Competition for retail entrepreneurs launched

Times have rarely been tougher in retailing, but talented entrepreneurs who believe they could be the next Philip Green have the chance to demonstrate their skills in a competition launched today by Make Your Mark, the campaign to encourage people in the UK to be more entrepreneurial.

The Make Your Mark in the Mall competition gives budding retailers the chance to trade for free from what’s known as a ‘Retail Merchandising Unit’ (RMU) or what we might describe as a ‘stall’.

These stalls are situated in 20 shopping centres owned by The Mall around the UK.

If you have an existing business plan you want to put into practice or are already running a business, but want to test your products in a retail environment, this could be useful whether or not you end up winning.

The competition takes place in two stages.  Entrants must first submit a business plan.

The best will then be allocated an RMU and whoever achieves the most successful results in the eyes of judges including Apprentice winner Tim Campbell will walk away with a retail start-up pack which will include:

• six months free trading on an RMU;
• support from The Mall;
• free business banking from sponsors RBS and NatWest;
• a place on a retailing summer school run by the British Shops and Stores Association, and;
• £1,000 in cash.

If you want to take part, make sure you get your entry in before 15th February.

[Photo caption: .Martin. licenced from Flickr]