A top businesswoman who rubbed shoulders with Alan Sugar in the final of The Apprentice has told Uttoxeter entrepreneurs they can "achieve anything."
Michaela Wain, who was one of the top three contestants on last year's series of the BBC show, passed on nuggets of wisdom to delegates at the Let's Do Business networking event.
Addressing an audience of 800 people at Uttoxeter Racecourse, she revealed the mental attitude that has seen her construction magazine, Design & Build UK, gain a readership of 150,000 tradesmen.
She said: "The one piece of advice I would give to anyone in business is, remember the reasons you started your company in the first place and the confidence you had.
"At some point you believed in yourself so much that you invested time and money and left careers to start this.
"That confidence should never waver. Remain realistic and positive, work harder than you ever have and you can make a success of anything."
The annual event saw organisers welcome businesses from across Staffordshire.
They were given a valuable opportunity to network, form partnerships and raise their business profile.
Among those represented were legal professionals, construction workers, education experts, creative industries and charities.
Chris Plant, director at the regional Chamber of Commerce, which organised the event, said: "Let’s Do Business is the highlight of the business calendar for Staffordshire and this year’s exhibition did not disappoint.
"It is always fantastic to see businesses networking, forming new partnerships and relationships and helping each other to develop and grow.
"Businesses that come to these sorts of exhibitions are always sure to come away with contacts and new, potentially, fruitful prospects.
"I’m pleased to say that the event did indeed prove fruitful for a number of businesses this year, and I am looking forward to how connections made here today, will materialise for businesses in Staffordshire."
