Business woman celebrated in city

A Telford business woman has been celebrated at an International Women’s Day event at the House of Lords.

Jeevan Punj, owner of Elite Hampers, was spotlighted at a special event to celebrate her success as a business founder.

Jeevan, whose award-winning gifting business was launched in 2021, was one of 100 female entrepreneurs from across the UK selected for Small Business Britain’s annual #iAlso100 - a line-up of 2025’s most inspirational female entrepreneurs.

A part of Small Business Britain’s f:Entrepreneur campaign, the #iAlso100 champions the powerful impact of female business owners to the UK economy, communities and society. 

Jeevan was named as one of ƒ:Entrepreneur’s #iAlso100 this year in recognition of her impressive entrepreneurial journey, including running her business alongside a host of other responsibilities.

Last year Jeevan won the prestigious Woman Who Award and was a finalist in the National Business Women’s Awards. She works as a locum optician in her local community and has been a volunteer for the Federation of Small Businesses since January 2023.

Jeevan said: “I was thrilled to be invited to the House of Lords and be in the presence of some very brilliant women in business. There was plenty of time to network and I have made some good friends through this campaign. It was lovely to see so many diverse businesswomen in once space, enjoying the event and celebrating each other’s successes."

The special event brought together hundreds of female business owners from across the UK to showcase their powerful economic contribution and the transformative, positive impact that entrepreneurship can have on women.

Recent research from Small Business Britain, in partnership with Starling Bank, found that 80% of women feel more confident in their abilities after launching their business, with 87% feeling happier.

Jeevan enjoyed afternoon tea and networking in Westminster, meeting other founders from across the country, as well as special guests, which included representatives from across Government and the King’s Trust.

Speeches on the importance of International Women’s Day for female entrepreneurs were delivered by Michelle Ovens CBE, founder of Small Business Britain; Maria Vidler, chief customer officer at Starling Bank; Emma Heal, managing director of Lucky Saint; and entrepreneur Jessamine Hislop, founder of Little Pickles Markets who features in this year’s #iAlso100 campaign.

“The drive and determination of women-led businesses across the UK is nothing short of remarkable. Despite the entrepreneurial load of running a business, women are demonstrably happier and more confident for taking on that challenge and making a huge impact through their businesses,” said Michelle Ovens. 

“Through the f:Entrepreneur campaign, we want to foster this confidence and creativity to boost women’s successes this year and beyond, which will drive so much growth and recovery for the UK as a whole. It was great to have amazing women like Jeevan join us for the day to recognize their value and impact on entrepreneurship.”

Delivered by Small Business Britain - the leading champion of small businesses in the UK, the f:Entrepreneur campaign highlights the stories of amazing female business owners and helps provide inspiration and role models across the wider small business community. It also offers a range of events, training, and networking opportunities to boost skills, confidence, and growth for female founders across the country.