BEN Networking:

EntrepreneurshipBristol & Bath Science Park,14rd June2012, 6-9pm

     

Practicalities

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Upcoming BEN Networking EventsTheme When Where What

New Markets Abroad

12th July 20126-9pm

Bristol & Bath Science Park

• Exploring the opportunities for tech exports

• How to access foreign markets• What channel should you use?• Joint with UKTI

Summer Social 16th August 2012

TBA • Any ideas?

Technology Update – Future Manufacturing

6th September 20126-9pm

Bristol & Bath Science Park

• Leading edge technologies• Measurement – LIMA

Venturefest Bristol2012

Wednesday 7th November 2012All day

UWE Conference Centre

• Keynote speakers• Workshops• Innovation showcase• Pitching panel

Tech Startup School 2012

Making it Happen Wednesday 27th June 2012

•Everyone welcome – just book a place•Support for tech entrepreneurs – where to find it•Case study – ‘from startup to successful business’•Pitching competition from TSS delegates•Pitching competition from professional services•Networking, food and drink•All for £12.50!! (or £15 if you are in professional services)

Entrepreneurship

This Evening’s Programme6:45-8:15 Speakers

Introduction Alastair Watson BEN

Greville Commins Varoom

Pam Seanor Bristol Business School

Tom Wood Goode Communications

8:15-8:30 Q & A

Discussion

8:30-9:00 Networking

Entrepreneurship

June 2012

Practical observations of Entrepreneurs

Greville Commins

Bristol & Bath Science Park

Twitter: @mentorgrevBlog: varoom.wordpress.com

SETsquared is a collaboration between Bristol, Bath, Surrey, Southampton & Exeter

universities

• SETsquared focuses on

– accelerating high-tech, high growth start-ups,

– helping grow businesses in a safe environment

– providing support via mentoring, workshops, clinics, business review panels and networking events

• Usually an event in SETsquared every week.

– However our support is bespoke to each venture as they need differing levels of support through out their lives.

SETsquared Bristol Centre Success – 2007+

No venture has gone bust!

130companiesin 4 years

SETsquared Bristol - today

• hosts over 55 companies

– from a wide range of technology sectors,

– at different stages of development

– employing nearly 500 people.

• We have helped companies

– Build business proposition & strategy

– Develop founder skills

– Plan for growth, bring in new talent,

• build boards recruit NEDs, CEOs, FDs, Chairs,

– Help raise £56M of equity and grants in 4 years

Practical observations of Entrepreneurs

Practical observations of Entrepreneurs

• Some observations from dealings with >100 of Entrepreneurs

– No single ideal model for an effective entrepreneur

– No cast iron factors in determining success

– People are different and entrepreneurial opportunities happen at different points and in different ways

• Surprisingly Entrepreneurship is not a young game

Key qualities – you need some of these

• Passion, Belief, (self and in proposition)

• Confidence, guts

• Independence, willing to be different

• Strong character, driven to succeed, Focus

• Innovative, creative, problem solving

• Risk taking, for right reward

• Impatient, bias towards quick action

• Commitment

If everything seems under control, you’re just not

going fast enough.

Mario Andretti

Success factors – noticed along the way

• Awareness of challenges (internal self & external)

• Rape, pillage but NOT burn

• Focus on customer shoes

• Willingness to take advice & learn from others

• Good communicator – not just good talker, but listener

• Interpersonal & Networking skills

• Stick to the strategy, but change when it’s really needed

However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at

the results

Sir Winston Churchill 1874-1965.

Failure modes

• Go it alone - Must do it all themselves

• Fear of failure/judgement

• Avoidance – retreat mode

• Non listening mode – Yeah Yeah...

• Hiding issues – non disclosure (+hiding from yourself)

• Blame mode – always someone else’s fault!

• Flogging a dead horse mode

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again expecting different

results.

Albert Einstein

Grev’s tips

You don’t need all the personal entrepreneurial factors to succeed

Get help – a lot of free support around – Listen & learn

Build a virtual team – with people you trust

Customer is King – get to know them

Finally keep the balance right

If you think life’s a bitch....

try becoming an Entrepreneur

Greville Commins

June 2012

• Finance

• Premises?

• People – Employees– Mentors– Board of Directors?

• Information, knowledge, research

• Support environment

Dr Pam Seanor

What does being an entrepreneur mean to you?

what makes an entrepreneur?

Google search: 41,600,000 results

following 5-minute videoPeter Jones StoryDragon’s Den

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8cNoES4cVU

what makes an entrepreneur?

three questions:

1] when he drives off in the car leaving behind the person holding the camera, what does this tell us about him entrepreneurially?

2] if he had been born into a wealthy family, would he have been driven?

3] how do we look at the individual in this?

bringing academia to life

with limited resources

should we invest in certain types of individuals?

reality of theorizing entrepreneurship

traits ‘inconclusive’

how we understand the field of entrepreneurship and the nature of entrepreneurs is within the narrow bounds of

research interestsGartner 2010

current thinking of an entrepreneur

not a trait but a narrative and visible performance that people learn to produce based upon the situations they find themselves in

Steyaert & Hjorth 2003

value of practitioner views & experiences

many insights into the process of entrepreneurship that can be gained

by listening to what entrepreneurs say about their efforts

Chell 2007, Dey 201, Gartner 2010, Steyaert & Hjorth, 2006 & Sarasvathy 2003,2004

the trick being: changing mindsetsnot everyone wants to try out new things

problematizing: there is no 1 type

entrepreneurs do not existone cannot be an entrepreneur

everyone is an entrepreneurpublic services, health, charities, third sector, universities

in one way or another – more or less performing entrepreneurially

shifting roles:talk, write, graphics, video, digital communications

research: identities of social entrepreneurs

identified more with the sector they worked in:Artists and Arts organisationsmobile phone games developerscare providers, media - recording studioscar clubs, environmental - recyclingstreet dance/drama

but also had to shift identities to what it means to‘be an entrepreneur’

how to maintain multiple identities[and ways of working]

create conversations – images – ways of working

within organisations – making sense of changes

partnerships – build and nurture relations with others

wider marketing – successful in their projects

funders - offer contract

interactions with clients

the way forward? directions and challenges of future researchand teaching looking at & challenging assumptions affects questions we dare to ask

conservatism in some activities

policy-makers, business incubators, think-tanks, academics, students what might the way forward look like?

welcome your views

e: pam.seanor@uwe.ac.uk