Plug into Mentoring - Thursday 3rd December - Mentors

Do you have a business idea that you know will succeed if only you had the advice and experience on how to launch it?

Are you sitting on a potential ‘gold-mine’ business but lack the know-how to take it to the next level?

Are you an Intrapreneur, a person that works for a business but needs help climbing the corporate ladder?

You now have an opportunity to get matched to one of our mentors to help you achieve your goals.  We have six mentors to give away, including a young mentor to help you and your business with your social media strategy.   

Read more about some of our mentors below and  Apply Now for your chance to get this excellent mentoring opportunity. NOW CLOSED


Polly Gowers - Founder, Everyclick.com

Polly founded Everyclick.com, the website that enables consumers to give to any UK charity in the way that they want.

Everyclick.com is a search engine that gives half of its revenue to charity. It's technology has been specifically created to provide a sustainable, no cost fundraising tool for all charities.  It provides any internet user with a free and hassle-free way to raise money for the charity of their choice.

On her website, Polly comments on what she does “I make sure that we are efficiently combining internet search, online community and no cost philanthropy for all, into one simple package.  In the afternoon I make sure Everyclick becomes a household name. It's a great challenge and there is never a dull day.”

And why she does it “Because I think there is an unprecedented opportunity to provide a service that enables anyone to give more efficiently.  It is a privilege to work with a group of people that have the opportunity to use the Internet to effect positive social change.”

Capital for Enterprise (CfEL) recently announce an investment from the £12.5m Aspire Fund, which supports women led businesses, to Everyclick.

Polly was voted WEBA Ethical Entrepreneur of the Year 2007 and a Blackberry Woman in Technology Award winner in 2008.



Chantal Coady - Founder, Rococo

Chantal Coady, the brains behind Rococo, first opened her shop in Kings Road twenty four years ago, in 1983.  Her passion for chocolate lured her away from textile design, in which she graduated, and gave her the idea for the business.

However, her flair for design was not lost and can be seen in the in the packaging, the shops, a second shop opened in Marylebone High Street in 2004, and indeed in the chocolates themselves.

Coady was a child obsessed by chocolate, to the point of dreaming chocolate dreams (probably inspired by Charlie in the chocolate factory).

With a noted palate, both visual and olfactory, she now creates subtle blends of herbs, spice and flower chocolate bars.  Awards include:
Chocolate “Oscar” Eurochocolate, Perugia for The Chocolate Companion (Apple Press), Gourmand award, Barcelona 2004 for best English Language Chocolate Book (Real Chocolate - Rizzoli).

Rococo is known for its eclectic and eccentric and always exquisite chocolates.  Coady is a maverick force in the highly conservative world of fine chocolates. She believes that: “chocolate should never take itself too seriously” and the way Rococo leads the way offering new and surprising combinations to titillate the senses echoes that belief.



Andrea Cockerton - Founder, Mudhut


Andrea is founder of Mudhut, the Cambridge-based venture market consultancy which has worked alongside c.300 businesses on business critical investor and commercial pitches & business planning, and co-founder of Brick Handbag, a new (and entirely different!) initiative launched in November 2009 to provide fun, memorable and effective self defence courses for women and girls over the age of 13. 

Prior to launching Mudhut in 2005, Andrea’s commercial background ranged from corporates, to start ups, to investment networks.  She has experience in advising a diverse range of sectors that includes biotech, healthcare, social enterprise, law and technology, and is a frequent public speaker and trainer in the entrepreneurial sector.

Andrea is also an accomplished musician and teaches the piano in her spare time for fun.



Our Young Social Media Mentor:

Jenny Lau, Community Manager, FreshNetworks

Jenny Lau, is a Community Manager at FreshNetworks, a social media agency that helps brands build and manage online communities.  In 2008 FreshNetworks won the Sunday Times £5M London Entrepreneur Challenge.  

Jenny has managed online communities for clients including Jimmy Choo, Butlins and Vitabiotics and has advised brands on online reputation management, delivering creative marketing solutions through social media and growing vibrant communities of brand advocates.

Jenny says "I would be really honoured to mentor someone who is open to the possibilities that social media can bring to their business.  For me, I would relish the challenge to work with an entrepreneur who isn't afraid to take risks by exploring new areas of outreach and who is looking for a way to engage more meaningfully with customers."

She will look at how a company can monitor conversations about their brand, more actively engage customers and look at new marketing ideas in the social media space.  She will suggest ways to improve their online presence and advise on extending it to other platforms.

Jenny graduated with a BA in Music from the University of Cambridge in 2006, and worked in research at strategic marketing consultancy SCB Partners prior to her time at FreshNetworks.

One lucky business owner will get this social media savvy Gen Y mentor.




We have six mentors to give away and the lucky winners who have been matched to mentors will be announced at the FreshIdeas Mentor event on 3rd December where you can join leading entrepreneurs and businesswomen during an evening discussion about  mentoring.