About
FLARE
FLARE is an exciting new initiative designed to empower and spotlight female entrepreneurs and aspiring business leaders in the Channel Islands.
FLARE is for you, whether you're just starting with a new idea or already running an established business and looking to grow. It provides ambitious women with the tools, expertise, and exposure they need to succeed.
Empowering women.
Elevating business.
Enriching our community.
Who can apply?
We're looking for passionate, committed women with a clear vision for their venture.
A woman with a new business idea ready to be launched.
A female founder in the early stages of a business.
A woman running an established business who wants to scale, diversify, or strengthen her brand.
All applicants must be based in the Channel Islands and be over 18.
WIN £20,000 of marketing support
ACCESS to expert mentoring
FREE editorial on your business
Why take part?
Being part of FLARE offers a wealth of benefits designed to support and accelerate your business journey...
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Business consultancy & marketing support: Selected applicants will receive tailored business advice and guidance on branding and marketing to strengthen their business proposition.
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Expert mentoring: Selected applicants have the opportunity to work one-on-one with experienced business mentors who will help you refine your vision and strategy for growth.
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Island-wide media exposure: Every applicant will be featured in a special International Women's Day FLARE supplement on 8 March 2026. This extensive coverage will help you connect with potential customers, collaborators, and investors.
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Podcast series: Selected applicants will be featured in a FLARE podcast series, another platform to share your story and expertise.
The Grand Prize:
£20,000 in Marketing Support!
The winner of the inaugural FLARE initiative will receive a grand prize designed to dramatically accelerate their business growth: £20,000 in marketing support from All Island Media in 2026.
This is a strategic partnership that will provide the winning business with professional and comprehensive marketing services to help you reach new customers, expand your brand, and achieve your goals throughout the year.
How will the winning business be chosen?
A cross-industry panel of experts will judge the winning business based on a set of criteria that goes beyond just financial success. This will be a business that not only demonstrates strong performance but also embodies the spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation that FLARE represents.
1. Entrepreneurial vision and innovation
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Clarity of vision: The applicant must have a clear, compelling vision for their business and a well-defined strategy for how they plan to achieve it.
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Originality and uniqueness: The business should demonstrate a unique selling proposition (USP) or a novel approach to a problem. This could be in their product, service, business model, or market approach.
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Adaptability and resilience: The judges will want to see how the entrepreneur has overcome challenges, adapted to market changes, and demonstrated the resilience required for long-term success.
2. Business performance and scalability
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Growth potential: The business must have a clear plan for growth and be able to demonstrate its scalability—the potential to expand and increase revenue without a proportional increase in costs.
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Financial viability: The judges will review the business's financial performance, including its growth trajectory, profitability, and future financial projections.
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Market understanding: The applicant should show a deep understanding of their target market, their competitors, and the opportunities available to them.
3. Community impact and leadership
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Positive impact: The business should be able to demonstrate a positive impact on the local community, whether through job creation, charitable work, or sustainable practices.
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Leadership and Team: The judges will assess the entrepreneur's leadership qualities and their ability to build and inspire a strong, effective team.
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Inspirational story: The judges will be looking for a compelling narrative that showcases the entrepreneur's journey, passion, and ability to inspire others. The story should be relatable and demonstrate the "why" behind their business.
4. Strategic use of the prize
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Clear Plan for the £20,000 Prize: The judges will want to know how the winning business would strategically use the £20,000 in marketing support from All Island Media.
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Demonstrated need: The applicant should articulate how this specific prize would be a game-changer for their business, enabling them to achieve goals that would otherwise be out of reach.
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Alignment with goals: The proposed use of the prize should directly align with the business's strategic objectives for 2026, showing that the company has a clear plan for leveraging the support to maximise its impact
Timeline
8 October 2025 – FLARE LAUNCH and applications open!
8 January 2026 – Applications close
Mid January – Review of applications, pitches, shortlist, mentor matching and consultancy
February 2026 – Podcast episodes recorded, featuring key sponsors
8 March 2026 – International Women’s Day supplement published, featuring all sponsors, applicants and highlighting winner
Post supplement stories profiled across All Island Media channels, including follow-up with sponsors