Start-up Business of the Year
Category criteria
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This award recognises businesses of any size and within any sector that were founded on or after January 1, 2023.
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The judges will look at each entrant’s entrepreneurial journey, the viability of their business model, long-term sustainability of the business and the growth of the business to date.
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The judges will look at financial projections for each entrant in this category but at such an early stage in the lifecycle of new businesses they will not make a decision based purely on balance sheets.
Jones's Cheesecakes and Bakes
Start-up Business of the Year entrant
A mutual love of baking has turned into a business for Andrew Jones and his partner Sarah.
The couple made cheesecakes to sell at a charity bake sale which went down so well their friends and colleagues encouraged them to make and sell more.
The kitchen of their Abbey Hulton home is now the hub of registered business Jones’s Cheesecakes and Bakes, which they launched at the end of 2023.
They make cheesecakes and have now expanded their range to include butter and homemade bread. They then spend their weekends selling their products at markets around the region.
Andrew, who combines the business with a full-time job in IT, said he had never imagined owning his own business.
“I do like the job I’m in but I also like the fact that the business couldn’t be more different to my day job. If you’d told me that I’d have my own business, and that it would be making cheesecakes, I would have laughed.
“We’ve put a lot of hard work into the business but we really enjoy it and it’s something that we can do together.”
With the support of their mums, Andrew and Sarah sell at markets in places including Longton, Cheadle, Carsington Water, Middleport and Nantwich.
They’re also taking cheesecake orders through their own website.
Jones’s Cheesecakes and Bakes has entered the Start-up Business of the Year and Small Business of the Year categories of the University of Staffordshire Business Awards.
Purple Digital Solutions
Start-up Business of the Year entrant
A tech business launched at The Smithfield Development in Stoke-on-Trent city centre just last year already has clients across three continents.
Co-founders James Butler and Adam Morray will be taking on two staff this year and have projected a million-pound turnover within the first few years of trading.
They met while both worked for a Stoke-on-Trent recruitment company, stayed in touch and decided to leave their jobs to start Purple Digital Solutions in May 2024.
They work in digital tech recruitment and believe they have discovered a relatively untapped area of tech.
Aged 30 and 32, they have already made sales across the UK, North America, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia-Pacific but say their journey is just beginning.
They’ve grown a global following and received the Best MarTech Recruitment Company Award for 2024.
James said: “We first worked together about 10 years ago. I moved to a different company but we stayed in touch. We both found really nice specialisms and came up with the idea of collaborating on our own business.
“We both left our jobs to do this, which is a big step when you have families and mortgages. It’s quite an exciting time for us. With limited resources but limitless ambition, we hit the ground running.”
At the moment James and Adam are the entire team, but they’re looking to recruit two staff this year and are projecting to be turning over £1million within the first couple of years.
“Our vision is to have an office in Stoke-on-Trent with 10 to 20 staff within the next five years,” said James. “Given the nature of our work we’d also like to have an office in North America, but it will have all started at The Smithfield in Stoke-on-Trent city centre.
“Although we’re doing a lot of work to support businesses outside Stoke-on-Trent we want to grow this business here and create opportunities for people here. We used a lot of Stoke-on-Trent companies to help us get off the ground.”
Purple Digital Solutions has entered the Start-up Business of the Year category of the University of Staffordshire Business Awards.
Mihail Antoniei
Start-up Business of the Year entrant
Mihail Antoniei studied for more than 1,000 hours in his native Romania to become a massage therapist and now he’s started his own business in Staffordshire.
He worked in a warehouse when he first moved to the UK but in March 2024 launched a massage therapy and wellness business using his training and expertise.
Mihail has a base at Gait Wise in Newcastle-under-Lyme and offers a mobile service across North Staffordshire.
He said: “I am a passionate and dedicated massage therapist with more than five years of experience in various therapeutic techniques. I love helping people feel better, relieve stress, improve mobility and adopt a healthier lifestyle.
“Over the years I have worked with clients from different backgrounds, from athletes needing fast recovery to individuals looking for deep relaxation and physical and mental balance.”
Mihail completed an intensive 1,080-hour massage therapy program at Ion Holban Vocational School in Iași, Romania where he learned advanced techniques and gained a deep understanding of how massage contributes to health and wellbeing.
Services he offers include deep tissue massage, reflexology, sports massage, cupping therapy, cervical massage to alleviate neck and shoulder pain, anti-cellulite massage and relaxation massage. Each session is personalised and based on the client's needs.
He said: “For me, massage is not just a technique, it’s a form of therapy and connection. I strongly believe that health is not just about being pain-free; it’s about balance, inner peace and a healthy lifestyle.
“That’s why, in addition to massage, I also provide guidance on nutrition, recovery and overall wellbeing, helping my clients improve their daily habits.”
In Romania he completed a year of professional practice and volunteer work at Iași Clinical Rehabilitation Hospital, providing massage therapy to patients with various conditions and assisting in their recovery process.
He volunteered for six months at the Star of Hope Foundation in Romania, working with children with special needs and supporting them in developing essential life skills.
Mihail added: “I’m very grateful to be able to offer my services to the communities of Stoke-on-Trent, Newcastle-under-Lyme and the surrounding areas. I try to make my home wherever I am in the world and North Staffordshire is my home now.”
Mihail has entered the Start-Up Business of the Year category of the University of Staffordshire Business Awards.