Business School alumn and North East entrepreneur has work recognised with purple plaque

The event, held in the Business School, included the unveiling of the purple plaque, speeches from Charlotte, Innovate UK representatives, the School Dean and teaching colleagues from Charlotte’s previous programme of study. It was a huge celebration of Charlotte’s work and commitment to the region.

"This work is especially vital now in the North East. According to ONS data, there's been a decline in startup businesses in the region, which makes this kind of initiative even more crucial. Where will the next wave of businesses come from? They’ll come from underrepresented founders, who are poised to sustain our economy with fresh, diverse ideas.

"The celebration event was unforgettable. I will cherish it forever and it still feels surreal. Here's to many more purple plaques for the Business School."

Recognising role models

The purple plaque is Innovate UK’s twist on the blue plaques that commemorate influential and pioneering historic figures. Currently, just 15% of blue plaques in London celebrate the achievements of women, with a similar story throughout the rest of the UK. This highlights a national issue of the underrepresentation of women in the media, the workplace and in the education system, resulting in a lack of relatable role models for children and young people.

Gaia Hudson, Marketing Manager at Innovate UK said: “As the UK’s innovation agency, we support unique thinkers like Charlotte who look at the world differently. The incredible work Charlotte is doing will also help countless other innovators on their path to success. 

“In addition to supporting today’s trailblazing innovators, we want our awardees to inspire the innovators of tomorrow. We’re bringing our incredible Women in Innovation Award winners back to their former schools, colleges and universities to celebrate the contribution of women innovators and unveil commemorative purple plaques in their honour. We hope that Charlotte’s plaque will serve as a lasting reminder to Newcastle University Business School students that anyone can change the world through innovation.”

Diversity and representation are also paramount to Newcastle University Business School. This is evidenced in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences recent achievement of a Silver Athena Swan Charter Award which recognises the ongoing commitment to developing an inclusive culture in the faculty.

Stewart Robinson, Dean of Newcastle University Business School, said: “It’s an inspiration to see the work being done by Charlotte and Innovate UK to not only support innovation in the North East – something close to our heart – but for shining a light on the work of underrepresented founders in the region.

“We’re constantly inspired by our great region. Although we’re a global university with connections across the world, our roots are firmly placed in the North East and we’re truly proud of our place in the region. Like Innovate UK, we’re also dedicated to supporting gender equality, which is evidenced in our faculty’s recent achievement of a Silver Athena Swan Charter Award.”

A Q&A with Charlotte

Tell us about your background and current role

I am deeply passionate about empowering people through enterprise skills and entrepreneurship. Ten years ago, I co-founded FIRST in response to graduating during an economic crash.

Like many, when I left education, I was told I could achieve anything. But I found myself wondering: how do you even know what opportunities are out there? How do you build a professional network? After university, I spent some time working in zero-hour contracts and hospitality before meeting my business partner. Together, we came up with the idea of hosting business events that connected established business owners and early-career professionals. The goal was to support others so they wouldn’t have to face the same challenges I did.

The events were impactful because they built genuine connections across generations. Instead of having one businessperson speak to large groups of students, we facilitated one-on-one, authentic conversations between startup founders and job seekers with established business owners. It was inspiring to see the relationships that formed, and I thought, 'Wouldn’t it be incredible if everyone in our community had access to these opportunities?'

Empowering learners to find the courage to build professional contacts has remained at the heart of everything we do. Over time, we've expanded and formalised our services, now offering both accredited and informal education in enterprise skills and entrepreneurship.

Can you explain what it means to you to be awarded the prestigious Innovate UK Women in Innovation award and receive your purple plaque?

I feel proud of everyone that has contributed to the journey so far. When I look at that plaque, I know it's got my name on it but what I see is my team, I see my friends, I see my family, I see the learners, I see partners, I see clients; I see everyone in that plaque. I feel like it is a representation of what can be done with hard work and perseverance.

The permanency of it is also very grounding. It's going to be in the reception at Newcastle University Business School so many young eyes are going to look at it. If I can inspire just one person to see the plaque, google my name and think – oh wow, if she can start a business then maybe I can!

Can you tell us a little about the work you have been doing that led you to receive this award?

At FIRST, we provide both formal and informal training in enterprise and entrepreneurship. This includes accredited Level 1 and 2 courses, as well as workshops, events, and initiatives like the Startup Awards North East; all designed to inspire people to consider self-employment as a viable option.

The project that earned us the Women in Innovation award began at the end of the pandemic. I realised that FIRST was at a pivotal moment and had the potential to grow based on the successes we had experienced during that time.

Since I started FIRST at the age of 27, it's been the cornerstone of my professional career. However, I felt the need to solidify my knowledge. I was fortunate to receive a scholarship from Newcastle University Business School to enrol on the Executive MBA programme, as I was considered part of an underrepresented group in business as a woman. During my first year, I set myself a goal: to write a strong impact report for FIRST, drawing inspiration from academic literature, my peers, and the exceptional lecturers.

While writing the impact report, I realised I couldn’t fully capture the value our work was generating. After researching economic indicators, I discovered that there are many ways to quantify outcomes, such as the financial impact of someone leaving their house after a period of unemployment and re-engaging with their community. This sparked an idea – if we can calculate the monetary value of such actions, surely we can measure the value of developing enterprise skills and starting a business as a result. However, I found that no indicators existed for this specific area.

That’s when I knew we had to create something. We needed indicators that would allow us to communicate the value of our work, not just for us, but for universities, Government, and other organisations as well. By doing this, we could clearly demonstrate the impact of enterprise skills and entrepreneurship on the economy. I then partnered with SFEDI and Ideas for Change, and applied for funding from Innovate UK to develop a social value tool that would allow us to measure and communicate our social return on investment.

Why is it important to shine a light on diversity and empower underrepresented groups, both in the UK but also the North East?

Firstly, my personal experience as an underrepresented founder drives me. I’m passionate about seeing more women and individuals from underrepresented groups in leadership roles because, as the saying goes, 'you can’t be what you can’t see.' We need diverse role models to show what’s possible and inspire more people to consider self-employment.

Secondly, evidence shows that the more diverse and entrepreneurial an ecosystem is, the greater the prosperity. A thriving entrepreneurial community boosts the local economy and creates more jobs. The North East, in particular, could greatly benefit from this.

Lastly, enterprise skills and entrepreneurship build resilience within communities. When the next economic shock comes – whether it’s a pandemic, financial crash, or something else – having more entrepreneurial people will make us stronger as a society, better able to face and overcome challenges.

What do you most enjoy about your role and the work you do?

What I enjoy most about my role is the unpredictability. It’s challenging – there are incredible highs, but the lows can be tough. You must think months ahead, and no matter how much you plan or strategise, there will always be unexpected challenges. But that’s what I love: it’s about how you respond to those curveballs. When you have a strong team around you, you can face those challenges together. For me, that’s one of the best parts. As Simon Sinek says, “crisis is the great revealer”. You get to see different sides of people’s behaviours and attitudes, and as a business owner, it’s your job to navigate and lead through those moments.

You are a graduate of the Business School. How did the Executive MBA programme support you on your journey to where you are now?

The programme supported me in three ways. First, there was the peer-to-peer learning. I gained insights from people with completely different career backgrounds, which was invaluable. As the only business owner on the programme, I could apply a lot of the work-based learning directly to my role. Being the owner meant I had the freedom to implement ideas whenever I wanted.

Second, I was inspired by the leaders running the programme. The team and leadership academics at Newcastle University are world class, and their work, especially around leadership in the region, deserves recognition. They are incredible role models, and I was eager to learn from them.

Lastly, it gave me credibility. I didn’t know much about business or entrepreneurship when I was in school, let alone imagine studying it. But now, having earned this business accolade, I have the credibility (and now a plaque!) to lead discussions. I’m comfortable calling myself an expert in enterprise skills and entrepreneurship.

Follow your curiosity. Don’t worry about having the perfect business idea from the start; the ideas will come. Just focus on surrounding yourself with the right people.

Is there anything else that we haven’t covered that you would like to share?

I’d like to mention that thanks to the North East Combined Authority, we offer free courses for anyone in the North East who is curious about starting a business. We have online and face to face options, during the day and evenings – you can find more information online at www.youarefirst.co.uk.

So, come and explore whether it’s the right path for you – we need you to help drive the region forward.