Jevean Barryclough from Leicester College wins national Entrepreneur of the Year award

Jevean Barryclough, a student in the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy (PJEA) at Leicester College, has been crowned Entrepreneur of the Year at the Peter Jones Foundation national awards.

Jevean is in the second year of the Business Enterprise (Peter Jones) BTEC National Foundation Diploma level 3 at Leicester College.

She runs her own ‘Da Goat Clothing’ sustainable clothing brand, championing ‘slow fashion’, ethical practices and re-purposing old clothes into new products. Focused on sustainable practises and unique garments, Da Goat is breaking boundaries in what a fashion brand should be by providing exclusive luxury fashion pieces, with an emphasis on a slow production process and minimising carbon emissions.

As part of the judging, Jevean pitched her business ideas to Peter Jones CBE, Dragon on BBC’s hit series Dragons’ Den, along with a panel of celebrated business figures.

Jevean wins the top prize of £5,000 and will now become a brand ambassador for the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy for the duration of the year-long title. With the £5,000 investment, Jevean aims to launch a unisex fashion collection and propel her design into the mainstream.

Talking about her win, Jevean said:

“I had a good feeling about the award beforehand and it felt right to win. The judging panel believed that I have a different take on clothing which makes my brand unique and stand out.

“The award has provided me with a national platform to elevate and articulate my brand in the way that I want to. I’m delighted to have won and excited to see where the investment will take my business.”

Peter Jones CBE, Chairman of Peter Jones Foundation said: 

“It was fantastic to meet our four finalists in person. I strongly believe that this country needs entrepreneurial young people more than ever, it is this generation that will incite positive social change and push forward the economy for years to come.

“The quality of submissions we’ve received for this year’s award has been outstanding and selecting the winner was a true challenge. The high standard is testament to the depth of entrepreneurial talent that we have across the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy network.”

Beena Ghattoraya, PJEA Programme Lead, Leicester College, stated:

“The first time I spoke to Jevean, I instantly had a feeling she was perfect for the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy course and that she could be a contender for the National Entrepreneur of the Year competition. We first saw her products at the business surgery, she was already trading using Instagram. The staff and students here are a big fan of Jevean’s brand and the brand has been an instant hit here at Leicester College.

“Jevean has passion, compassion and believes in making a difference, she demonstrates the values of the Peter Jones Foundation, and we are so proud of her at the college. She is a role model to all the students. We are very much looking forward to supporting her to scale up the business in the second year. Well done, Jevean!”

The National Entrepreneur of the Year award is the highest achievement available to both year 1 and year 2 PJEA students. The competition was open to students in years 12 or 13 who are studying other courses at a school or college hosting a PJEA.

Run by the Peter Jones Foundation, the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy is a network of schools and colleges that deliver courses in business and entrepreneurship.

Leicester College became a Peter Jones Enterprise Academy in 2012 and the staff has served to champion enterprise education amongst their students. Last year, Leicester College student Cerys Andrew won the title with her business Little Leprechauns, later renamed Cullen Academy.