Think Enterprise August 2017

Think Enterprise Publication | August Edition

READ INSIDE

EMBRACING ENTERPRISE &

ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN FURTHER EDUCATION

SPOTLIGHT ON...

IOEE FELLOW

STEVE HOOPER SFEDI AWARDS CENTRE

OPPORTUNITY PLUS

Vol. 11

MAGAZINE August Edition Vol. 11

CONTAC T US 53 Coniscliffe Road Darlington DL3 7EH 0845 467 4928 newsletter@ioee.uk ioee.uk

FOLLOW US

2 | Think Enterprise

SARAH TROUTEN, IOEE CHIEF EXECUTIVE Well, the summer holidays are nearly over and I’m counting down to the 6th of September! I definitely have the ‘back to school’ feeling, thinking about my own learning and personal development. On that note, we asked you what learning you would be undertaking this September, your responses were great and we’ve featured highlights on page 8.

This month we’ve spoken to Jackie Jenks OBE, IOEE Fellow, Ambassador and also founder of the IOEE Academy, Leapfrog Mountain. IOEE recently provided professional recognition for Jackie’s marketing strategy programme and we are delighted to be discussing this with her.

I’m also pleased to welcome a new blog piece from one of our Academic members, Reece Leggett. I recently met Reece whilst visiting the Grimsby Institute and was truly inspired by Reece and the team, so I know you’ll enjoy this feature.

This month sees the start of the ‘awards season’ with the IAB nominations now open, you can find out more about the categories by visiting page 18. We’ll shortly be announcing details of the next IOEE Celebrating Enterprise event… all I’m going to say is that there is going to be an exciting change!

As always, we love to hear your thoughts and ideas on how we can make IOEE even better. One idea that kept being suggested was the option to pay membership fees monthly, so we’ve launched this new payment method providing greater accessibility for both existing and new members.

Finally, I hope you enjoy this month’s ‘Enterprisingly Me’ – it certainly had me smiling and nodding throughout!

Sarah x

Think Enterprise | 3

Content 07 Introducing the IOEE Monthly Membership Fee

08 Back to School in September?

10 The best national business support may be no policy at all...?

4 | Think Enterprise

12

Unemployed to Empowered: Self-Employment Offers the Path Back to Work

14 Spotlight On...

Steve Hooper

16 Enterprisingly Me x

18 IAB UK and International Business Skills Awards 2017 - nominations now open

Think Enterprise | 5

19 Smeez

20 Leapfrog Mountain Jumps into its Second Year of Mentoring with IOEE Ambassador Jackie Jenks

22 Embracing Enterprise andEntrepreneurship in Further Education Guest blog by IOEE member, Reece Leggett.

24 London South Bank University partners with Emilie to achieve her enterprising goals

6 | Think Enterprise

introducing THE IOEE

MONTHLY MEMBERSHIP FEE Thinking of joining the IOEE or upgrading your membership level?

We are pleased to announce that you can now pay monthly for your IOEE membership or you can pay annually and get two months free!

Click here to find out more about IOEE Membership and the new payment options available.

Think Enterprise | 7

Back to school in September?

A new academic year brings a fresh start and the opportunity to develop skills and learning. With this in mind, we asked our members about their goals and what they’re hoping to achieve in the next year.

We wanted to know if individuals were looking to develop themselves and their business, or if they were thinking of refreshing their skills set. Others may be wanting to start afresh and register for a new qualification.

The Department of Education reported in July 2017 that in the first three quarters of the 2016/17 academic year 1,966,500 learners aged 19 and over were participating in government-funded adult further education. Whilst 430,500 adult learners had been reported as participating on a community learning course.

The data also showed that 879,500 participants were on an Apprenticeship so far in 2016/17, compared to 814,400 at this time in 2015/16, showing an increase of 8.0 per cent.

In the academic year of 2016, over 7,000 adult learners were registered and undertaking a SFEDI Awards qualification equipping them with the skills they need to go on to either start a business or gain employment.

8 | Think Enterprise

Our research shows that businesses that invest in learning and development are more than three times as likely to be successful in both their personal and business life.

Our members are shining examples of how they are reaching their potential through investing their time in learning and development.

Take a look at a selection of the responses we received...

Your replies...

I’m starting the IOEE Mentoring qualification and then will share my experiences with other business owners.

Kate, IOEE Fellow

I have just accepted the post of “Entrepreneur in Residence” at Northumbria University, allowing me to work with the next generation of Entrepreneurs to mentor and assist them in the development of themselves and their businesses.

Paul, IOEE Fellow

I am going back to university this year and I am going to do my IT course because I need to get my life back on track and I want get far in life.

Lucien, IOEE Studying member

I’ve just been matched with an IOEE mentor and I’m looking forward to having my first meeting with them next month.

Sammy, IOEE Affiliate

I’ve recently completed the Marketing course in the IOEE Campus and I’m going to try to make time to do some further modules.

Lisa, IOEE Associate

The best national business support policy may be no policy at all...?

Guest blog by IOEE Fellow, Adrian Ashton.

I recently found myself on an ‘expert panel’ at a forum convened by ISBE (the Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship) & the IOEE on the future of business support policy in the UK, as part of their ongoing conversation into informing and shaping what a new national policy should be.

(OK - to clarify, I was technically there as Leigh Sear of SFEDI and the IOEE, but as he’d been called away overseas, he asked me to fill in for him.)

And while I shared various stories and approaches to business support with those present, I thought it might also be useful to capture here some of the other speakers’ arguments and discussions with those in the room that stuck with me, as well as some of what I took away that I’m still mulling over, and that will likely also inform my own ongoing activity in this field:

10 | Think Enterprise

The definitions debate With the almost fetishism of high growth in business support policy, it seems that the definition of what constitutes ‘high growth’ may be too exclusive in excluding many businesses who are seeing significant increases in revenues, but aren’t matching this with creating lots of direct employment opportunities (such as software firms, and something that will be be increasingly the norm with the rise of the ‘gig economy’).

As a result, many businesses who have the potential to contribute greatly to our economy are being sidelined and overlooked - surely to our cost...?

Not a ‘bottomless well’ (of growth) It also seems that business growth isn’t something that can be sustained - various data sets shared by the ERC (https://www. enterpriseresearch.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/

ERC-InsightPap-HartDanes.pdf) all indicate that firms can only experience growth for about their first 5 years, and then all mature and plateau; so if policy is to prioritise support for growth, we need to be more open and honest in recognising that businesses are only able to do so for a time limited period.

Measures of success There seemed to be a general consensus that we need to use more than just financial measures to consider success in business growth - and that these should reflect the aspirations and motivations of the entrepreneurs and owners behind the businesses.

•

of enterprise support to that of national policy, many student startups are being ‘lost’ or ‘fail to launch’ as the University is too focused on encouraging high growth and Intellectual Property-based ventures with the rise of corporates taking active roles in offering business support (including where there may not be an immediately obvious business case for them to do so), there’s a need for Universities to better co-ordinate their offer with these to capitalise on knowledge and expertise that both are developing - but tellingly, there was no presence from any such corporates at the Forum...

However, I’ve an idea that whatever these measures are should share the same characteristics as metrics in financial accounts: that they can be bench-marked externally to help us better consider how we compare and contrast with others to fully appreciate just how successful we really are, and that they can be aggregated to form data sets and evidence bases to allow us to better represent and lobby on their behalf.

Whose benefit is policy actually for?

Discussions around the different players active in the business support arena raised a question about who business support should be for, and who should be paying for it. Public policy should take a utilitarian approach, facilitating and enabling the most benefit for the most people, and in the real world, this means that the State can’t appease everyone, or provide for all business types and needs (hence it’s prioritising of high growth over sole traders as it believes this will create the most impact for more people).

However, we’re seeing private firms starting to offer accelerator and incubator programmes, and also sponsor others’ enterprise development and growth initiatives. So rather than try and create a single public policy that will encompass everyone, should we rather be taking an approach that uses simpler policy frameworks around different themes and types of enterprise/entrepreneur; better recognising that in some instances the private sector is better placed, and should be leading on elements of support?

The rationale (and risks) for enterprise education to be a recognised part of business support There seemed to be agreement that any role Universities hold in delivering any policy around business support needs to include elements of enterprise education, and while there are good reasons for this, there are also some risks too: • teaching and encouraging entrepreneurship amongst students increases their future employability by developing skills that employers value • degree apprenticeships creates opportunities for universities to capitalise on their role as a provider of learning, but there’s no clear models for how Universities might best harness this new model (yet...)

• there’s a risk that in some universities having linked their offer

The holy grail: creating a pipeline of support for startup to high growth Within any national policy that emerges, there will need be a recognition that encouraging new startups is just as important as supporting growth in existing businesses - but that its also difficult to ensure that this progression is smooth or able to be well managed.

This is largely because of not only the sheer diversity of different business types and motivations, but also the plethora of support available to them at different stages and in different sectors.

In theory, Local Economic Partnerships should be well placed to better co-ordinate these support offers to maximise their potential for wider benefit, but the experience of many seems to be that owing to the governance models of LEPs not being inclusive or transparent enough, that such knowledge and co-ordination which could unlock the potential of many firms, isn’t happening.

If we can only do one thing...

As a closing to the panel debate, a few straw polls were taken of people in the room, asking for shows of hands to gauge what the focus of national policy should be if it could only focus on one thing - more start-ups, or more scale-ups.

(Personally, I’m in favour of more start-ups: they create and encourage more diversity and choice in an ever-changing society; help us develop more resilience; and research shows that the larger firms tend not to stick around that long anyway - the FTSE100 has a churn rate of about 10% each year!)

Overwhelming the room voted in favour of more start-ups.

Think Enterprise | 11

Unemployed to Empowered: Self-Employment Offers the Path Back to Work

Susan Hughes is the founder and CEO of Opportunity Plus; a not-for-profit organisation supporting individuals who are facing challenges in finding employment, helping them to explore the potential for self-employment through SFEDI Awards qualifications.

This month we chatted to Susan about supporting grassroots businesses, flexible learning, and the importance of community.

Susan had been working in the Welfare to Work sector on a government contract for several years before setting up Opportunity Plus. Her role included supporting individuals who may be disadvantaged due to all sorts of complex issues in their lives, to make self-employment a positive, achievable and realistic route back into the working world. However, through her role there, Susan found her inspiration for Opportunity Plus: “The work we were doing was wonderful, but nobody seemed to be offering that sort of support for real grassroots businesses - for the simplest businesses, such as a dog walking company, or perhaps a mobile cleaner. So, I started researching, collecting information, and interviewing various people that I’d been working with to build up a bigger picture, and then started the process of applying for funding from the Big Lottery - and set up Opportunity Plus to put forward the application. They granted us funding for six years so we could start providing innovative flexible support for people who couldn’t get work any other way.”

In 2011, Opportunity Plus was launched and people began to come through its doors. Most of its customers who are receiving benefits find out about the services through the Job Centre, but Opportunity Plus has also formed strong relationships within the community, such as with children’s centres and mental health support groups, as well as offering virtual support through its website. Susan says:

12 | Think Enterprise

“It’s incredibly inspiring and rewarding supporting people on their journey back to work. Talking about business ideas and selfemployment is incredibly motivating. Even with people who aren’t necessarily wanting to set up a company, talking through business ideas is exciting - everybody’s got that one secret business idea they think about getting off the ground. People come to us feeling that they can’t get back into work and we can show them an achievable route that is meaningful, and they are able to think about their lives and goals again, that’s incredibly inspiring.”

Opportunity Plus gives customers the opportunity to gain qualifications through SFEDI Awards, offering a broad range of courses that can be adapted to an individual’s needs: “What’s fantastic about using SFEDI Awards qualifications is that it’s not a case of ‘one size fits all’. Everyone comes to us at different stages of their journey with different challenges, and we work together to find what suits them best. We deliver our learning through a variety of methods, including master classes, workshops, expert sessions, one-to-one mentoring - some courses are even tailored specifically for people working at home. And we’re with customers right through their journey, from the very initial stage of exploring the idea, through the business planning and market research, to launching their product or service, right the way up to registering with HMRC. “Another great thing about the SFEDI Awards training is that we can adapt straight away - so if a customer realises that self-employment may not be right for them, we can be instantly flexible and start helping them look for employment and preparing for work instead.”

Throughout their time with Opportunity Plus, Susan says that you see customers develop and grow in many other ways, as well as in their professional skills development. Customers have all the motivation, but not necessarily the confidence or the self-belief to take that next step, and Susan says that helping it is heart-melting to watch this transformation, especially with lone parents who have been out of work for a long time:

“

“I see some of the most significant changes in mothers who have been unable to get a job because they haven’t been able to find anything that is flexible enough to work around motherhood. These women have often lost a lot of confidence in themselves from being isolated from the working world for some time, and you’ll help them set up, say, a cleaning business that works with their lives - and it gets off the ground, their confidence grows, and suddenly they’ve transformed into a businesswoman. It’s not about just getting a qualification - our customers are learning skills for life that they’ll take with them and use long after we’ve finished working with them.”

Nic Preston, SFEDI Group Head of Quality, says: “It’s great to see how Opportunity Plus has grown over their time working with SFEDI Awards, supporting so many deserving people to build both their own self-awareness and belief - but also the behaviours, knowledge and skills to get the full potential from their futures.

“Enterprise behaviours, knowledge and skills don’t just support people into self-employment, but also help improve their personal and working lives, whether that’s starting their own business or

It’s not about just getting a qualification - our customers are learning skills for life that they’ll take with them and use long after we’ve finished working with them.”

working for others. It’s great to see how Susan and the team at Opportunity Plus have been able to adapt their offering to provide a truly individualised enterprise learning journey.”

Opportunity Plus has thrived since its inception, but the next year looks set to grow and expand even further. Whilst up until this point its offering has focused specifically on taking people from unemployment to employment, customers will soon be able to get support after they have started working too. Susan says: “We have recognised that what is lacking is the support system through the transition - when the safety net of benefits has gone and you’re suddenly ‘going it alone’. We’re now expanding to build a support hub right up until the end of their first year of employment, to make sure that they have everything that they’re entitled to, and that they have access to the right tools, advice and information everything they could need throughout the transition to ensure that they succeed.”

For more information on Opportunity Plus, please visit: www.opsw.co.uk

Think Enterprise | 13

Spotlight On...

Steve Hooper

Steve Hooper is the founder and CEO of Site Geek; a website design and digital marketing company this is dedicated to providing companies with ‘full and complete solutions to their inbound marketing requirements’. Having built the company from nothing to the success it is today by being extremely client-focused, Steve now feels that he’s in the position to focus some of the company’s time on developing Site Geek itself and taking the business to the next level - and this reinvigorated motivation fuelled his desire to become a member of the IOEE. This month we chatted to Steve about embarking on this exciting new chapter, staying accessible, and finding that elusive work-life balance.

Before setting up Site Geek, Steve had built up a wealth of experience in website design and digital marketing. Steve says: “I’ve been involved in the design and promotion of websites since BG - i.e. Before Google! I was there back in the day when it was all Yahoo! and Ask Jeeves, and people were generating web traffic by stuffing trending words and phrases into sites - so you’d find copy jammed with ‘Britney Spears’ all over the place! I’ve been there on the journey and seen the evolution of SEO, and this gives me a greater understanding of how it all works today.”

Steve ran numerous digital marketing companies that have done extremely well, and has a rich and varied portfolio of success stories, with everything from the design and promotion of gambling websites to SEO specialisation in the wedding industry, until taking the plunge and setting up his own business 2009: “It’s been fantastic - to take the company from absolutely nothing to it being this successful - but now that I’ve reached a level of doing reasonably well, it’s almost just the beginning. I’m now in the position where I can afford to focus a bit of time on myself and the company. Yes, I need to work in the company, but I also need to work on the company.

“When you’re in the throes of building your business from nothing, it’s really difficult to find the time to spend time on promoting

14 | Think Enterprise

yourself, when you have clients and work coming in - so you’re basically helping other people to do it, but not doing it for yourself!

So I started looking into mentoring and organisations that could help me grow, and wanting to take the business to the next level is what led me to become a member of the IOEE - to build a relationship with an organisation that’s supporting entrepreneurs.

I really wanted to give myself a push.”

“

It’s been fantastic - to take the company from absolutely nothing to it being this successful - but now that I’ve reached a level of doing reasonably well, it’s almost just the beginning.”

In an ever-growing market of website design companies and SEO specialists, Steve says that Site Geek’s branding and style is deliberately relaxed and accessible, and this helps to set it apart from other digital marketing companies: “We’re very much relaxed for a reason. People can read our website without being overloaded with technical jargon; they can understand it all and relate to it. Everyone with a website needs this sort of service, so we need to stay on an accessible and engaging level - we’re not a firm of guys who’ll be marching into your company in suits and telling you a load of facts and figures. Once you start saying to people ‘we need to alter this bit of coding on this page of your website’, you can see you lose them. Something that I’m a firm believer in is keeping it simple.

“Honesty and transparency is at the heart of Site Geek. Site Geek is about ‘building businesses - not just websites’. What we offer is a 360-degree marketing experience. We take people from the very

initial stages, through the entire journey, to the point that they’re thriving and getting reviews. We’re not about saying ‘this is SEO… this is how much it will cost… you’re in the big wheel of the digital world now, and we’ll send you a report every month. We work with our clients, and it’s a case of guiding them through the whole experience.”

Steve says that, for him personally, a large part of this new company chapter is about finding that elusive work-life balance, and he says that the two are equally important in achieving professional success - ensuring that he has the balance right on the ‘life’ side enables him to push forward in the ‘work’ side and grow the business:

that is invited to talk at prestigious digital conferences, and he says that variety is one of the privileges of his job: “Two years ago, I was turning up to these events as an unknown fresh face in the digital world, and now I’m being invited to talk at huge events in all sorts of industries - two days in this job are rarely the same. Later in the year I’m talking at the Farm Business Innovation Show, and I’m on the same bill as Michael Eavis - founder of the Glastonbury Festival! I’ll be there for two days, talking to landowners who are wanting to capitalise on their land and bring in more money, and advising them on how they can use their websites to attract more clients.

“I was once renowned for being the guy who could get by on three hours sleep… not anymore! Sure, I could do that - but then I’m useless for three days afterwards! Of course, it can be idealistic to keep it down to 40 hours per week when you’re growing a business - sometimes if you want to be successful, you have to put in that extra time - but I’m in my forties now and I’ve just got married, and it’s time to be a bit more balanced with everything.”

“The next year looks set to be big for Site Geek, and I’m excited to embark on this new chapter of pushing forward. One of my main targets it to help 1000 companies grow within the next five years - yes, it’s a huge target, but I absolutely know that we’re going to get there.”

As Site Geek has grown over recent years, Steve has found his role as CEO evolving from running the company to being a figurehead

To find out more about Site Geek, please visit: www.sitegeek.co.uk

Think Enterprise | 15

‘Enterprisingly Me’ is a monthly feature where you can follow my entrepreneurial adventures. Names have been changed to protect the innocent but everything you read really happened.

I hope my story inspires you to take your first steps, or if you already have, then it lets you know you’re not on your own. Starting and running a successful business isn’t about being perfect. It’s about loving what you’re doing, learning from your mistakes and keeping the faith!

You wouldn’t recognise me! I’m an actual business owner with real paying customers – not many I grant you but enough to get things started and my confidence is building by the day. I read in the paper that there was going to be an auction of office equipment so I went along ready to buy a desk and chair. Oh dear, I got a bit carried away and ended up buying much more than I needed but as the saying goes ‘the more you spend the more you save’!

I’m not sure that I really needed the photocopier, which doesn’t seem to work now I have brought it back to the office, but it was a snip at £1,000 and something I really needed. Have you seen the price of photocopiers?

However, I’m regretting the fact that I didn’t check that it was in working order and as I bought it from a saleroom there’s not an awful lot I can do apart from get it fixed.

Its taking up a lot of space in my minute office but looks really smart adorned with a beautiful flowering cactus plant I bought to liven the place up. Something to sort out at a later date as there is too much to do to worry about a photocopier.

I’m not really used to working weekends but decided to

16 | Think Enterprise

go into the office on Sunday to print off some packs for a training course I am delivering – it was then I realised that the photocopier wasn’t working! My daughter was ‘helping’ me to set things up and whilst I popped to the loo she managed to lock us out of the office with the keys inside… I was obviously well impressed by that time given I had already had a fruitless morning with my bargain buy. I then realised that not only were we looked out of my office but we were also locked into the main building as the only key to unlock the exit door was in my bag – yes you’ve guessed it, inside my office. It took two hours to get hold of the key holder who was non too pleased about having to come into the office on a Sunday, the look on her face said it all! I know it seems obvious when someone says it but I thought the fire door was only to be used in the case of fires not to help those who were silly enough to lock their keys inside their office… well I’ll know next time. Knowing me and keys I’m sure there’ll be a next time.

I can’t tell you how much I’m enjoying doing my own thing but must say I had no idea how much work went on behind the scenes. I’m trying to do everything myself and what with looking for new customers, developing

training packages, doing all of the admin along with managing the finances I don’t have enough hours in the day. I’ll call it fate, but just as I was starting to sink under the weight of paper that was building up on my desks (yes, alright, the desks were a snip too so I bought three just to make sure I had enough) I got a call from Marie who used to work with me looking for a reference as she’d decided to return to work after a long spell of maternity leave.

She wasn’t getting away that easily! We’d soon agreed to meet up for a coffee to discuss a position I had created for an assistant to help me manage the piles of paper and to deal with my telephone enquiries. Madness I know as I hadn’t really thought things through. What I should have considered is: • What exactly did I need Marie to do?

• How much time would it take?

• Did I have enough income to justify employing someone?

• Did I have enough steady income to allow me to pay them?

What I’ve actually done is offered her a part time position to start immediately, which she has accepted, as I also hadn’t realised how lonely it is working for yourself.

Sometimes you have to go with your gut feelings so here are my reasons for taking the plunge in employing someone so soon after starting up: 1. It will give me more time to devote to looking for new business 2. It will give me more time to devote to earning income through delivering training 3. It will help me to maintain a reasonable work life

balance given the fact that I also have two growing children to look after 4. It will provide a steady contact point for people ringing into the office 5. As Marie is also a friend, it will provide me with someone to share my thoughts and ideas with giving me perspective and emotional support.

So I have taken on even more responsibility as Marie is also a single mum with a small daughter but this only inspires me to work even harder to make things work. We have decided to take part in a local business exhibition where we have been given a free space. What I hadn’t thought through is the fact that we don’t have a stand (something that I’m sure we can easily overcome) but what we do have are matching outfits bought from a local factory outlet which makes us look very posh and coordinated so I’m sure we’ll wow the attendees. We’ve also ordered some pens with our name on them which change colour when held in a warm hand – that should at least provide a talking point and hopefully attract people to our stand. I’m only hoping that asking passing delegates how hot they are doesn’t attract the wrong kind of attention!

So just one small hurdle to overcome – anyone have any ideas about where I might get a cheap exhibition stand?

Really regretting my impulse buy which is still housing the beautiful cactus but not producing any training packs!

Me x

Think Enterprise | 17

IAB UK and International Business and Skills Awards 2017 - nominations now open The IAB’s awards will be taking place on Thursday 7 December and nominations are now open.

The categories are: • Small Business Mentor of the Year – sponsored by SFEDI Group • Bookkeeper of the Year – sponsored by Lloyds Banking Group • Accountant of the Year – sponsored by F A Simms and AMLCC • Payroll Professional of the Year – sponsored by Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals • Student of the Year – sponsored by Butler Rose

If you’re dedicated to helping your clients and passionate about your career, then you could be an IAB award winner. Why not promote the awards to your clients or employer and suggest they nominate you? Alternatively, if you work alongside a deserving colleague then you could also nominate them. We are now accepting nominations online until Monday 2nd October 2017.

Winning an IAB Award is excellent recognition of your hard work and commitment and can also be a real benefit to your career.

Alison Edward MIAB, winner of the Bookkeeper of the Year Award 2016, said: “I was thrilled to win IAB Bookkeeper of the year, it was an honour and a surprise against stiff competition. It has really given me confidence to grow my business, recognition from your peers and clients makes all the hard work worthwhile. There was coverage in local press of my win and it got lots of attention on social media. I’m sure it has helped me gain clients in the last year as it gives me a little extra something over my competitors!

“The thing that makes these awards special is you can’t nominate yourself. I sent my clients an email telling them about the awards which is totally out of character for me but I thought I had nothing to lose. I was delighted that several took the time to send in nominations. I would highly recommend anyone takes the initiative and lets clients or employers know about the awards – like me, you never know what might happen.”

Natasha Penny FIAB AIAAP, winner of the Accountant of the Year Award 2016 added: “It had an amazing and positive impact on my business; we have had increased work load and are able to boast the title “Accountant of the Year” on our own website, marketing material etc which makes me very proud.

I even have it written on my business car. I would encourage anyone to enter, and to attend the prestigious awards ceremony if they are given the chance as it is such a great experience to be part of both personally and for the reputation of any business.”

For more information about the awards and nominations contact Kelly Orford at the IAB on 01732 897754 or kellyo@iab.org.uk 18 | Think Enterprise

SMEEZ

TM

Spotlight On...

To meet some of our fantastic members and hear how the IOEE has helped them, please visit: http://ioee.uk/category/member-spotlight/ Will we be shining the Spotlight On you next?

If you’re an IOEE Member and interested in being featured, we’d love to hear from you.

Please contact: newsletter@ioee.uk

Think Enterprise | 19

Leapfrog Mountain Jumps into its Second Year of Mentoring with IOEE Ambassador Jackie Jenks

Jackie Jenks is an IOEE Ambassador and the CEO and founder of Leapfrog Mountain; an IOEE Academy that supports mentors, business leaders and entrepreneurs. When we first chatted to Jackie in June of this year, we congratulated her on the outstanding achievement of being awarded an OBE for her services to training and people development. Fast-forward a couple of months and we meet Jackie again to learn all about her journey with Leapfrog Mountain, her inspiring new marketing course and what’s coming up next.

20 | Think Enterprise

Having only set up Leapfrog Mountain in 2016, Jackie’s professional achievements with the business are extraordinary. Designing the company for ‘helping enterprising people leap ahead on their journey in business and life’, Jackie’s passion for people is infectious, and this devotion to making a difference was recognised when she received a letter from the Cabinet Office in May 2016, stating that she was to be awarded an OBE for her services to training and people development. Jackie says: “You can’t just look at the numbers - you have to look at what people are achieving. By investing in training, mentoring and developing people, you’ll get a higher return on your investment and one that is much more powerful and impactful than if you just measure results according to the finances alone, and being given the award was such a huge honour.”

The new Marketing Strategy course is accredited by the IOEE and is being delivered in workshops, but Jackie had been delivering it on a one-to-one basis for some time before it launched on a group-basis, bringing her firsthand experience to the table. Jackie says: “This is a one-day course and we run it with small groups so that it can be really interactive. We cover an absolutely fascinating range of areas with the Marketing Strategy course, such as External Markets, Key Markets and Social Media - and we do this in a variety of ways, such as having breakout sessions, looking at case studies, workbook theory and lively debate. However, my favourite bit of this course is looking at the area of Emotional Intelligence.

We’ll look at such things as confidence skills, how to pitch effectively, the psychology of marketing and networking.”

Jackie had a 28-year corporate career in banking and training before setting up Leapfrog Mountain. Jackie says:

In fact, Leapfrog Mountain’s Marketing Strategy course has inadvertently acted as a networking event of sorts in its own right:

“I’m originally from a family business background and this inspired me from an early age, so I think I’ve always had that entrepreneurial spark. Setting up Leapfrog Mountain was my time to fully take that spark and run with it, and I find it such a privilege to be working in mentoring and training; knowing that I am making a difference is what really motivates me.”

“What’s particularly exciting is seeing people on the course forging great professional relationships. A lot of the businesses who are introduced to each other on the course are supporting each other afterwards, recommending each other professionally, doing referrals, and basically becoming a little support hub in themselves, which is just really lovely to see.”

Through a range of training courses, mentoring programmes and support networks, Leapfrog Mountain helps people on their paths to success, with a focus on business leaders and entrepreneurs, and one of the most recent additions to its offering is its Marketing Strategy course. Jackie says:

Despite Leapfrog Mountain growing and developing so much since it began a year ago, Jackie shows no signs of slowing down, and in the next few months she is planning to launch another course: Leading Yourself and Others.

Jackie says:

“What I’ve done is taken key marketing principles, distilled them into a very high-level overview, and made these accessible for small business - so that they can take all of that knowledge and information and ask the questions that will help them to move forward: What does it mean for my business day to day? Can I make the best decisions, best outcomes for business? What’s important is that people don’t get lost in the theory, that the course is a starting point to translate information into practical action.”

“This new course is really going to hone in on those business leadership skills; the skills that will enable big changes. Because that’s what we’re here to do - to help small businesses grow and develop, and give them all the support and tools to take their business up to that next level.”

To find out more about Leapfrog Mountain, please visit www.leapfrogmountain.com

Think Enterprise | 21

Embracing Enterprise and Entrepreneurship in Further Education

Written by Reece Leggett, IOEE Academic member

IOEE Academic member, Reece Leggett, is our latest blog contributor for Think Enterprise.

As a business teacher of 16-18 year olds at the Grimsby Institute, Reece discusses why he thinks it is important to implement enterprise and entrepreneurship education into the curriculum.

22 | Think Enterprise

David Bowie once said ‘’I feel confident imposing change on myself. It’s a lot more fun progressing than looking back. That’s why I need to throw curve balls.’’

So what does a quote like the aforementioned have to do with business? Well as a business teacher of 16-18 year olds I cannot help but feel the whole curriculum needs far more focus on change and must embrace E&E education.

Having studied business from GCSE through to Masters level 7 and now teaching it, I feel I have some personal angles to bring to the party on the curriculum and what is being taught.

In guidance published in 2012 by QAA they stated that “The call for a greater emphasis on enterprise and entrepreneurship education is compelling. Driven by a need for flexibility and adaptability, the labour market requires graduates with enhanced skills who can think on their feet and be innovative in a global economic environment. There is an acknowledged need, as well as a political imperative, for an infrastructure that supports and enhances enterprise development across the curriculum.’’ (QAA:2012) I agree with the above statement but also think we should be looking at this from a FE perspective not just degree level. We have many 16-18 year olds who study with us who have ambition to start a small business and we must ensure our curriculum is made to measure with this ambition.

“

Having studied business from GCSE through to Masters level 7 and now teaching it, I feel I have some personal angles to bring to the party on the curriculum and what is being taught.”

been looking for, expert views on what business need, want and would benefit from in terms of our young people. And more than this they also offered a helping hand to work in partnership to help achieve this.

Softer skills like networking are often missed out from the curriculum and employability work, but having seen this first hand we need to make sure our young people are confidently able to build those relationships and attend events and connect with people.

Why is networking not taught within the curriculum for example? We want our young people to be confident enough to talk to employers but the curriculum is not advancing this cause by sticking to the established norms.

And a key element is what our learners want from their course, do they want to be in a classroom constantly revising for an exam or working at an outside organisation as part of their assessment, I know which I would prefer.

Not all of our students go to university & therefore it is vitally important we give our young people the options from apprenticeships, work but also starting their own business. To do this our curriculum must be broad, inclusive and offer skills around each.

I often use the term facilitate rather than teach, I see my own role as part teacher, part facilitator, I had no prouder moment than my students creating a new product complete with a full business plan, advert and presentation which they then pitched to local entrepreneurs for Global Entrepreneurship Week last year through which I merely acted as a facilitator and supporter.

3 Key steps to improve the outlook: 1.

Working with employers to craft and quality assess the business curriculum within schools and colleges.

Giving teachers & lecturers the freedom and backing to innovate and back changes that allow for true enterprise and entrepreneurship education to take place.

Teaching soft skills!

We must foster creativity and allow students to make mistakes and help provide solutions to these mistakes. The best way to do this is to have a curriculum that works with employers to give real life scenarios, situations and opportunities.

2.

Entrepreneurship & enterprise education has fascinated me for a while now and I have read, researched and tried implementing what I consider to be best practice. However, it is working closely with an employer that I have found exactly what I had

Finally, working with employers is key to achieving this goal and whilst we are in early steps I am excited by the future of enterprise and entrepreneurship education including our own provision!

3.

Think Enterprise | 23

London South Bank University partners with Emilie to achieve her enterprising goals WRITTEN BY LONDON SOUTH BANK UNIVERSITY

London South Bank University (LSBU) student, Emilie Mendy, partnered with the university’s Clarence Centre for Enterprise and Innovation to create her business, Bizzie Bodies, which teaches children languages in a creative way. For Emilie Mendy (BA Arts and Festival Management, 2016), the partnership has been central to achieving her goal of bringing a new kind of language learning and arts experience to London children.

into the Clarence Centre and asked for an appointment. I think they could tell I was a woman on the edge, as they agreed to see me on the spot. From that day I’ve been fully focused on making my business, Bizzie Bodies, work. The Enterprise Team’s support has been incredible – I’ve gone from worrying about how I could afford to set up a PO box to having a desk and access to all the facilities I need to run things. Even more valuable is the help and advice that’s available within the team.

Creative entrepreneurship

Refining and diversifying

“I’d had the idea of helping children learn French through art workshops for a while. I saw there was no local provision where I was living in south-east London and I knew there were parents who wanted their children to have the chance to learn a language, as well as children who would respond well to a less rigidly academic teaching style. But the parents who could afford to pay and the children who most needed to learn were often in different areas and there was no obvious source of funding. I applied for the degree course at LSBU because it matched my ideas for creative entrepreneurship so closely. But I still wasn’t sure how to take my business idea forward.

“The team has helped me refine my ideas. For example, I’m now broadening the appeal of our workshops by offering other languages apart from French. I’ve also realised that in tough times I can’t be fully reliant on grants and sponsorship, so I’ve started running paying activities at local events and festivals around London and investing the profits in free workshop activities in areas where there is greatest need. But probably the best thing I’ve gained is access to a network of people with skills and ideas that complement my own.

“Everything changed in a single day. I was just a few months into the course when my husband nearly lost his job because his van was stolen. This galvanised me, and the very next morning I walked

24 | Think Enterprise

“Finding funding is a major challenge, and it takes creativity to keep it flowing. I was lucky early on to get grants from United St Saviour’s, UnLtd and Southwark Council. Now I’m planning to apply to the Arts Council and to join London Regeneration’s Crowdfund programme. I always have a funding application on the go, but that’s not enough – you have to adapt to the environment. London

Photo taken by Chris Arrondelle at the South Bank Collective

is constantly changing and regenerating and that brings challenges and opportunities. At the moment, for example, I’m running workshops sponsored by local businesses from a pop-up shop in Surrey Quays shopping centre. I’m also planning to hold a pop-up gallery of children’s art there at weekends. One of my aims is to set up a more permanent gallery and language learning space where London children can express themselves. It will require serious funding, so I’m working on that one!

“

The Enterprise Team’s support has been incredible - I’ve gone from worrying about how I could afford to set up a PO box to having a desk and access to all the facilities I need to run things. Even more valuable is the help and advice that’s available within the team.”

“I believe children absorb language best when you give them something interesting to do. Language acquisition should never, ever feel like work. The best kind of learning happens almost without children noticing, while they are busy doing something else.

At our workshops we offer really engaging activities focused around say, graffiti, printing or graphic design. An artist who works in that field runs the creative side and I’m hands-on working alongside the children, introducing new vocabulary and structures as they come up naturally, encouraging the children to talk in French about their art and about the choices they make as they work.

Community-focused “Money isn’t my main motivation – I care about realising my dreams. I’ll feel that I’m successful once my reputation for good work is opening doors, enabling me to expand my business and invest in great projects that help the community.

“I still miss my course. The degree I took was amazing; the university is amazing. It was such a dynamic environment. I particularly enjoyed the way we’d work on real business cases and have talks and input from alumni and entrepreneurs who were having to make decisions and apply them in the real world. I loved that the tutors were always willing to debate with me and help me refine my ideas about what was the best approach for my business.”

Visit LSBU’s website, www.lsbu.ac.uk, to find out more about the IOEE Centre of Excellence.

Think Enterprise | 25

TOGETHER, IOEE AND TONI&GUY have developed a visionary programme, bringing together the very best of enterprise education expertise and the UK’s leading creative brand. Designed specifically to appeal to those studying fashion, hairdressing, beauty and design courses, this programme hones entrepreneurial capacity and encourages an enterprising outlook.

For more information about either delivering or undertaking Creating Enterprise, click here to go to toniandguy.ioee.uk

AND A PERFECT PARTNERSHIP

INTERESTED IN FINDING OUT HOW MENTORING COULD HELP YOUR BUSINESS? Mentoring has a strong track record of helping businesses meet their objectives. The Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurs (IOEE) helps match businesses with mentors from the banking industry, who are able to give an hour of their time per month, across the following regions:

-

North East

-

Yorkshire

-

-

West Midlands

Central London

The volunteer bank mentors offer a wide variety of business experience and expertise with small and micro businesses, social enterprises and creative businesses.

Are you interested in meeting a mentor?

For more information contact Paul Harper paul.harper@ioee.uk or 07715 905638. * To be eligible to receive support you business must be established and begun trading.

Our dedicated volunteer mentors are passionate about helping their mentees.

“

The key skill I have taken from this experience is true active listening. I have applied those skills at home and at work and I am finding the results are having a lasting impact.

The reason I continue to mentor today is the positive feeling I get when I help others achieve their dreams and ambitions. It’s a great way to give something back to the local community through sharing my knowledge and experience.”

Carl Beardon

IOEE Volunteer Mentor IAB Small Business Mentor of the Year 2016 award winner

“

My mentor’s support and level of understanding has been exceptional, which was the key in identifying and overcoming issues as they arose.

With his experience I have become self sufficient working through the challenges my business faces and to identify new business partners who have exporting experience.”

Dorota Grabkowska

Founder of Fanatic House

Would you like to share your latest Enterprising news?

We have advertising opportunities in IOEE’s Think Enterprise.

To discuss this please contact the Marketing Team at newsletter@ioee.uk.

@TheIOEE Phone: +44 (0)845 467 4928 Email: info@ioee.uk Web: ioee.uk