Would you like to be mentored by a celebrated entrepreneur? Well here’s your chance as we head towards the big finale of our Control Shift campaign.
To kick off the Virgin Media Pioneers Control Shift campaign 3 Pioneers were matched to 3 celebrated entrepreneurs – Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones (The Black Farmer), Joe Cohen (Seatwave) and Priya Lakhani (Masala Masala)
Now we have an opportunity for 2 more Pioneers to get similar expert advice on their business.
Who are the mentors?
- Vincent McKevitt, founder of salad bar chain, Tossed, who now has eight stores in Central London and whose Westfield Store took £19,000 in its first weekend
- Marcus Waley-Cohen, founder of natural energy drinks company, Firefly Tonics, who sells his products in more than 40 countries from his London base
- Tristram Mayhew, founder of outdoor adventure business, Go Ape!, who now runs 27 activity courses around the UK
So what do you have to do to snap up this fab opportunity?
How do I enter?
Well as this offer is all about caring and sharing we thought that should be the key entry requirement so…
Post a comment below letting us know 1 thing you’ve discovered in your startup journey that you wish you’d known when you first started out.
Anything else?
You must be a registered Pioneer and available to attend our Control Shift report launch event on November 15 in Westminster, London when the winner (subject to Terms and Conditions) will be announced.
And when’s the deadline?
You have until 10 am Friday November 11, 2011 to post your comment. So hurry!
Is it true Richard Branson supports Control Shift?
Yes! In fact recently he said: “With one in five young people unemployed and bleak graduate employment prospects, it is a tough time for young British people, particularly for those facing social exclusion and deprivation issues. The Control Shift campaign provides a powerful call to action to those with the power to improve the conditions for Britain’s young people.”
Watch the video below to see more about what Richard Branson had to say about Control Shift.
Great idea … is there an age limit re applying, given this is re the Control Shift initiative?
No age limits
I wish I had known that despite all of the difficulty in setting up a business, the most important aspect is passion for your product. I would have started on this road a long time ago.
One thing I wish I had known when I started was that there are times where there will not be much of a demand for your products at times and that the quantity of the products you make should depend on the demand rather than just making a whole batch of things where there isn’t much of a demand for it. This would’ve saved me time and money!
…what do I want to say?
I want to say that some of us do not want to be “entrepreneurs” per se but are obliged by circumstances.
All those who have a real “passion” for something not necessarily have a passion to be “entrepreneurs” of that vocation.
And that’s a kind of entrepreneurship I never see represented.
I’d sincerely prefer an “agent” to a business “mentor”.
Or some kind of partnership structure, from those who are paperwork/biz orientated.
We got only one life at a time and we need to use it to blossom growing what is inside our hearts.
I remember a successful client of mine, an industrial designer.
He made the company, but never more designed a piece…
I wish I had known that regardless of other people’s opinions I had to believe in myself,my business and my ability. Even with a fab business plan or money to start up I was the driving force behind my business.
Less is more, working with a larger team does not mean you will get more done. Being able to manage people well to get the best from them takes time, effort and a huge amount of energy!
I wish I would have know and believed that it’s ok to ask for help and to share my difficulties rather then always trying to live up to such powerful conceptions of a business person. I feel the road would have been much easier and the baggage lighter to carry. x
I think it is very important to know it takes time and you can’t always start making profit/money within 12 months. Thankful I also run a second business which is my main source of income. As I plan to buy my first house in 6 months!
Hello potential All Star Mentor, 1 key thing I wish I had known before starting my own Property Services Company is how to target & secure the key clients especially now in the current economy when most clients to save money are opting to manage their own properties.
I wish i have known a good Business Mentor and i would nt have to learn hard way when i stared my business of telecomunication, in 2007.today i run a sucessful telecom company with 5 full time employee and customer like Islamic Bank of Britain PLC my customers.
Many thanks
I wish I knew before that Doing what you Love + Utilising Social Networks = A Life proud of living!!
Hi all, one thing I wish I knew from the very start was that you need to set strict working hours rules for yourself, otherwise you may find yourself working 60+ hours a week (including weekend). Having said that, I’m still a big advocate of running an extra mile for the important things.
Good Evening,
One thing i wish i had been told was that despite going through the lowest periods i would never go through them totally alone. There is an amazing support system in place from mentors, family and fellow entrepreneurs. Had i known sooner i would have saved myself a great deal of grief and stress. People are willing share their mistakes with you to save you from making them yourself. They provide motivation when things are slow and inspiration when your running low. Communication is the key to a successful start up.
Flavia
I’ve discovered that to act is to succeed. Mistakes have helped me learn and grow, while my greatest failure has been the failure to try. Make it happen!
I wish that I had understood at the beginning that the most successful businesses have a leader that out works their competition. I have learnt that a) you have to invest as much of your own time into your venture as possible because if you won’t then no employee or investor will either, and b) to always learn from every single situation that you encounter, whether it is negative or positive.
I wish I’d known how intense this journey would be. Parenting had its ups and downs. Running a marathon took me to the edge of my strength. Neither has matched the relentlessness of the start-up journey with its air-punching highs and self-doubting lows. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world but I’d have braced myself better and I’d have built a support structure sooner than I did.
1 thing I’ve discovered in my startup journey that I wish I’d known when I first started out? That simplicity is KEY. When I initially conceived my ideas, I really overcomplicated alot of my concepts in the belief this would somehow make my business unique and revolutionary. Uh, nope. Just complicated
In the last few months, I’ve focused on simplifying alot of what I’m doing so I understand my business model and the things I need to do to be successful – but there’s still alot to learn!
I wish I had realised that it isn’t enough to have a ‘wonderful’ idea and convince yourself that there is a gap in the market for it. No matter how great the idea, there is a lot of HARD WORK which you MUST be prepared to do. Probably the reason why it took me so long to get going and I chose instead to focus on the magazine and other creative aspects. You also need to be committed in order to persevere when you meet the obstacles. Oh… I know you only asked for one but… reading! Did not realize how much time I’d have to spend in the Library reading and researching. However as a result of this I feel as though I am now prepared to embark on the next step of this journey. Excited is an understatement. Entrepreneurs rule!
When someone says yes to you stop talking!
When in a pitch and someone says yes to you, stop talking!
“In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right things, the second best is the wrong and the worst is nothing.” Churchill
The one thing that I wish we had stuck to when setting up our business is, “having a plan and sticking to it”.
It is very easy to get caught up in the hustle & bustle of running your own business. Things at times are moving at such a fast pace that you run yourself thin both physically and financially. Ultimately only you can decide on if the extra time/funds are needed and the majority of the time it is, but along the way there are moments when not jumping into things will save you time and money.
Making mistakes is part of knowing and understanding your business, so dive in and start the education process!
Wish I had known how exhilarating this journey is. The toughest thing I’ve ever done, but makes me feel alive! Also wish I’d known that building up a hefty salary is like a ball and chain that’s difficult to escape from…
Greetings,
I wish I knew one thing: ACT FAST. If you succeed, you are a winner. If not, you have more time left for the next try.
All the best of luck and success to everyone on this challenging but so rewarding journey!
Perhaps the one thing I wish I’d known, and perhaps still wish I knew, is how to see a product from a client’s point of view. When you are passionate about what you do, it can be so hard to see the product from the outside – and what I’ve learnt more than anything from starting a business is that it’s the client’s point of view that really matters.
I could have made life simpler for my self by by keeping things simple to start with; one idea, two focused eyes gives you three-hundred percent more commitment which delivers results.
What a wonderful opportunity. I so wish those of us abroad could enter!
The one thing I wish I had learned and then done when I first started my business was to have the end in mind and therefore create the necesssary business systems that would enable the business to run effectively. Essentially, to create such a well-run small system so that when it grew I would not be so stressed as things would be structured.
By having documented systems for all areas of my business I could of scale and replicated very early on.
But, I guess as with everything in life, hindsight is a wonderful thing!
Thanks,
Edwin
I wish I knew whilst I was starting up to run with my ideas, rather than trying to make sure my idea was bulletproof. I now know you cannot please everyone. I’m glad I know that market research is always on the go and that’s why it make sense to run with your ideas.
I wish I had kept to the ‘don’t quit your day job’ philosophy, as I underestimated the time, effort and money it takes before an idea/project/business becomes profitable.
THANK YOU for the invitation to have a Mentor; however I am unable to attend London UK on 15th November 2011. I wish everyone involved in the process much success with all their endeavours.
Stay passionate and true to why you started the business in the first place and don’t be scared to share your passion!!
My best advice is when you’re doing something new; listen to people with great perception, not with great experience.
The most valuable lesson that I have learned in my start-up journey that I would like to share with everyone is the “strength of the mind” and applying it to every aspect of life whether it be for business or for personal aspirations.
I learned this lesson through one of the most surprising moments in my life. 14 days ago I was admitted to Hospital for a rare condition that needed to be monitored closely. While I was at the hospital, the thing that kept me motivated to make a swift recovery was the state of my mind. By mentally focusing on what was important to me, I was able to set goals to help me make a slow but a progressive recovery to good health. For example, prior to being at the Hospital I was shortlisted for a job interview on Wednesday (02/11/11) but due to being unwell and at the hospital I couldn’t attend the interview. Luckily, the organization organized another interview for me for the following week (Thursday 10/11/11) due to my circumstance. Even though I was in a lot of pain at the hospital, I decided that I would not focus on the negativity of my circumstance. But decided that I would seize this second opportunity and that I would train my state mind to focus on getting better in order to attend this interview as I believed it would not only help me (Health-wise) but also my aspiring social enterprise (my dream).
With determination and passion I successfully attended the interview today (10/11/11) and returned to the Hospital Ward afterwards. Now my mind is focused on making a quick recovery to good health.
I hope by sharing with you this personal story/lesson will inspire you to never give up on your dreams regardless of the unforeseen circumstances that you may face.
Consistency is key, a good start is just that a good start. Maintain what you have begun, I found myself doing something well and fooling myself thinking that would be enough. I soon learnt that in order to stay the best you have to consistently perform.
I have discovered that the CEO of a company is the ‘Chief Everything Officer’.
Had I known this I would have been more mentally prepared because being an Entrepreneur can be a lonely place. I am ‘CWO’ i.e. Chief Working Officer, ‘CDO’ i.e. Chief Decision Officer, CRO i.e. Chief Risking Officer and also the ‘CMO’ i.e. Chief Motivating Officer’.
However I have embraced the challenge and I can honestly say with every fibre of my conviction that I am loving this experience because it brings out the best in me.
As a determined food FMCG brand, one (of the many) things i’ve learned is that:
the business you initially start out with is not always the business you end up with.
You don’t know every detail when starting out, and so you must be open to spot opportunities, adapting to market demands and take positive directions from lessons learned. I now actively adopt this mindset in taking the business forward to bigger and better things.
P.S. ‘Why did the entrepreneur cross the road?’ I will tell you on November 15..;)
It would be helpful to know the best way to start your business, there are so many different things you hear about the best way to start up. It would be good to have someone to bounce ideas off so you work out a decent plan for your business. I am sure there are plenty of people that have good ideas but are not too sure on how to get the idea off the ground and the best way to start your business
I wished I would of realised how difficult it would be to start this journey alone. Having the opportunity to bounce ideas off a fellow co-founder and to go through the highs and lows with someone else would of made a massive difference to the business. If I could start again I would of definately found a co-founder.
Thanks
I’m not free on the 14th so not entering but, I wish when I startedI knew:
Take pride and have fun in being yourself -this will ensure you will enjoy the journey that you’re on which will be right for you: therefore you will be passionate about what you do because it speaks directly to who you are.
We are no longer taking entries for this opportunity but best of luck everyone who entered!!!