Millennials are drowning in pessimism: Tech firms have a responsibility to act October 16, 2014 UK UNEMPLOYMENT hit its lowest level for almost six years in the three months to the end of August, dropping to just 6 per cent. This clearly brings some cause for optimism. But this positive sign of the health of the UK economy masks a more pressing concern. Despite some recent falls, the jobless rate [...]
Basking in glory: Why UK entrepreneurs need award ceremonies October 12, 2014 Entrepreneurs have no lack of recognition in popular culture today: there are movies about icons like Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg, and Lord Sugar has now uttered “You’re fired” over 120 times on our TV screens. Politicians, meanwhile, grab any opportunity to sing business owners’ praises – with David Cameron describing them as “national heroes” [...]
Gimme 5: Useful websites for entrepreneurs October 6, 2014 Business Owners’ Idea Cafe This handy site is run by a series of successful entrepreneurs and authors, and includes advice, resources and relevant news items. Membership is free, and the site has a strong online community. www.businessownersideacafe.com Business Owner’s Tool Kit If you’re looking for a comprehensive collection of advice, case studies and tips [...]
Gimme 5: Upcoming events for entrepreneurs September 29, 2014 Pitch Workshop for Startups Run by 2Pears, the workshop provides pitch training for new startups. You’ll learn how to successfully pitch your business in three minutes. 14 October, morning and afternoon sessions £27.95. ‘CITYAM’ gives 15 per cent discount tinyurl.com/nnebmpk The Mobile Academy UCL Advance’s ten-week course starts tomorrow, and offers workshops, surgeries and [...]
Cream of the crop: Gu founder James Averdieck talks Australia and rural fantasy September 28, 2014 It's the kind of story you wouldn’t necessarily believe: someone cooked up the idea of a chocolatey pudding company while sitting in a coffee shop in Belgium, eating brioche. But for James Averdieck, founder of Gu, that’s exactly what happened. Back in 2003, he was a marketer for dairy company St Ivel, working in Belgium [...]
The elder statesman: Lord Young talks motorways and tear gas September 21, 2014 If the Conservatives win next year’s general election, Lord Young will be the oldest person to work in Number 10 ever, beating William Gladstone, who was Prime Minister until he was 83. “Margaret Thatcher asked me to go into Cabinet 30 years ago. Now David Cameron tells everybody that he and I are the only [...]
Marketing to millennials: Is Generation Y really all that different? September 21, 2014 Talking to advertising and media executives these days, you’d be forgiven for thinking that there’s an alien group lurking among UK consumers. Millennials, we are told, are different. Born between 1980 and 1995, they split their summers between south-east Asia and Bestival, often sporting torn jeans, face paint and/or a pair of Google Glasses. When [...]
Gimme 5: New books for entrepreneurs September 15, 2014 Big Bang Disruption Larry Downes and Paul Nunes Disruption and innovation can now happen overnight. This book explores how companies can best protect themselves – but also how to be a part of it. From £5.00 Remote: Office not Required Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson Why do so many people work from home? [...]
Biotechnology entrepreneur Sir Chris Evans talks overworn t-shirts, sceptical VCs and pub deals September 14, 2014 They say if you don’t ask, you don’t get – and no one could accuse professor Sir Chris Evans of being shy about coming forward. Today, the medical sciences entrepreneur and government adviser has built companies worth over £3bn, floated 20, employed over 4,000 people and raised over £1.2bn from investors and governments across 30 [...]
R&R Ice Cream chief James Lambert talks dessert and bull semen September 7, 2014 It’s often said that entrepreneurs should stick to what they know. Bill Gates knew software, hence Microsoft; Arianna Huffington knew media, hence The Huffington Post. But it’s not a piece of advice that James Lambert, the now-retired founder and former chief executive of Yorkshire-based R&R Ice Cream, paid any attention to. Before starting the business [...]