Entrepreneur on fire with new business - and now she gets to pitch it to a Dragon's Den star Peter Jones

Sam Prince, 28, has been chosen as a finalist for this year’s National Entrepreneur of the Year award.

Judges were impressed with her company called Heathen Strength Wear, which is a lifestyle brand that provides strongmen and strongwomen with high quality, durable fitness wear.

Sam, from Shotton, has ambitious plans for the business and is already looking to expand her product line to meet the growing demand in the strongman and strongwoman market.

First, though, she will have the chance to pitch to Dragon’s Den star Peter Jones in the award finals and is down to a shortlist of five people who are in the running.

There is £5,000 of investment prize money up for grabs, and Sam will make her pitch to a panel chaired by Peter Jones CBE, and a network of celebrated business figures.

Peter said: “I’m really looking forward to meeting our five finalists in person. I strongly believe that this country needs entrepreneurial young people more than ever, it is this generation that will incite positive social change and push forward the economy for years to come”.

“The quality of submissions we’ve received for this year’s award has been absolutely outstanding and picking just five to go through was a real challenge.”

Sam, who studies with the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy at East Durham College, is in competition for the award with four fellow Peter Jones Enterprise Academy students from across the UK.

Their products range from educational games, to fashion and e-commerce, and bicycle upcycling, to packs for children in care.

To get to the last round, applicants had to submit detailed business plans and a five-minute video outlining their ideas and hopes for the future.

They will take turns to pitch on the day, before facing 15 minutes of questions on their business from the panel.

Bill Muirhead, Managing Director of the Peter Jones Foundation, said: “These five finalists have not only come up with exciting ideas, but they have put in a lot of time and developed strong plans of action. Some of them are already trading successfully.

“The final is going to be a fantastic showcase of the young entrepreneurial talent that we have in the UK”.

Judges said of Sam’s business: “Sam’s ability to communicate the vision for her brand is amazing. Matched only by her own mindset and humility.”

Run by the Peter Jones Foundation, the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy is a network of schools and colleges that deliver courses in business, enterprise and entrepreneurship.

Previous National Entrepreneur of the Year winners, include Ross Bailey who founded AppearHere, which has gone on to raise over $20million in Venture Capital funding; and David Humpston, the founder of ViewPoint Videos, who became one of the youngest people ever to receive a Virgin StartUp loan.

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