Graduate scoops Leeds Met Business of the Year award

Entrepreneur John Macleod, aged 23, launched Leeds-based direct marketing service Post Runner with fellow alumnus, John Tetik, 25, after noticing a gap in the market for such work to be carried out in a supervised, professional and motivated manner. Now in their second year of business, Post Runner has been named Business of the Year and John Macleod was last night (Wednesday 27 February) presented with a £1,500 prize at a Leeds Enterprise Network event held at Old Broadcasting Place at Leeds Met's City Campus.

John graduated with a BSc (Hons) Sports Coaching degree in 2010 and launched Post Runner via Leeds Metropolitan's Business Start-Up and the University's QU2 business centre. Post Runner's clients include Northern Ballet, the Leeds Grand Theatre and international fast food giant Subway.

John commented: "It is a real honour to win this award. Since graduating and establishing Post Runner we have achieved so much as a business with the support of Leeds Met, Business Start-Up and QU2. Despite the current economic climate our business is growing and going from strength to strength."

Mark Taylor, Leeds Met Business Start-Up Advisor, added: "John really impressed the judging panel with his progress so far. Not only does he combine a commercially successful business with a social ethic he demonstrated clear plans for growth and we can't wait to see how Post Runner develops."

Meanwhile Leeds Metropolitan Music Production undergraduates, Ben Milnes and Craig Harbour, from Project Static, fought off tough competition and won the Business Concept category and a £1,500 prize. Their business will create audio for video games and other media such as television, movies and radio.

Leeds Metropolitan University offers two business support services: Business Start-Up, which supports students and graduates of Leeds Metropolitan who want to become self-employed or start up in business; and QU2, which offers business support and office space to any business in the region, particularly suiting start-up and early stage businesses with limited budgets.

QU2 and Business Start-Up both provide training and advice on the main aspects of starting and growing a small business including: sales, marketing, legal concerns, accountancy and finance, online marketing and human resources. Clients can also access one-to-one advice from in-house business advisors.