Sherrilynne Starkie is a Canadian who moved to the Island in December with her husband who is in the space industry.

Her company, Strive Public Relations Limited, will concentrate on providing PR, marketing and communications services to software and IT companies. Mrs Starkie has more than 15 years' experience of PR in the US, UK and Canada.

She has lived and worked in Montreal, Washington DC and London.

Strive is a virtual organisation that uses a team of 11 consultants spread across the US, Canada, UK and Europe. Ms Starkie works from her home in Woodbourne Square, Douglas and says the virtual business model is the ideal way to run this type of business.

She said: 'Being virtual allows Strive to give our clients the most innovative, effective services available thanks to the latest technology and the strength and depth of our team. The Island's technology sector can trust us to understand their businesses and markets and to help them achieve their goals.'

Mrs Starkie says she won't be competing with existing PR firms in the Island, as she has an international focus. She believes she can offer a local alternative to expensive London agencies.

She said: 'I don't really know enough about the local players, but there is no one in the Island that does what I do. From the feedback I have been getting there is nobody in the Island that can help these companies access the UK and global markets. They will (at present] instruct a London-based PR agency. I can keep it in the Island and, because it's a virtual company, we offer a lot of value for money. Top quality consultancy without London prices.'

She said many Manx firms had developed very sophisticated products and now needed a route to sell them into the UK and US markets and beyond.

'Public relations in the US is completely different from in the UK, including customs and social mechanisms. If an Island company wants to market into New York, I can involve one of my US consultants,' she said.