4 minute read
Making Waves in Business
Uppingham has produced an exceptional number of entrepreneurs over the years, many of whom have created exciting brands and businesses both large and small.
Some learnt their trade by buying and selling in-demand goods (occasionally illicit!) within their boarding houses, others have it in their blood, some are inspired by personal experiences and others fall into it almost by accident. Each of their journeys and outcomes are uniquely different, but what appears consistent is the entrepreneurial spirit amongst them all – innovating, pioneering, determined, self-motivating, tenacious and brave.
The Value of Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship is important for many reasons – providing job opportunities; introducing innovative technologies; creating new businesses and markets; stimulating competition and propelling industries and sectors forward. Successful entrepreneurial ventures also inspire others to take the leap, to follow passions and explore ideas.
With the aim of harnessing the entrepreneurial spirit amongst the OU community, a School for Life networking event was held in London in September, centred around a Q&A session with a panel of outstanding OU entrepreneurs. The evening was highly informative with subjects covered ranging from ‘how do I raise finance?’, to ‘when is the right time to go it alone?’ and ‘what do I do when I feel the responsibility for my business is overwhelming me?’. In true OU-style there was also plenty of time for guests to share their own stories, make new acquaintances and useful contacts.
Next Steps…
After the buzz of the event, the OU team plan to set up an OU entrepreneur networking and support group. If you would like to be part of this initiative, please email schoolforlife@uppingham.co.uk.
Dan Black (B 87) co-founded Black+Blum in 1998 and what started as a consultancy quickly turned into a multiaward winning product design company. In a crowded marketplace their designs stood out for being unique, creative and ‘fun-ctional’. In 2018 the company took the conscious decision to focus solely on the reusable category, to make products that encouraged sustainable living.
Today Black+Blum products are sold in over 60 countries and 1,000 stores. They supply leading retailers from Harrods to Selfridges, co-brand with companies including Rapha, Finisterre and Prada and supply hotels such as the Fife Arms, Carnegie Club and Soho House. Their mantra? Buy once, buy well. black-blum.com
Ben Branson (B 96) is an inventor, entrepreneur and naturalist. In 2015 he founded Seedlip, the world’s first and no.1 distilled non-alcoholic spirits brand. An invention he successfully took from his kitchen to 35 countries and the world’s best bars, restaurants, hotels and retailers in less than four years, spearheading a category now worth $11bn and a global movement revolutionising the way we drink. seedlipdrinks.com
Niki Clarke (Fd 98) founded My Black Dog after struggling with her own mental health. She saw a huge gap in the support needed, from diagnosis to receiving professional help, and as a result set up a free, online peer-topeer support service. Through a network of volunteers, My Black Dog provides an empathetic, non-judgemental space to talk to others who understand what it feels like to experience mental health struggles. myblackdog.co
Alex Lyles (J 96) founded Claret Showroom in 2006 with fellow OU, Claire Spencer Churchill (J 96), to provide the space, tools and professionals to work hand in hand with fashion brands to develop their distribution through wholesale channels in Europe, the Middle East and the USA. In addition, they launched Splash Paris in 2016, Europe’s premium resort wear tradeshow. claretshowroom.com / splashparis.com
iona Watts (J 96) started her company, International Private Finance, in 2008 with a vision to create a brave and dynamic international financial service company.
The aim was to become the leading international mortgage broker within five years; the company achieved this in two, during the worst years of the credit crunch. Fiona is a huge advocate of challenging industry standards and has been instrumental in shaping the non-resident mortgage market to ensure it continues to evolve. She has also delivered a personal development strategy, benefiting university leavers looking for their first job to women coming back into the workplace following a break to have a family. internationalprivatefinance.com
