Three years ago Leila Wilcox became a household name.

The 25-year-old from Stonesfield won the TV reality show Make Me A Million with her idea to set up a company offering a range of shampoos and body washes for children that contain no harmful chemicals.

It had been inspired by her 18-month-old son Troy who suffered from eczema. Helped by millionaire Ivan Massow, she grasped the opportunity of running her own business with both hands and soon her company Haos n Horns was having its products stocked on supermarket shelves across the country.

But the problem with having enviable exposure on a reality TV programme was that the business grew far faster than she could handle.

Most small firms take years to gain anything like the market penetration she developed in early weeks and the experience was almost overwhelming.

"I had so many options to consider — new products, licensing, franchising, do we grow internationally?

"But there were only two full-time members of staff — myself and my PA."

However, this was the part of running her business that she really enjoyed.

"We grew the staff to about eight and my life was spent managing people and I discovered I am not a people manager.

"I was handling holidays, sickness and time keeping and which was not allowing me to grow the business."

She also started to think about the nature of the business. Product-based, she said the logistics were "incredible."

"Items such as caps and bottles were being sourced from different places and then we also having to handle customer queries and complaints."

It sparked her to start looking around for something different that was more of a service industry.

About the same time she received an approach from Ceuta Healthcare offering a partnership agreement to handle the distribution, logistics and marketing, while I helped with new product development.

Another serious event had also happened which had caused her to take stock of her life and career.

In July 2006 she was involved in a serious road accident on the B4027 at Woodeaton in which she fractured her back in three places and broke her foot.

"I spent six months at the John Radcliffe and Nuffield hospitals and even now I have to have physiotherapy."

The experience, although a largely positive one, led her to thinking about why people go for treatment abroad to avoid waiting lists.

"I saw one lady who came in for a hysterectomy for a fourth time and had it cancelled on the day. You can understand people paying £4,000 and going abroad for the operation."

The accident was a major transition for her and the mental as well as physical recovery was a long one.

"It started with questions like 'Will I walk again? I was tucked away in Stonesfield and I lost a bit of confidence. Then I started going to one meeting a week and then two and before long I was in London all the time."

She had personally had a good experience of cosmetic surgery in the Philippines but at the time had been concerned that no insurance was available for the growing number of people choosing to have medical or dental surgery abroad.

"Normal travel policies are void when it comes to surgery, so if anything goes wrong, then you are not covered.

"And if you have to prolong your stay, then the same applies."

This was a gap in the market and her natural entrepreneurial experience encouraged her to do something about it and Angelis Insurance was born. Like Halos n Horns it gave her an opportunity to help people.

"I am interested in look after people and putting something back. It was also something I personally wanted and needed."

Of course with any insurance venture it is important to assess the level of risk involved and with patients travelling abroad for suregery, it is obviously going to be higher than for someone on a two week package holiday to Spain.

But Ms Wilcox's own experience told her that the majority of these operations are dressed up as holidays with five star facilities and treatment included in the package.

"Angelis will only provide insurance for treatment provided by an accredited doctor and established hospitals."

Ms Wilcox, 28, had no idea how to start this business, but then that was nothing new and never stopped her with Halos n Horns.

She started by calling her own insurance broker who put her in touch with an underwriter, Cassidy Davis, part of the Lloyds insurance syndicate.

With the backing in place, it was a matter developing the marketing and sales side and she has recruited a team of five. A holding page on the Internet has already generated hundreds of policy sales.

"Recently a Turkish hospital e-mailed because it was dealing with a lot of patients from the UK and wanted to offer an insurance service."

Prices range from £50 for dental cover to £600 for an operation such as a heart bypass in India.

Travelling companions can also be insured and if anything untoward happens within a year of returning to the UK after surgery, then that can be covered too.

Ms Wilcox splits her time between her mother Marilyn's home in Stonesfield and London where Troy, now five, attends school. And she ensures she has plenty of time to pick him up and spend time with him as much as possible.

To her surprise, she has enjoyed the experience of working in the insurance market to date.

"I have really enjoyed it because it is a business that can directly affect people's lives. We can step in and ensure people's safety.

"It has been a step by process which has taken more than two years.

"I needed to do it for myself and prove I can do this on my own."

So is Ms Wilcox well on the road to making her next million? She is coy about what she has earned from Halos n Horns claiming that she can see how to make money, but she can also spend it.

But as ever she has her son Troy's future at heart and is investing in his future.

After all, he helped inspire her original business and Ms Wilcox is a firm believer in the value of family and giving something back.

Contact: Angelis Insurance, www.angelisgroup.com