TWO years after being forced to sell her car to fund mortgage payments, a North-East businesswoman runs a flourishing financial support service that is aiming to win a competition run by the Entrepreneurs’ Forum.

During the depths of the recession, Cathi Harrison, 28, from Darlington, made the bold decision to quit a wellpaid job and establish financial advisory service Para- Sols.

By the end of this year, she expects to head a team of four as the business gears up for a further expansion.

The firm offers a paraplanning service for companies who want to out-source complex financial work and report writing rather than pay for a full-time member of staff.

Ms Harrison said: “I have always lived in Darlington and was the first person in my family to go to college and then to university.

“At the same time as setting up the business, I continued with my studies and last year became one of the youngest people to achieve the Chartered Financial Planner status in the UK.

“This has been hugely helpful in overcoming another challenge of asserting myself and my professionalism in a predominately male industry.”

Ms Harrison and Gill Walker, from Patchwork People, a community interest company, are going head-to-head to be crowned winner of the If We Can, You Can Challenge, which celebrates emerging businesses in the region.

Readers can find more information about the finalists by visiting their profiles and blog pages on the Challenge website before the winner is unveiled on June 19.

More than 200 votes have been received in the past few days. Readers can cast their vote by texting Vote followed by the name of your chosen finalist to 07624-803199.

Texts will be charged at normal network rates. Alternatively, people can vote at ifwecanyoucan.co.uk/challenge by clicking vote on the profile of the person you want to win.