These are the events that where recorded and published on a previous website. You can still access the event pages from here but the navigation back may not work!
| Richard Reed – Innocent
7 April 2011
The three smoothies created a business by sticking to their values and developing cunning plans. They found an investor who committed himself to their growth when others could see no value. They are successful, are still friends, have happy employees and loyal customers.
See the map for the summary and the answers to the awkward questions. |
 |
| Rob Hamilton – Instant Offices Lessons Learnt Growing a Serviced Office Business 10 March 2011
Lesson 1 – Keep control of the equity Lesson 2 – Give shares away later
Lesson 3 – Get the right people and look after them
Lesson 4 – Simple Business Plan
Lesson 5 – Take Time Out
The Q&A delved deeper in to the above.
|
 |
| Victoria Wills – NuBeginnings
17 February 2011
Taking the known into the unknown.
Victoria had personally researched the weight loss market and found that the boot camp was the best.
Deciding to buy a property in Devon and set up a business servicing the high end of that market was a big risk.
Now she has a chateau in France as well.
|
 |
| Tim Weller – Incisive Media 13 Good Years 20 January 2010 Tim’s story over 3 decades. Finance and deals in the UK and USA. The numbers grow as you go down the map.
|
 |
| Osman Kent Songphonic & Endeavors Technologies 3D Musical Entrepreneur 10 November 2010
A business road movie from musician, to 3D graphics, back to on-line music and now cloud applications. He shared five important lessons in his speech. These were expanded in the question and answer session. |
 |
| Judy Piatkus – A Life in Publishing
13 October 2010
Two publishing businesses and now a new opportunity in the mobile sector. What happened along the way? How did diligence both in the business and the process of selling the businesses plus a bit of luck enable Judy to have a rewarding life both in business and personally.
|
 |
| René Rechtman – Trade Doubler & GoViral
15 September 2010
Two start ups, both Internet companies, amazing founders, business changing products, growing rapidly and lots of learning for the next business. The questions and answer give insights into the future of business.
|
 |
|
Drayton Bird – Drayton Bird Associates
4 August 2010 Drayton is a professional mistake maker. Some mistakes have been a disaster leading to bankruptcy and leading a secret life for seven years with a pseudonym! Others were less distressing, unless it was your wig. Drayton shared his mistakes and the lessons learned during the life of a copywriter. The speech is also available as an mp3 download. |
 |
| Neil Stewart – Neil Stewart Associates
7 July 2010
“Politics is my Business” and How I made a business with politicians and Can political behaviour translate to business. At least three ways to view this speech and subsequent discussion. Check out Neil’s influencers, views on politics and his business. |
 |
| Simon Webster – Search Fund Association
10 June 2010 This event falls in to three sections:
Click on the map to get the full picture.
|
 |
| Lena Björck – Inn or Out
21 April 2010
Focusing on customer service and maintaining a price premium over your competitors leads to clients such as The Queen! Click on the map to raise your awareness of how Lena made this work. |
 |
| Frances Dickens – Astus
17 March 2010
A simple proposition: pay us with your goods or services for advertising and media. But not for the venture capitalists but it is working very well for a private investor.
Astus turns down more work business than it takes. It’s a team business without individual bonuses but with regular parties and flexible working.
|
 |
| Martin Perry and Chris Wilks – Sondex
10 February 2010
A business called Sondex gradually realised they needed a management team. Martin and Chris joined. Sondex went through several stages of financing before being sold to GE Energy. For an overview of this journey and the audience questions and answers, click on the map
|
 |
| Janette Faherty – Avanta
9th December 2009
A journey from the depravation of North West England to leading a £50m company providing training to government and other organisations.
On the way Janette has lost contracts, relocated her employees, expanded her management team, products and locations. During all this change she has maintained her values and kept in close contact with all her staff.
There were a few important lessons on route: cash matters, delegate & develop excellent people.
|
 |
| Daniel Doulton – SpinVox
11th November 2009
A frustration turned into a brilliant idea for mobile phone users – voice mails converted to text. Daniel’s product is penetrating the market of 2 Billion users of mobile phones via the networks which have embedded it into their service.
He recommends working backwards from the user to the solution.
SpinVox are now considering how they can grow their business.
|
 |
| Elizabeth Jackson – Great Guns Marketing
8th July 2009
A story which takes us from academic oblivion to being recognised as a talented employee and given responsibility. Then on to starting her own business and a life changing illness.
Elizabeth does not like nearly people. She likes people who say they will do something and get it done. Her attitude has pushed her blindness to one side and put her on the podium with Donald Trump, Anita Roddick and others.
|
 |
| William Reeve – LOVEFiLM
10th June 2009
William transits from McKinsey to establishing a subscription based business on the internet. He started ScreenSelect which eventually merged with LOVEFiLM. Interesting thoughts about customers:
|
 |
| Ehud Furman – Look Up Page
14th May 2009
A journey from Israel through DealTime to Shopping.com to selling to eBay. Then starting LookUpPage an on-line CV service which promises high visibility on the search engines.
Ehud explains the courtship between them and eBay, and how all a whole combination of things led to a sale after a disappointing start.
|
 |
| Uzair Bawany CEO Contact Recruitment
22nd April 2009
Uzair specialising in recruiting in the Banking and Technology sectors. They have offices in London, India and Singapore. The credit crunch required a quick reaction from them reducing from 110 to 37 employees. His keys to survival are looking at costs, having a strategy and getting the right people.
|
 |
| John Viney – The Zygos Partnership
18th March 2009
John describes how an education in Astro-Physics and Music results in a career in headhunting and investing. He has both property and start up business portfolios. He sees himself as a good archangel coordinating investors and taking an active interest in the new businesses.
|
 |
| Simon Campbell CEO ViaPost
25th February 2009
Simon presents the background to ViaPost (sending letters in the post / mail from your PC), the lessons learned and answers questions on entrepreneurship.
|
 |
