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Business Support

More to flair than sales.

As figures show the spirit of enterprise taking off in the North East, Carole Beverley tells the stories of some young people who are making it happen.

While many businesses are implementing “flexible” approaches to work successfully, a lot of traditional career routes are imploding, and more and more people are intent on self-determination – taking control of their own destiny.

The economy is of course presenting many challenges for business, organisations and individuals. Yet there are still plenty of opportunities, and perhaps the biggest opportunity for the North East is to transform its very economic make-up.

 

Recent figures suggest enterprising activity in the region has grown from 4.3 to 4.7% of the adult population, against a UK average falling from 5.8 to 5.6% over the same period. The North East is now ahead of the game with the number of female entrepreneurs above the UK average at 48% compared to 46% - and business stock growing ahead of the national average at 2.4%. Even the gap between the North East and London (the UK’s most entrepreneurial region) has dropped from 3.8% to 1.7%.

 

The momentum clearly is moving us in the right direction. And it’s particularly encouraging to see our young talent making such a mark – what they lack in experience they more than make up for in youthful enthusiasm, unlimited ambition and an instinctive desire to learn, soaking up knowledge from those who’ve already achieved success (and got the battle scars).

 

We should celebrate their achievements and be proud to see the region’s young entrepreneurs highlighted by the Entrepreneurs’ Forum recognised even further afield. Greg Philips, managing director of North East Bakeries, and the Forum’s Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year, was for example among those from the North East recognised at Ernst & Young’s North and Midlands awards dinner. He was acclaimed the Evening Chronicle’s Face of Entrepreneurship for 2008 when he won the inaugural If We Can,You Can Challenge.

 

And recently he signed a major export deal to provide 40,000 bakery products a month. Clearly business has boomed since he was introduced by the Forum to his mentor, now chairman of North East Bakeries.

 

Fellow If We Can,You can Challenge winner, and Face of Entrepreneurship for the Northern Echo in 2008, Matt Scott sees his business gather pace; his MES Footwork was listed in Fenwick ahead of the busy run-up to Christmas. It’s quite an achievement for a young entrepreneur who, less than two years ago, daringly imported 500 pairs of shoes from China not really knowing what he would do with them.

 

He has since benefited from the guidance of the region’s experienced entrepreneurs. He has established manufacturing in South Shields and Northampton, got his hands dirty at London’s Camden Market, and aims to capitalise on connections made at the Entrepreneurs’ Forum graduate conference with Sir Tom Hunter. Oh yes, and his mum’s now his finance director!

 

Following bitter disappointment of being told his place with the RAF as a fighter pilot had been cancelled due to the credit crunch, 19-year- old Steven Smith picked himself up, refocused and is now building an innovative website that’s targeting the equestrian market. Like his colleagues, Steven’s already shown all the characteristics that guide successful entrepreneurs to achieving their goals and exceeding their aspirations – whatever they may be.

 

They’re characteristics we share across the region and there’s no doubt we have people with talent, people with ideas, people with high-level business skills, people with ambition and purpose, and people with experience in growing businesses.

 

It’s a powerful cocktail. And, with supportive and visionary backing, the time is ripe for us to speed the transformation, reducing our reliance on the public sector for work.

 

Setting up and growing a business will always be hard work. At the Entrepreneurs’ Forum, we’re determined it shouldn’t be a lonely experience. For more than six years, Forum members have generously given time and shared experience and perspectives to benefit others following in their footsteps. The formula works because; unlike some well publicised sections of community, entrepreneurs are not driven by greed or motivated by self-interest. What the Forum delivers, first and foremost, is integrity - an old fashioned concept, but one that will outlive greed and self-interest, It’s something we should all be proud of.

 

Members meet at our many gatherings – from intimate dinners to conferences. We provide a voice for their views and celebrate their successes; they support each other in achieving the breakthroughs they strive for in their businesses.

 

Their altruism underpins our successful mentoring programme; and daily connections between members and their associate create huge impact, not only in this region but far beyond.

 

As Julie Meyer commented at this year’s Forum Conference, society in general has a lot to learn from entrepreneurs. When everything works out, entrepreneurs have the power to change the world – and though, realistically, not all will, their ambition, vision, passion and drive serve as an example for us all. Something to admire too. The value of the entrepreneurial spirit carries an impact far beyond measurement of turnover.

 

Carole Beverley is chief executive of the Entrepreneurs’ Forum.

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