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Serial entrepreneur commits to year-long mentoring for pitching contest winner

Karen Darby, a successful serial entrepreneur, has agreed to give 12 months free mentoring to the winner of The Pitch 2011, BusinessZone.co.uk's search for Britain's best new business.

Darby, who as well as other businesses started energy price comparison service Simply Simply in 2002 and sold it for £22m four years later, is one of the expert panellists who will judge entrepreneurs in London, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast as part of the competition which was founded in 2008.

The overall winner of The Pitch 2011, organised by small business community BusinessZone.co.uk in association with marketing solutions company Yell, will benefit from a package of support worth £50,000. Included will be at least three one-hour face-to-face or Skype business mentoring sessions with Darby plus 12 months unlimited direct access via email and telephone.

Darby, who has been involved in the competition since 2009, says: "You need true grit in business and I admire and support anyone who chooses this difficult, if potentially lucrative, path.

"Most people don't realise how scary and isolating it can be to set up and run your own business. I do because I have done it several times and that's why I chose to support the winner of the Pitch 2011 with free mentoring advice.

"It's good to know you've got a friend at the end of the phone, a trusted adviser, who's been there and done it (and has got the scars and the trophies to prove it). Objective input from a critical friend who you trust is almost priceless.

"Britain needs a whole wave of fresh-faced entrepreneurs and the craggy old ones need to do more to support them. I'm proud to do my bit for the Pitch 2011."

Among the other judges joining Karen Darby in The Pitch 2011 is Carl Hopkins, marketing entrepreneur and star of Channel 4's The Secret Millionaire.

"I was delighted to be part of The Pitch last year as a judge at the Liverpool heat. It was a well promoted, well run and well subscribed to event," Hopkins comments.

"To be asked back this year as a core judge in 2011 is a great honour. I look forward to working with Karen and seeing what I am sure will be entrepreneurs with an astounding array of great ideas, all hoping to win this fabulous competition."

Twenty shortlisted entrepreneurs will pitch at four heats in London, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast in front of the judges and a live audience of small business owners. Each event will also include experts who will share their tips for business success. Confirmed speakers include small business minister Mark Prisk who will open the England heat on 9 June.

The four finalists plus a wildcard contestant chosen by the public will compete for the prizes at a grand final in London in November.

Editor’s Notes

For more information, contact Becky Spurr on becky.spurr@siftmedia.co.uk or 0117 915 9615. Full details about The Pitch 2011 are at www.thepitch2011.com.

The Pitch 2011 is an initiative by Sift Media, in association with Yell. 

About Sift Media

Sift Media is a leading business-to-business publisher specialising in online professional communities and face-to-face business events.

With a range of services including websites, email publications, industry awards and exhibitions, Sift Media delivers original, branded content to over half a million professionals every month, across small business, finance, accounting, HR and training, IT, marketing, customer management and knowledge management.

About BusinessZone.co.uk
BusinessZone.co.uk is Sift Media’s online publication for entrepreneurs providing free, practical and no-nonsense advice on how to start and grow a successful business.

About Yell
Yell offers quality business leads and marketing solutions to small and medium sized enterprises in the UK, US, Spain and some countries in Latin America through an integrated portfolio of simple-to-use, cost effective advertising. Our products are available through printed, online, telephone and mobile based media. Yell’s principal brands include: in the United Kingdom - Yellow Pages,Yell.com and 118 24 7; in the United States - Yellowbook and Yellowbook.com; and in Spain - Paginas Amarillas and PaginasAmarillas.es.

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