Healthy pet food firm wins £100,000 "The Search" prize

Dec 14 2007 by Alistair Houghton, Liverpool Daily Post

The Search is over – the Daily Post-backed scheme to find Merseyside’s top entrepreneur has a winner. Alistair Houghton reports

THE founder of a Crosby firm specialising in healthy dog food has been named Merseyside Entrepreneur of the Year ‘08 and won £100,000 of funding for her business.

Lisa Horne, 37, beat more than 200 entries from budding entrepreneurs to win The Search initiative, which has been running in the pages of the Daily Post since summer.

Ms Horne, whose business trades as Healthy Paws, was named winner by Cherie Booth at a ceremony held at the Liner Hotel, in Liverpool, and attended by more than 200 guests yesterday.

Healthy Paws supplies holistic GM and dairy-free dog food with no preservatives or additives and Ms Horne will receive up to £100,000 of unsecured business funding guaranteed by international asset management company Dominique Faversham Group and provided through Lloyds TSB. Ms Horne will also receive a tailored 12-month programme of coaching, expert professional advice and practical business assistance from the companies that supported The Search, including GB Finance, Griffiths & Armour, Hill Dickinson, KPMG, Lloyds TSB, Peak Marketing & Communication Services and Windsors Motor Group.

Ms Horne, a former veterinary nurse, said: “I am absolutely delighted to have won The Search. The business is at a crucial stage in its development and this support will make such a difference to me.

“The guaranteed funding and advice and support from the business experts who will be mentoring me over the next year will really give me the confidence to drive my business forward.

“I have lots of ideas for expanding the product range and my distribution channels. I know this award is a huge opportunity for Healthy Paws.”

The Search invited entries from both fledgling businesses needing funding and expert guidance to realise their full potential and from people with exceptional business ideas.

The ten-strong judging panel was chaired by The Search founder David Mairs, chief executive of Bromborough-based Dominique Faversham, and included Daily Post business editor Bill Gleeson and representatives from the worlds of finance and academia.

Mr Mairs said: “Lisa shone through as the outstanding entrant in this year’s inaugural Search initiative, not only due to her sheer determination, energy and commitment, but for her achievement in clearly identifying a gap in the pet food market and, despite working with very limited resources and against stiff competition, successfully carving out an enviable niche and growing demand for Healthy Paws’ products.

“Lisa and Healthy Paws paint an exciting picture of entrepreneurship in our region and I look forward to The Search helping her realise the potential in her business over the coming 12 months.”

SPEAKING during a podcast interview with Mr Gleeson, Ms Booth, wife of former Prime Minister Tony Blair, said: “Lisa is following a passion. It’s not just a business, she is passionate about animals. She has turned what was a passionate hobby into a serious business opportunity.”

The podcast interview can be heard in full at www. thebusinessweek.co.uk

The progress of Healthy Paws will be reported monthly in the Daily Post.

alistairhoughton