Barrie stephen named midlands business person of the year 2019

Leicester’s Barrie Stephen named Business Person of the Year in East Midlands Entrepreneurship Awards. Salon owner Barrie Stephen consolidated his status as one of Leicester’s leading business figures after winning the title of Business Person of the Year at the Nachural Entrepreneurship Awards 2019. Barrie Stephen was announced Business Person of the Year in September at the Maher Centre in Leicester in front of 400 guests from the business community, and received his award from category sponsor Lucy Robinson from the East Midlands Chamber of Commerce. Celebrating the ideas, innovation and strategic thinking of business leaders, entrepreneurs, press and investors across the East Midlands, the awards, whose charity partner is the city’s Rainbows Hospice for children, recognised and rewarded the achievements of key individuals and organisations who are excelling in entrepreneurship. Barrie Stephen, who launched his Barrie Stephen Hair business 23 years ago in the village of Anstey in north west Leicestershire, has since grown his start-up into a five-strong salon business including a training academy and barbershop spread across the county. This year he was named the first ever patron for Leicester’s Sir Thomas White Loan Charity, whose monetary support enabled Barrie to launch his own business in 1996, when he transformed an old butcher’s shop in Anstey into his first high-class boutique salon. On Barrie’s win, Ninder Johal, CEO of Nachural says: “Barrie Stephen showed wide-reaching excellence across the board and stood out as a very impressive business leader. Entrepreneurs are action-orientated visionaries, focused, with high attention to detail. Barrie’s level of excellence, results and strength of leadership made him the perfect winner. Barrie Stephen delighted by his win says: “Businesses are like people, they don’t stay the same over the passing of years. They change and need to grow and adapt, just like we do. It’s been a wonderful journey recognising what needs to change and stepping out in risk and making brave decisions. “I’ve learnt so much about having a vision and always intentionally crafting a culture that other people want to be a part of. I’m so proud to receive this accolade and show others that business dreams can grow into something incredible.” Over his two decades in business, Barrie Stephen, has been called on to be a judge at the Leicestershire Business Awards and has picked up numerous awards himself recognising his commercial flair. These have included the ultimate local accolade of the city’s newspaper, the Leicester Mercury’s Business Awards Entrepreneur of the Year, and Niche Magazine’s Leicestershire Businessman of the Year.