Business Management student scoops first place in Business Plan Competition

Kiran Dhillon, who set up KR Relocations Group Ltd in August last year, has won first place and an award of £2000 in the University of Leeds 2022 Business Plan Competition awards.

The University’s 2022 Business Plan Competition captured the interest of a record number of aspiring and existing entrepreneurs, including the highest ever number of women entering the competition.

Organised by Spark, the University’s business start-up service, the annual competition awards prizes in two main categories: Pre-trading and Trading up to 24 months, with the winners of each receiving a cash prize of £2,000.  Altogether, the total of prizes awarded this year stands at £10,000.

First place in the trading category was won by Kiran Dhillon, a third-year student studying Business Management at Leeds University Business School. Harkiran set up her business, KR Relocations Group Ltd, in August last year, helping contractors and professionals by providing high quality serviced accommodation in the Leeds area.

“From a young age, I’ve always wanted to be my own boss. The pandemic brought so much disruption, but it also fired the desire to be creative and inspirational, so I thought why not use this time to bring my entrepreneurial ideas to life and set up a new business! 

“With an interest in property and real estate, I had the idea to connect with individuals and organisations that needed to quickly accommodate large numbers of staff for projects across the UK. The prize fund gave me a vital injection of money, so I’ve been able to move my business forwards much faster than planned.”

Kiran’s business was also recently nominated as a finalist in the 'Young Entrepreneur' category in the National Start-Up Awards 2022. Kiran highlighted the importance of having a long term plan to support her ideas:

People think I took a risk setting up a business during Covid-19 and being in the midst of my second-year exams but actually, if you have a long-term vision for the future, these little bumps in the road should not deter you from starting now if you know that one day you will get there anyway, why not get there soon! My favourite quote is "the best time to plant a tree was 25 years ago."

Everybody at the Business School would like to pass on our congratulations to Kiran. Connect with Kiran on Linkedin.