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Heather Wilkinson, Business Coach

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Heather has worked in the commercial, social entrepreneurship and economic development arena for the last ten years within the private, third and public sector, as an entrepreneur, consultant and business coach.

She is passionate about helping entrepreneurs achieve the triple bottom line, and works with both commercial and social enterprises to achieve results. Heather also consults to government and third sector organisations on matters concerning enterprise, social enterprise and youth entrepreneurship.

She specialises in idea generation, market research, business development, communication and partnership strategies for launching or refining business brandss. She is excellent at researching and creating innovative business propositions and implementing strategic frameworks for action.

In 2005, she launched her own social enterprise, Striding Out which has experienced year on year growth and has expanded nationally across the UK. It has engaged with over 4500 individuals engaged in entrepreneurship events, training and one to one coaching, and Heather has personally supported the launch and development of over 200 business brands into the UK and Internataional market.

Reputation

Heather is on the advisory board to the Office of the Third Sector to evaluate support for social enterprises, an official ‘Mentor’ to the 20 National Social Enterprise Ambassadors appointed by the Social Enterprise Coalition and her contribution to the development of the social enterprise sector was commended through the Social Enterprise Mentor of the Year Award in the Edge Upstart Awards in May 2006, nominated by Social Enterprise London.

"Heather is an outstanding social entrepreneur and businesswoman. Passionate. Sharp. Highly professional. We need more like her!" Liam Black, Director of Fifteen

"Heather is fantastically inspiring and continues to amaze me with her energy and insight." Allison Ogden-Newton, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise London and a judge of the Edge Upstarts 2006 awards.

 

Employment History

She has been involved in a wide number of business and strategic consultancy projects across the UK, associated with Enterprise and Business Support, which are outlined below.

April 2005 to date - Striding Out Community Interest Company, Founder and Managing Director.

She is currently the managing director of Striding Out www.stridingout.co.uk, a social enterprise to support young entrepreneurs, which she founded four years ago. Heather has focussed on managing the development of the business into new areas, building partnerships, generating business, implementing the strategy and a building a replicable model for rolling out nationally. She has also continued to undertake strategic research consultancy and delivered business coaching and training to young entrepreneurs. In 2008, she devised and launched the Future 100 campaign www.future100.co.uk to identify and profile the next generation of responsible entrepreneurs who were pursuing a triple bottom line of commercial, social and environmental returns. This campaign received an unprecedented response with over 10,000 hits on the website with minimal budget. We are now planning to upscale the campaign in 2009 in partnership with key national organisations. Heather has undertaken a wealth of business coaching, training and consultancy projects in business support, social enterprise and employment working with government agencies across the UK.

  • She has delivered Business Training workshops for over 20 universities and colleges, and business support organisations including NESTA, UnLtd, London Remade, Croydon CVS, and Islington Council.

  • She has provided business coaching to over 200 commercial and social entrepreneurs from a wide range of industries across the North West and London.

  • She has undertaken the following strategic consultancy work:-

  • Adviser to Merton Local Authority on the development of their Economic Development Strategy and Social Enterprise Strategy.
  • Project Manager for a 2 year Young Entrepreneurs Programme for a LEGI funded project in North Liverpool and South Sefton.
  • Panel Adviser to the Office of the Third Sector to evaluate business support for social enterprises over the next three years.
  • Advisor to The Aldridge Foundation - The Foundation was established in July 2006 by Rod Aldridge, the founder of the Capita Group, to further the work of his charitable trust. The Foundation is primarily focused on the effects of educational underachievement and social exclusion on the young, but also in removing the barriers to the reform of public services in general.
  • Project Board Member for the Business Information Resources - Landscape and Feasibility Study. Working with the British Library Research Team, for the JISC Business and Community Engagment Programme.  
  • Development of an Enterprise Outcomes Framework and undertook the National Evaluation of four Prince’s Trust Enterprise Programmes funded by BERR. 
  • Project Director for Striding Out in Liverpool, delivering a package of support for young entrepreneurs in Liverpool, funded by Liverpool Vision.
  • Business Consultant to research partnerships and market test a new service for The Aspire Foundation, a social enterprise specialising helping the homeless get back into work.
  • Business Consultant for the Big Green Challenge Programme, NESTA and UnLtd
  • Consultant on Career Advice Tools on Social Enterprise for HE Careers Advisers, Cabinet Office and NCGE
  • Creator and Research Consultant for a Network Replication Best Practice Study, Enterprise Insight
  • Consultant to research Market Sector Opportunities for Social Enterprises in the North West, NWDA
  • Specialist Adviser on the Enterprise Culture Policy Retreat, HM Treasury and DTi
  • Developer of Social Entrepreneur Training Models - UnLtd and Skoll Centre, Oxford University
  • Social Inclusion Business Adviser to broker work placements for students in social enterprises, University Talent, West Focus
  • Research Consultant for producing a Market Intelligence Report on Support for Young Entrepreneurs in London, BusinessLink4London
  • Research Consultant to undertake a Feasbility Study into creating a Bexley Young Entrepreneurs Incubator Centre , Trust Thamesmead and Bexley Council
  • Consultant and Adviser to the Newham Local Enterprise Growth Initiative, Newham Council

2005 – GHK - Senior Research Consultant

  • Review the National Social Enterprise Strategy, DTi
  • Vital Village Impact Assessment, The Countryside Agency
  • Thames Gateway Waterfront Study, Thames Gateway South Essex

2004- 2008 - Just Blush, Founder and Managing Director

  • Bridal Make Up Artist for Weddings
  • Online Marketing Strategy and Sales 

2003- 2004 - Virgin Vie Cosmetics Self-Employed Consultant

  • Promotion and Delivery of Virgin Vie Cosmetic Parties
  • Trained Make Up Artist
  • Sales Consultant in Direct Sales Delivery Model

2002 - 2004 – EDAW – Economic Development Consultant  

  • Evaluation of Gloucestershire Skills First for Manufacturing Business, Gloucestershire LSC
  • Research in Business Models of Social Enterprise for the CVS in Northamptonshire, Northamptonshire Co-Operative Development Agency
  • Development of a Business Start-Up Strategy for Northamptonshire, Northamptonshire Business Support Network
  • Development of Merseyside Social Enterprise Strategy, NWDA/Merseyside Expanding Horizons
  • Development of Tyne and Wear Social Entrepreneurship Strategy, Business Link Tyne and Wear
  • Feasibility Study for Basildon Enterprise/Innovation Park, English Partnerships
  • Development of Northamptonshire Integrated Employment Strategy, Northamptonshire County Council
  • Development of North Solihull Regeneration Strategy, Solihull Council and Inpartnership Ltd
  • Evaluation of the Liverpool Neighbourhood Renewal Programme – Strategy Development, Liverpool City Council
  • Development of Herefordshire Economic Strategy, Herefordshire Partnership/County Council
  • Development of Rochdale Renaissance: Strategic Development Framework, Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council
  • Evaluation of the Building Tyne and Wear: Local Labour in Construction Initiative, Building Tyne and Wear Partnership
  • Evaluation of the Crystal Palace SRB Programme, Crystal Palace Partnership
  • Mapping Study o the Liverpool Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy, Liverpool City Council
  • Rolling Evaluation of the Tower Hamlets Neighbourhood Renewal Programme, London Borough of Tower Hamlets
  • Development of the Blackpool Vision and Masterplan, Blackpool Borough Council
  • Development of the North Manchester Regeneration Strategy, Manchester City Council/North Manchester Partnership
  • Evaluation of the Pollards Hill SRB Programme, Merton County Council  
 

  • Dec 2001 – June 2002 – Corporation of London – Economic Development Assistant 

  • June 2001 – Dec 2001 – Business in the Community, Research Consultant

  • Sept 2000 – June 2001 – Hertfordshire TEC, Inward Investment Officer

 

Education

  • April 2007 – Sept 2007       Pegasus NLP Practitioner Certification
  • Jan 2006 – August 2006      Elevate Management Training Course, NQV Modules, Advice UK
  • Sept 2005 – March 2006      City University, London, Cert of Further Education in Coaching for Personal and Professional Development with NLP Levels 1 and 2.
  • Sept 2000 – June 2001        University of Birmingham, MSc Economic Development and Policy – Dissertation - National Support Structures for Social Enterprise
  • Sept 1997 – June 2000        University of Southampton, BA (Hons) Geography (2:1)
  • Certifications                       Full Member of the Association of Coaching