Surrey entrepeneur who learnt business skills at dad's garage wins £25,000 KPMG award
– 3 min read
Surrey entrepreneur Julianne Ponan MBE, who first learnt about business doing the invoices at her dad's garage, has won a national business award, securing £25,000 and a year of specialist business support from one of the world’s top accounting brands KPMG.
Julianne, founder and CEO of allergen-free food brand Creative Nature, was named winner of the Most Promising Large Business category at the KPMG Black Entrepreneurs' Awards, held in London recently (October 20).
She was one of four winners recognised through the national awards programme, which celebrates Black heritage entrepreneurs and supports them in growing their businesses.
Julianne's mum grew up in Kenya and her dad in Guyana. Her dad came to the UK with very little formal education and ran his own garage, where Julianne spent many school summer holidays doing the invoices and talking to customers.
"Dad could listen to a car, know what was wrong with it and fix it. He built that business with no funding and no help apart from my mum, which I still think is amazing," said Julianne.
"At the time I just wanted to go out and play, but when I started Creative Nature I already knew how to do the accounts and talk to customers and suppliers, because I'd done it all before. I think I learnt more from actually doing things than from any textbook.
"Moments like this make me think about the journey, and I'm so grateful to Mum and Dad. I definitely don't say it enough."
Julianne, who lives with severe, life-threatening food allergies herself, started making her own snacks at 22 out of frustration at the lack of safe, nut-free options on the market.
She has since grown Creative Nature into an established allergen-free food brand, with products stocked by major retailers including Tesco, Sainsbury's, Ocado and SuperValu, as well as being available on selected airlines.
"I am absolutely over the moon to have won this award," said Julianne.
"Creative Nature has always been about something very personal to me. I know what it's like to feel excluded because of food allergies, and I wanted to change that for other people.
"Growing a business is never straightforward, and there have certainly been challenges along the way. So to have Creative Nature recognised by KPMG, alongside so many other brilliant businesses, means a lot."
Alongside the £25,000 prize, Julianne will benefit from a 12-month business acceleration programme, offering specialist support and opportunities to help grow Creative Nature further.
The KPMG Black Entrepreneurs' Awards were established in 2018 to help address barriers facing Black heritage entrepreneurs, particularly around access to funding, business connections and opportunities for growth.
Julianne's latest success follows her recognition as HSBC Customer Champion for the South East earlier this year, which saw her feature in the bank's national small business advertising campaign.
“I’m really looking forward to making the most of the opportunities this award will bring, particularly the support and connections that come with it. There’s still so much I want to achieve with Creative Nature, and I’m excited to see where we can take the business next,” said Julianne.
Creative Nature produces snacks, baking mixes and its Magibles range, all free from the UK's top 14 allergens with a no “may contain” guarantee. The brand is stocked in major retailers including Tesco, Sainsbury's, Ocado and SuperValu, and its products are manufactured to BRC AA standard.
For more information, visit https://creativenaturesuperfoods.co.uk/
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