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 Finalist: Sam Willoughby
Number of Children & their ages: Alice aged 5
Business Name: What’s On 4
Business website: www.whatson4.com
Follow Sam on twitter: @samwilloughby
When did you start up in business, and what was your motivation?
I had to make my own flexible career as my then employer had absolutely no interest in helping me achieve one. Our first website whats on 4 little ones went live in March 2006 when my daughter was 18 months old.
In a nutshell, what do you do and what makes your business unique?
We provide a quick, simply search for parents to find what they are looking for with all the information they need when they do. We take time to populate each area fully so will build a comprehensive directory for each website.
 What has been your biggest business achievement?
Winning 3 business awards including Practical Parenting magazines Business Parent of the Year, and being a finalist in many other awards. I never expected my idea to gain this sort of recognition!
What stage is your business at now & what are your plans for the future?
4 years on we’ve learnt a lot an expanded rapidly within our own means. The next step is secure financing to really hit the big time.
How do you manage to juggle your business with family life? Has it been challenging?
Yes, because trying to do anything is a challenge with young children, and on the other hand No because it’s been a darn sight better that it would have been if I’d return to a very unfamily friendly employer and tried to do it!
What resources do you NOT have now that might make your life easier?
I think everyone would say more money to this question! But other than that not a lot now as I’ve either learnt or brought in the skills and experience over the past 4 years.
You were a runner up in the 2009 PR Challenge, what did you do to generate so much media coverage for your business?
At the heart of it it’s being absolutely committed, passionate and unfazed by what you do and getting that enthusiaum across to anyone that will listen.
When doing your own PR, what resources did you use to get you started, and still use today?
Start with your local media, build a relationship with them and play on the local angle.
How much did you spend last year on promoting your business?
On PR, about £2k, now a mix of our own PR and using a small agency.
What do you feel is the most important aspect to doing your own PR?
You know your business better than anyone else and it gives you absolute control over your message and who it goes too.
Do you have any special PR tips to pass on to the 2010 entrants?
Use every and all opportunities to tell people about your business as you never know who they might know or who might be listening in. Use your facebook and twitter networks to announce everything for the same reasons.
And take every opportunity offered, now is not the time to be a shrinking violet. Be a one-woman PR machine!
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