which business I'm going to run, but could this could be a great opportunity for you?

Photo: The-Lane-Team

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