Wales YFC News

Last year, a brand new competition was launched in partnership with Rural Advisors. A member of Wales YFC would have the chance of winning £1000 worth of business support to help them turn their rural business idea into reality. At the 2024 Royal Welsh Show, Leah Meirion Davies from Clwyd was awarded first place and has since been working closely with the team at Rural Advisors to help launch her new business. We caught up with Leah to hear all about the last 9 months…

Taking part in the Rural Business Innovation Competition has been a great opportunity—not just to develop a business idea, but to really explore its potential with the right kind of support.

Working with the Rural Advisor team has been one of the most valuable parts of the journey. Having someone to bounce ideas off made the whole process feel less overwhelming and a lot more focused. The brainstorming sessions helped take vague concepts and turn them into something much more tangible.

Beyond idea development, the support also helped build confidence. It’s easy to second-guess yourself when you’re working on something new, but having the Rural Advisor team involved meant there was someone in my corner—offering encouragement, asking the right questions, and helping me think things through clearly.

One of the biggest benefits has been the sense of accountability. When you’re working solo, it’s easy to let ideas drift, but regular check-ins helped keep momentum going. Knowing that someone was there to help track progress and troubleshoot roadblocks really made a difference in keeping the project on course. Even if it has been a much bigger project than I ever anticipated it to be.

Overall, the Rural Advisor support has been a huge part of moving the idea forward—and I’d absolutely recommend the experience to anyone thinking about entering the competition or developing a business idea.