Her Biz January 2025 Winner
Owner of Petzania wins £500 to jumpstart her business from the NatWest funded Her Biz Start Up Business workshops.
Offering premium pet toys and healthy treats, Petzania, founded by Laura Boreham, is a business based in Kent that has, since day one, focused on more than profits. With a pledge to donate a portion of profits to pet charities, including a highlighted annual charity partner, Laura created her own business which puts purpose at the heart of its mission.
Laura won £500 towards her start-up costs for Petzania after taking part in the NatWest funded Her Biz start-up workshop programme in January and February 2025, and submitting her winning business plan to the following optional competition, which is open to all participants.
The Her Biz programme, which is delivered by Let’s Do Business Group and supported by NatWest bank, consists of 4 x 2-hour workshops over 4 weeks, and aims to increase entrepreneurship by breaking down the barriers between women and starting or growing a business. Delivered virtually over Zoom by our expert business coach, the programme has been a long running success since it launched over 5 years ago.
What is Petzania?
Founded by Laura Boreham who brings over 18 years of experience in retail, sales, and business operations, Petzania plans to offer a thoughtfully curated selection of high-quality toys, treats, and pet care essentials. More than just an online shop, it will serve as a community-focused platform, designed to support pet owners, promote responsible pet care, and give back to animals in need.
The business was born out of Laura’s love of animals and her vision for a one-stop-shop that delivers both convenience and care. From sourcing natural, ethically produced products, to connecting pet owners with trusted local service providers, it puts pets’ wellbeing at the heart of everything it does, with a core mission to make life better for pets and the people who love them.
Laura’s plans for the business are for customers to be able to shop online for premium pet supplies, sign-up for flexible subscription treat boxes, and access a pet services directory of groomers, trainers, and other professionals.
“At Petzania, we are dedicated to being your one-stop shop for all things pets, where every pet’s happiness matters. We strive to provide high-quality toys, treats, and care products that enhance the lives of pets and their owners. Our commitment extends beyond our products; we aim to foster a community that supports pet welfare and gives back to pets in need.”
Built on the foundation of giving back to the community, Laura plans to donate a portion of all profits to various pet-related charities, focusing on supporting pets in need.
The store (which will be launching this year), will be offering products such as:
Premium Pet Toys – both fun and durable,
Healthy Treats – natural and delicious,
Pet Care Essentials – everything your pet could need,
Monthly Subscription Boxes – tailored to your pet,
Professional Pet Supplies – for groomers and trainers.
Laura also plans to launch informative blogs on the site to further her goals of educating and engaging with the wider pet-loving community!
Finding the Her Biz programme
Laura was referred to the Her Biz Women’s Start Up Programme via our Business Manager, Chris Lyle, who is based at The Business Terrace in Maidstone. Laura joined the Her Biz Workshop to gain some clarity on the practicalities of starting her own business, and how she could set about making her ideas for Petzania a success.
The Her Biz Women’s Start Up Business Workshops, delivered through 4 x 2-hour sessions, covers everything from sales, marketing, finance, and business planning; and from this, Laura was able to create her plan of making Petzania official, and how she could turn her hobby into a full-time business. After completing the series of workshops, Laura submitted her business plan to the subsequent competition, which is open to all attendees, and won the £500 prize towards her start-up costs.
“Taking part in the Her Biz workshop, run by Lisa Young, was a transformative experience for me as I worked on starting my business and putting my business plan together. The incredible support I received from Chris Lyle prior to the workshop gave me the confidence to take this step, and Lisa Young’s guidance during and after the sessions was invaluable. The workshop not only equipped me with the tools and knowledge I needed to get started but also gave me the confidence to believe in my vision. Winning the £500 competition was the icing on the cake, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to be part of such an empowering programme.”
Having completed the Her Biz programme with a renewed motivation for moving Petzania forward, Laura has also been successful in applying for a £5,000 Start Up Loan through Let’s Do Business Group’s finance arm – Let’s Do Business Finance. Let’s Do Business Finance are Official Business Support Partners of the Start Up Loan Company and can support businesses with Start Up Loans of up to £25,000, if they meet the eligibility criteria of the scheme. The Start Up Loan will be used to fund stock which will be stored at a fulfilment centre where it will also be picked, packed and have the products delivered to her customers. For the remaining funds, it will be used to support marketing campaigns, helping to broaden Petzania’s customer reach.
“It was a pleasure having Laura take part in Her Biz, it was clear from the beginning that she had already put in a lot of time and effort to move forward with her business “Petzania” and taking part in the workshops helped to clarify that she had a very viable business idea and was ready to move forward quickly. I look forward to seeing the website when it launches soon.”
All the team at Let’s Do Business Group wish Laura and Petzania the best of luck!
Do you have an idea or hobby that you want to turn into a business? We run workshop programmes throughout the year to help aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners to learn the skills to create a successful business. Interested? See our upcoming events