Christine and Jenny Chau, the sister team behind Manchester-based leading luxury dog bedding company Charley Chau have been named UK Family Business Entrepreneurs of the Year 2018 in the NatWest Great British Entrepreneur Awards in London on 24 January 2019.
Founded in 2010 after fruitless searches for comfortable, stylish dog beds for their own Italian Greyhounds, Christine and Jenny’s dog bed designs have attracted customers from over 45 countries.
Christine and Jenny made it to the national finals, beating over 3,000 applications who entered for the Natwest Great British Entrepreneur Awards. Now in its sixth year, Charley Chau will follow in the footsteps of past winners including David Buttress of Just Eat, Julie Deane OBE of The Cambridge Satchel Company, James Watt of BrewDog and Hannah and Sophie Pycroft of Spectrum Collections.
Christine said: “As two female entrepreneurs we are so thrilled to be recognised by the Natwest Great British Entrepreneur Awards. The UK may be one of the best places in the world to grow a business, but the odds are still stacked against women setting up small businesses – in facts, it’s reported that women are half as likely as men to be involved in starting one, so we are pleased to be recognised for taking the leap.
“It is an incredible honour – we’re two self-confessed crazy dog ladies doing something we love – accidental entrepreneurs. The list of national finalists are a powerhouse of inspiration, amazingly talented entrepreneurs, and we feel extremely lucky to have been named UK Family Business Entrepreneurs of the Year 2018 amongst such stellar company.
She added: “For a pet lifestyle brand to be recognised in the awards just shows how much our industry has grown since we launched in 2010. To go from making a dog bed on the sitting room floor to having happy customers in over 45 countries around the world, and now this wonderful award – what an incredible moment for Charley Chau.”
The NatWest Great British Entrepreneur Awards celebrates entrepreneurship across the UK with five regional finals culminating in a national final held at Coutts in London.
