TBE Awards

TBE Awards judge | Michelle Pow

July 2, 2024 Ben Carey

4 min read

This year’s inaugural TBE Awards take place in September and will recognise outstanding contributions to our business community. In order to give fair and equal consideration to every nomination, we have assembled a team of judges drawn from various disciplines.

Michelle Pow from the University of Bath’s School of Management is one of the judges who will be using her wide-ranging experience to help decide who are the worthy winners this year.

We caught up with her for a chat about her background and experience, and her thoughts on the TBE Awards.

What has your career path looked like so far?

Before joining the University in 2017, I worked in the outdoor play sector, predominantly as an Outdoor Grounds Consultant for Playforce. The company when I started had just nine employees and a turnover of around £1 million and developed into a multi-million-pound business over the 10 years I was there.

Being a part of that growth (and experiencing some challenging times along the way) I learnt a lot about scaling a business and the importance of maintaining company culture. The play industry was a lot of fun but in 2017 I spotted a Placements Officer role at the University of Bath and I knew I had something to offer young and aspiring professionals and entrepreneurs.

Fast-forward seven years, I’ve supported over 1,000 students to find placements, providing one-to-one coaching and a professional development programme covering all areas from how to write a CV and presentation skills to industry-led insights. Today, my role within the School of Management is to build partnerships with organisations, both domestically and internationally. This supports talent management, lifelong learning and business services such as consultancy and Knowledge Transfer Partnerships.

Outside of work I’m mum to three teenagers and can usually be found ferrying them to various activities. I’ve carved out time for myself by attending 6.30am gym classes every weekday and have recently started a contemporary pop dance class, which is a lot of fun!

Why did you agree to be a judge on the panel? How will your professional experience help you in the judging process?

I’m intrigued to learn about the businesses on our doorstep, so I didn’t take much convincing. I’m pretty adept at reviewing applications, albeit job applications, but the process is similar. More recently I’ve been a panellist for the Santander Entrepreneur Grant within the University, which presented the opportunity to listen, assess and review business pitches from students.

Why are these regional awards important for the business community and why should businesses enter?

It’s super easy to become lost in your business bubble, but the beauty of these awards is that they bridge businesses of all sizes, shapes and industries, giving them an opportunity to shine a light on what they bring to the region. In addition to that, it’s a fantastic way to recognise and celebrate the efforts of your team.

What are you hoping to see from the award applications? Are there any specific criteria you will be looking out for?

As with job applications, it’s easy to write what you’ve done. The trick, as I’ve said to many students, is to demonstrate what you’ve done differently to others and how you’ve added value. How have you diversified to tackle challenging times? What did your leader do that made such a big difference to the dynamics of your team? Providing evidence will make this infinitely easier for the judges!

As the University of Bath is sponsoring the Rising Star Award, what does this category mean to you?

As a region, we have a responsibility to support young and inspiring talent. So an award which shines a light on the next generation of superstars is incredibly exciting. I can’t wait to see who’s been entered.

What are your thoughts in general on the business community brought together by The Business Exchange?

Anita and the team are fabulous connectors of people. They understand the importance of networks and are passionate about supporting the local business ecosystem.