Anna launched Active Profile Ltd after graduating with 1st class honours from Liverpool University Management School and winning the University business plan competition in 2004. Active Profile is a marketing and pr consultancy with a difference: it delivers hands-on, practical marketing support to companies to help them develop and deliver marketing strategies and publicity plans that engage with their target market in the most cost-effective manner and deliver impressive and measurable results. Active Profile Ltd has attracted work from growing companies in a range of sectors including technology, property, leisure and professional services. Active Profile is growing fast and is now based on Rodney St, L1. Anna has worked for a variety of businesses since she was teenager including a range of northwest entrepreneurial start-up’s and has also spent time in London working for Reuters. Anna’s other current business interests include www.lovemyidea.com and ongoing voluntary work with the Universities and Enterprise schemes. Anna is currently chairperson for the Gateway Centre Charity and sits on the Capital of Culture Advisory Board for 08BusinessConnect. Anna has a keen interest in technology and start-up enterprises. Anna was also recently shortlisted for the IoD Director of the Year Rising Star Award 2007. Interests outside …

Chris Bradshaw is the founder and managing director of Urban Revolution Ltd, which designs, supplies amd manufactures innovative environmental products. With the strong links he has developed in Asia and the Far East Chris has also formed an international trading company (www.urbanrevolutiontrading.com) with offices in the UK, USA, India and China. Urban Revolution offers a full turn-key service to other entrepreneurs helping to develop their ideas and conceptual designs to create low cost samples with full scale mass production facilities.

Clare Molyneux runs the educational theatre group ‘Open the Door’, and is very well connected across the Education Business Partnerships in Merseyside. Open the Door works in many of the Merseyside schools and lots of creative projects within the city.

Dave McTague works with Another Media, a design and communications agency based in Liverpool, operating across a range of fields including design, publicity, PR, events, marketing, distribution and advertising. He also works with RedHouse Originals, offering a range of artwork.

Dominique runs Liverpool JMU’s Start-Up Network for student and graduate entrepreneurs and anyone else with an interest in business start-up. Liverpool JMU has helped many of its students to develop their business ideas and can extend this support to graduates. The Network hosts regular events and is also on Facebook.

Jane runs Little Satsuma and Scouse Soap Company, making environmentally friendly and people friendly products. Through these enterprises she networks with other like-minded people and businesses; promoting and supporting one another, with leads into new opportunities and contacts.

Lucy Byrne runs dot-art, a Liverpool based organisation which helps local artists to promote and sell their work. Businesses and individuals who wish to buy, rent or commission art can do so through their Castle Street gallery and website. Dot-art works with nearly 100 Merseyside based artists and a wide range of customers, and holds a variety of events for both artists and clients throughout the year

Michael VJ Jones is a personal development coach, and is passionate about inspiring people to develop & improve themselves and to be successful in whatever they do.

Paul Corcoran is 25 years old and is Marketing Director for the award winning Agent Marketing; a full service consultancy servicing a range of clients both in Merseyside and across the UK. Paul is also The Urbanite columnist for the Liverpool Daily Post; writing about the joys of city living week in, week out.

My name is Paul Rittenberg and I work for Business Link Northwest. I have 20 years business start up experience with a broad range of skills and experience. My contacts and connections are Merseyside wide and I pride myself on being accessible and empathetic, with a particular passion for encouraging young people to be entrepreneurial. I have also played electric guitar and recorded my own songs for 30 years so I have a particular connection to the creative sector.