TURNING a hobby into a business has seen designer Julie Dodsworth supply a range of more than 500 products to more than 2000 stores across more than 20 countries.

With a passion and perseverance for her business, and the help of her family in growing it further, Julie is vying for a chance to win the Business Personality of the Year and the Family Business of the Year crowns.

It wasn’t until seven years ago, when she turned 50, that Julie decided to do more with her weekend hobby of painting her narrowboat with flowers and leaves.

She reproduced her designs and approached major leading British and European manufacturers with a view to being produced under licence. After over a year of cold calls and waiting unattended to in receptions, Julie got her first big break with Irish textile manufacture McCaw Allan. Churchill china, which licences Jamie Oliver, followed and over the next three year Juile found herself working with more than 25 British factories.

She hit upon the world stage when she signed with global giant Barbour clothing, which took her brand to worldwide audience with a collection of jackets , dresses and shirts all in Julie’s signature designs.

Each signing as opened new production lines in each factory, creating new British and European jobs not just in the factory but in all areas of delivery and supply chain through to retail.

After established a home and gift brand, Julie welcomed her daughter Beth to the business. An eshop was born, and a trade counter managed by Beth, where the products could be sold to other retailers, was launched in 2015.

Julie said: “The going at first was very tough. With no commercial training we were up against known celebrities and notable artists in the licensing world.

“One receptionist told me it was as though I was trying to get the leading role in a west end show by only singing on the street corner.

“But we used our northern, homely approach to our advantage and told possible licensees that it was our ordinariness that was the extraordinary part of our story.”

The designs have survived the usual three year trend window and seem to gather more collectors every year. With more than 26000 followers on social media, the team has now established itself has a recognised name in homeware and gifts.