A TENBURY Wells businessman has been appointed ‘Entrepreneur in Residence’ at Worcester University.

John King, who lives at Sutton, is a business trouble-shooter and mentor and he is going to help and mentor budding new entrepreneurs currently studying at the university.

The University’s Business School has created an Entrepreneurs in Residence scheme, which brings local entrepreneur together with students over a three-year period.

John said the appointment as a fantastic opportunity to interact with the students, giving help, advice, encouragement and mentorship. Self-employment or starting one’s own business is the fastest growing part of our economy and a major employer.

According to Government figures, in 2015 there were 5.4 million private sector businesses in the UK and 99% of these are small-medium sized businesses with 0-259 employees, employing some 15.6 million people.

There are 4.4 million businesses which employ no people at all other than the owners.

John has more than 40 years experience setting up new businesses and currently is a director of four different businesses. He is also mentoring five other businesses and is a mentor for the charity ‘Young Enterprise’.

Even with all this going on, he is on the verge of initiating another new business venture.