Abubacker launched Pitchwell from her two-bedroom flat in 2004, trialling her new “product demonstration” programmes on seven shopping channels, as well as UK Gold and Sky Sports. She thought it would take three years to launch her own channel – but with £1.6m sales in Y1, she decided to take the plunge. “Shopping is regarded as very ‘female’ but believe me, the industry is seriously male dominated,” she says. “Not only was I the youngest person to launch my own shopping channel in the UK but I was also an Asian woman. I had pulled in profits of £160k but the banks still refused to fund me because I didn’t have enough experience of running a business. I was turned down two or three times. Eventually, I was backed by pub and packaging entrepreneur Peter Shalson.” Abubacker has built Pitchwell into an £8.5m-turnover business. "I don’t think the pushy, gimmicky feel of a US-style infomercial works over here, so we use real demonstrators instead of TV presenters to give the slots a natural feel." At last night’s glittering Asian Women of Achievement event, the judges praised Abubacker for “ticking all the right boxes”: "This is a business that will continue to grow fast," they said. Model and businesswoman Elizabeth Hurley took to the stage to present the Entrepreneur of the Year award. “I’m scared of all the contenders for this category,” said Hugh Grant’s former squeeze. “What a formidable bunch of women!” Speaking to Real Business after collecting her trophy, Abubacker paid tribute to her parents: “They arrived here from Kerala, India, in the sixties and had to work twice as hard to get ahead. My father had two jobs, working in a factory and as a cleaner. As far as my parents were concerned, there was no such thing as a ‘nine-to-five’. They instilled in my five older brothers and me a great work ethic. “So this one is for my folks.”Related articles:When Cherie Blair met Sarah BrownPerfect Pitch
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.