Business Start Up Award 

Sponsored by GKN Aerospace

About this Award…

An award to honour an individual or group of individuals linked with the Armed Forces Community who have started a successful new business venture within the last two years (since January 1^st, 2019) and who still retain a minimum of 50% interest in the venture.

The judges will be looking for evidence of:

• An engaging story behind the business, the identified needs and quantified demands for the product or
• What start-up challenges (both business and personal) have been faced and how they have been overcome.
• A current and ongoing viable commercial business model; the provision of excellent customer service and value.
• Lessons and skills taken from military service that have been translated to the business world and what makes this nomination special.

This award is suitable for a person, group or team.

Meet our 2020 Winner!

Tribal Tracks Ltd

Tribal Tracks is an adventure travel company that organises inspirational, socially and culturally responsible adventures to provide teams with incredible opportunities.  Its founder, Charlie Richards, is an ex-Army officer in the Royal Logistic Corps who wanted to use her skills in the travel industry to provide people with amazing experiences across the globe.

With her partner Gaynor, they help charities to maximise their fundraising targets by providing a simple and financially risk-free way of raising money.  As well as these charities, Tribal Tracks’ customers include SME corporate clients looking to invest in the well-being of their staff. These adventurers have opportunities to conquer amazing mountains and deserts, or trek through a remote jungle.

Kicking off in May 2018 with two trips and seven destinations, the business increased to five trips and 11 destinations in 2019, and they have super plans in place for when the current situation changes and travel is back on the agenda. At the time of writing, they were providing challenges for BLESMA and Support Our Paras. Earlier this year a team from Walking With The Wounded successfully completed a 100km trek across the Sahara Desert and raised £18,000; in 2020 they are heading to Jordan to take on the Wadi Rum challenge. In September 2019 ABF The Soldiers’ Charity all successfully reached the summit of Mount Toubkal, Morocco raising £20k for the charity and their next challenge will be in the Sahara Desert!

Charlie Richards and Gaynor Hall from of Tribal Tracks said: “We are always looking for new destinations where we can travel responsibly. I think what’s really rewarding is that we are working with so many military charities helping them to raise funds as well. Thank you.”

Previous Winners:

2019 – Network Training Partnership

2018 – Doddl