FEW can better understand the hurdles faced both by women entrepreneurs and by new business venturers than Ella Gascoigne, of Knaresborough.

Four years ago, Ella headed up the public relations for London's Crimson Publishing, rubbing shoulders with the likes of Dragon’s Den star Rachel Elnaugh, author of Business Nightmares.

Ella also promoted start-up awards for Crimson Business, a sister company.

But two years ago she was made redundant and moving to Yorkshire, where her family lived, she launched Startup PR.

It was a new venture for new ventures. She knew what it was like to struggle to get off the ground – she even had to sell some of her clothes on eBay to raise the cash for a laptop. So she offered affordable, flexible PR for small ventures.

The niche market became so successful that she had to take on a freelance writer to help out – and now, with ten regular clients, had a first-year take of £30,000.

With turnover set to double by next year, Ella is pitching for both the Young Entrepreneur Of The Year and the Women In Enterprise titles in The Press Business Awards 2010.

She said: “We don’t ask for a retainer fee – start-ups don’t always want or can afford PR every month. We work remotely, meaning clients pay less – we don’t have flash offices and we don’t wine and dine journalists.”

Also supporting her Women In Enterprise submission is her role as co-founder in March of the successful networking organisation, Business Ladies around Harrogate (BlaH).