Karen Barrett, founder and CEO of Unbiased, has been named Great British Entrepreneur of the Year at the Allica Bank Great British Entrepreneur Awards.
Barrett also secured the Equity-Backed Entrepreneur of the Year award, celebrating her resilience and the significant impact of Unbiased in the financial advice sector.
Now in its 12th year, the awards, sponsored by Allica Bank, are often called the “Grammys for Entrepreneurship” and honour innovators shaping the UK economy’s future.
Barrett expressed her delight, saying, “I’m surprised and honoured. It’s been an incredible journey and I’m proud of what we’ve achieved at Unbiased.”
Francesca James, founder of the awards, highlighted the winners’ influence, stating, “This year’s recipients generate over £3bn in turnover and employ more than 20,000 people. They are transforming industries and inspiring future leaders.”
The recognition underscores Unbiased’s efforts to empower consumers in making informed financial decisions.
In an MM Meets interview with Money Marketing last month, Barrett said there was “clearly room for growth” in the advice sector, adding, “I’d like to see targeted advice become more accessible, especially for those who aren’t served by the market.”
She also revealed that she was inspired to set up Unbiased in 2009 when her second child was born with a heart condition, which led to the family spending several months in hospital.
“It was only then I realised that I hadn’t made any financial plans for such an eventuality,” said Barrett.
“Despite advising others, I hadn’t taken my own planning to heart. And it made me realise that I needed an adviser who wasn’t just someone my parents had used.
“My son is fine now, but that experience gave me the push to go all in with Unbiased. Once you face something so personal, you think, ‘Why not? I’ll find another job if it doesn’t work out.’ It gave me the confidence to pursue it fully.”
Should be renamed completely-biased (to whichever adviser is willing to pay the most to get the lead)
That is simply untrue. I started subscribing about 11 years ago when I went self employed and have had great success. Yes some enquiries can be debatable, but you don’t have to accept them. Having an open mind helps, and sometimes it can take a long time to convert a lead but some of my very good clients have come from this.
Congratulations, Karen! Delighted to see you still carrying the flag! Very best wishes, Laurie