A businesswoman has featured in an international online conference to share her inspirational success story.

With two expanding Sussex-based businesses, Aneela Rose, from Burgess Hill, was chosen as the South East England female entrepreneur to join the conference by the Department of Trade and Industry promoting women's enterprise last week.

Ms Rose owns the AneelaRose Boutique in The Lanes, Brighton, selling unique embroidered garments and accessories from the far east and the Indian sub-continent.

In 2003 the boutique was nominated by HSBC and Sky News as one of the UK's top start-up companies and has a clientele that includes newscasters Natasha Kaplinsky and Carol Barnes.

Ms Rose also owns and manages an expanding Burgess Hill-based consultancy that provides PR, marketing, design and events services to companies across the South.

Aneela answered questions from women all around the world during her 40-minute slot.

She said: "I've met some fantastic people who have great business ideas and I hope that by telling my story, including hardships and achievements, this proves useful to others.

"Sussex is a buzzing county and it has proven to be the perfect location to establish and grow my businesses.

"A lot of people want to leave the rat race and hopefully they will be inspired by people like me who have done just that."

July 1, 2005