Reality TV star Lauren Goodger plans to hand out advice to young entrepreneurs.
The 26-year-old, who has appeared on The Only Way is Essex and ran beauty salon Lauren’s Way in Queens Road, Buckhurst Hill, for a year, will help decide which 18 to 30-year-olds get loans of up to £10,000 at a workshop in July.
Despite bouncing back after her salon was targeted by arsonists shortly after it opened, she closed it in February and now concentrates on selling her beauty products in more than 600 salons across the UK.
She said: “Salons are completely different. They’re much more of a headache and hard work, even though it was great.
“There are 15 salons in Queens Road and it can be quiet, although we had really busy days.
“Everyone wants to go to Westfield, but I find the smaller shops more interesting.
“We used to have girls going round in pink curlers, serving champagne and you don’t get that sort of thing at Westfield.”
She said she would advise young entrepreneurs to surround themselves with good staff and do something they enjoy.
The resident of Kingswood Park in Epping said: “Some people think ‘what will earn me money?’ but you have to enjoy doing it.
“You spend a lot of time working.”
The business workshop, which is due to take place on July 6 at a venue yet to be announced, is being organised by the London-based group Rockstar Youth, which works with the government’s Startup Loans scheme.
The group’s founder, Jonathan Pfahl, said: “Our aim is to teach young people to sell their ideas using cost-effective marketing.
“It’s fantastic to welcome Lauren as an Essex businesswoman.”
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