Winner of Hustle Hub

Marketing Apprentice
Sep 22
4 min read

At Portobello Business Centre (PBC), we’ve had the privilege of supporting countless entrepreneurs as they transform ideas into thriving businesses. This year, at our Ready Set Grow 2025 event, we met Soha a determined entrepreneur whose health and wellness start-up is built directly from her lived experience. Her story reflects what entrepreneurship is all about: seeing a challenge, asking questions and finding innovative ways to create positive change.

From Personal Challenge to Business Idea

Soha’s entrepreneurial journey began long before she stepped onto the Ready Set Grow stage. Like many business owners, she found inspiration through her own life experience.

While navigating health challenges connected to her hormonal cycle, Soha was repeatedly prescribed hormonal pills. But rather than feeling supported, she felt frustrated. The medication didn’t address the root cause of her concerns and it left her questioning why there weren’t more holistic options available. That moment of frustration became a turning point. Instead of accepting the solutions being handed to her, Soha started exploring natural alternatives. What began as research and experimentation soon evolved into the idea for a business: a wellness start-up focused on offering healthier, holistic ways to support wellbeing in the form of a drink for your gut. In Soha’s words, it wasn’t just about creating a product. It was about reshaping how people think about health and giving others the options she wished she had herself.

Standing Out at Ready Set Grow

When Soha joined the Ready Set Grow 2025 event, she was one of many passionate entrepreneurs pitching their ideas to a panel of judges. Each pitch represented hours of preparation, vision and belief in the power of business to create impact. Soha’s presentation stood out. She spoke with clarity, professionalism and determination. The judges praised not only the strength of her business plan, but also the purpose and authenticity behind her idea. This wasn’t just a business concept it was a mission rooted in lived experience.

Her commitment was clear: she wanted to build a business that was sustainable, credible and capable of making a genuine difference.

How the Funding Will Help

From our £5,000 Ready Set Grow grant fund, Soha was awarded:

£750 towards graphic design – to help build a strong, consistent brand identity that reflects her vision and appeals to her target audience.
£220 towards trademark protection – to safeguard her brand as she brings it to market, ensuring she can grow with confidence and protect her intellectual property.

For a business at an early stage, these investments are critical. Strong branding builds trust with customers, while trademark protection ensures long-term sustainability. Together, they give Soha the foundation she needs to move from idea to launch.

As she explains:

“This funding is allowing me to take the next step in my entrepreneurial journey. It’s helping me prepare to bring my business to market and grow into manufacturing and launching. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been having weekly sessions with Greg, whose tailored support has given me clear direction and helped me make confident decisions at this early stage. I always look forward to seeing the team every week. A special thanks to Greg, Hunnie, Sheela and David. I absolutely enjoyed the Ready Set Grow event — it has been so helpful, and I would 100% recommend it to business owners and future entrepreneurs alike.”

The Role of Support and Mentorship

Behind every strong business idea is the guidance and support that helps it grow. For Soha, that support came not just in the form of funding, but also through the mentorship provided by the PBC team. Her weekly sessions with Greg offered tailored advice and practical insights, giving her the confidence to navigate tricky early-stage decisions. Instead of learning through mistakes, she gained clarity and direction from an experienced advisor support that can make all the difference at this critical stage of growth. And it wasn’t just Greg. Soha made a point of thanking Hunnie, Sheela, and David, recognising the value of the entire PBC team. For her, Ready Set Grow wasn’t just a competition. It was a chance to connect with experts, ask questions, and feel part of a supportive community of entrepreneurs.

Why Stories Like Soha’s Matter

Soha’s journey is a powerful reminder of why programmes like Ready Set Grow exist. They are designed not just to provide funding, but to unlock potential. Every entrepreneur faces obstacles whether financial, personal or structural. But with the right combination of resources, mentorship and encouragement, those obstacles can become opportunities.

For Soha, what began as a personal frustration with her own health challenges has now become the seed of a business that could help others facing similar struggles. That’s the power of entrepreneurship: transforming lived experience into solutions that can benefit the wider community. We at Portobello Business Centre are proud to have played a part in her journey so far. And we’re even more excited to see where her passion and vision will take her next.