Judges at the Business Champion Awards were so impressed with the achievements of Wiltshire entrepreneur Alfie Jones that they found themselves creating a whole new category in order to be able to recognise his achievements.
After being named Young Entrepreneur of the Year at the Federation of Small Businesses South West Small Business Awards in 2022, Alfie was nominated for the national award.
At a glittering ceremony at London’s East Wintergarden in Canary Wharf – hosted by BBC News at Ten anchor Huw Edwards – Alfie was crowned Young Entrepreneur of the Year (Under 20).
The Young Entrepreneur category is open to business owners under 35 but category judge Shoaib Ahmed, founder of Yello Hippo, admitted: “Alfie was so good that we created a second category because we wanted to recognise his talents as a young entrepreneur.
“Being so young and starting a business, and has scaled it and shown entrepreneurial spirit, has been incredible to see.”
Alfie said: “Being 19 in an under 35s category I was a small fish in a big pond, and for them to create a new category just for me meant the world.
“This award will show my prospective customers that I’m not just a 19-year-old boy trying to make a living, I’m actually trying to do something proper.”
Alfie launched The Backyard Barber at the age of 16 when his school was locked down due to Covid restrictions. He literally got on his bike to deliver gardening services to businesses and neighbours in Royal Wootton Bassett.
He then left Royal Wootton Bassett Academy’s sixth form in 2021, at the beginning of his final year, to concentrate on growing his business – expanding his services to include a landscaping division and creating six jobs.
And in 2022 he bought the business Party Tents Rocks, which had been dormant since Covid, which supplies tents for social gatherings with speakers, lighting, smoke machines, heating, and even a bar
