Mountlands International English Language School is sponsoring the Exmouth Business Award for the best young entrepreneur

Annual business awards highlight how Exmouth is ‘not just a seaside town’.

Laura Drake, of Mountlands International English Language School, based in Rolle Street, says Exmouth is also a hive of professional companies.

Mountlands is sponsoring the category which recognises the young entrepreneur of the year, having won business awards themselves in 2015 and 2016.

Laura said the awards bring recognition that there is an array of exciting and hard-working businesses in the town.

She said: “The awards highlight the variety of industries we have in Exmouth and how we’re not just a seaside town - there is an array of professional companies that are great to work with and for.

“We are really looking forward to the awards this year - it’s in a new location [Woodbury Park], so a change of scene - and it’s always great to have a chance to get together with the business community.

“Moreover, it’s a great event to boost team moral and, even though we’re not entering this year the team still get engaged with the evening.”

For the past two years, Mountlands – celebrating its 30th birthday this year - has sponsored the leisure and tourism experience category and have taken on the young entrepreneur for the first time in 2019.

“This award is important to us as this year, we celebrate 30 years of working with junior students and motivating their learning and maximising their confidence,” said Laura.

“Many of our courses now encourage innovative thinking and business for teens, so we are excited to see what bright, young people get shortlisted this year.”

The continued sponsorship of the business awards for Mountlands has given staff the chance to network and Laura believes it is a key reason for the language schools’ success.

She said: “Being part of the event as a whole helps us meet potential suppliers, host families, work experience providers - even though our customers are international, our community and business community is still very important and, we think, one of the main reasons we’ve been able to grow and gain a 70 per cent return booking rate.”