A Colne writer and marketing professional has been recognised as one of Pendle's brightest new business talents after winning the Rising Star Award at this year's Pendle Business Awards.

Lolli Molyneux, founder of Lolli Writes, picked up the accolade after reaching the final of the category, which celebrates emerging businesses making their mark in the borough.

The awards, organised by Pendle Connects founder Rachel Kay and hosted at Fence Gate, brought together businesses from across Pendle to celebrate success in 14 categories, including Apprentice of the Year, Family Business, Innovation, Retailer and Not-for-Profit. Finalists, sponsors and guests enjoyed a gala evening featuring a three-course meal, live entertainment and an awards ceremony recognising the achievements of local firms.

Lolli launched Lolli Writes in early 2025 after being made redundant from an in-house marketing role, turning an unexpected setback into the opportunity to build her own business.

Lolli Molyneux attended Pendle Business Awards last week representing her fledgling business, Lolli Writes, as a finalist in the Rising Star category, and came away with the trophy

placeholder image — Lolli Molyneux attended Pendle Business Awards last week representing her fledgling business, Lolli Writes, as a finalist in the Rising Star category, and came away with the trophy

She said: "It wasn't the ideal circumstance to launch under, as I'd just bought a house and was also saving for my wedding at the time, but I figured there would never be a 'right' time to launch, so I decided just to go for it.

"It's been a really challenging 18 months since I first went self-employed, with some very long days, late nights and difficult lessons, but I've put in a lot of effort to make sure I'm building a sustainable business.

"As much as that's been my focus, I've also had to do a lot of work on myself, as the switch from copywriter to business owner didn't exactly come naturally to me. To have all of that hard work recognised at such an early stage of my journey is something I'm incredibly proud of."

Lolli admitted she had not expected to win the award.

“It was a big surprise to find out I was a finalist, as I know the competition was tough, so to have come away with the win has truly blown my mind,” she said.

“It's also helped me to develop a bit more confidence in myself, as I'm the worst for letting my self-doubt get the better of me. Now any time my inner voice is trying to convince me I'm not good enough, I can look up at the trophy on my shelf and the winner's certificate on the wall of my home office and tell my inner voice, with confidence, to be quiet.”

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The Rising Star Award was sponsored by East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce and presented by Sarah Dean.

Through Lolli Writes, Lolli provides copywriting, editing, proofreading and marketing support for businesses and organisations across a range of sectors, helping clients develop clear messaging and effective marketing campaigns.

Alongside running her business, she volunteers as Press and Marketing Officer for Colne Blues Society and is studying part-time for a PhD at the University of Leeds. She has also recently launched Lolli Edits, offering editorial support to independent authors preparing manuscripts for publication.