Dulux Decorator Centre's 2014 Pitch2Win competition has been launched to find the most ambitious painters and decorators. The competition rewards the person who has all the right characteristics to successfully set up their own painting and decorating business.
The winner will receive £7,000-worth of business development support from Dulux Decorator Centre and the supporters of Pitch2Win, which includes Refinery, Thinkprint, AkzoNobel's Training Centre, Leavitt Walmsley Associates Certified Chartered Accountants and Shield.
Following a successful pilot trial in 2013, this year's competition is set to bring in applicants from across the UK and Ireland. An entrant will be shortlisted from each region and will be asked to prepare and present their business plan as well as take questions from a panel of judges, which is being held on Tuesday 23 September at AkzoNobel's new paint manufacturing plant in Ashington.
“There are huge business prospects for newly qualified painters and decorators but we realise that the step to ‘going solo’ and setting up your own business can be daunting and demanding, in more ways than one. The idea behind the competition is to provide a pool of resource and support to ambitious entrepreneurs, hankering to take that step and launch a successful painting and decorating enterprise,” said Beverley Whitehead, marketing manager at Dulux Decorator Centre.
The competition is open to all Level Two and Three qualified Painting and Decorating learners with either an NVQ/SVQ or Diploma, as well as those who have left college and qualified within the past two years and for those who have already started a business and can provide evidence that trading began after January 2014.
The winner from last year’s competition, Sandie Webster said: “I would really encourage students to enter the competition as it offers such a great opportunity for a possible platform to further your career. The competition has given me confidence and winning it has allowed me to get the supplies I needed to move forward as a professional. It also gave me the promotion I needed to establish my business. It really does offer you the chance to start as you mean to go on.”
Prizes include £2,000 to use to purchase business related items, as well as ongoing mentoring from an AkzoNobel Training Consultant, 12 months of free business and accounting advice plus access to a computer accounts package, free entry into six Dulux Trade courses, plus a host of marketing and PR support and a full set of personalised work wear and footwear.
Second and third place will also be awarded with a cash prize of £1,000 and £500 respectively, along with a full set of personalised work wear, preferential DDC cash account terms, PR support and vouchers to use in their local Dulux Decorator Centre.
Those wishing to enter the competition need to submit a completed application form before 5pm on 29 August, 2014.
