I caught some of Bottom Line last night, Radio Four’s business magazine show presented with Evan Davis. Last night he spoke to innovator and entrepreneur James Dyson, entrepreneur and digital champion Martha Lane-Fox, and Chief Executive of Interserve Plc, Adrian Ringrose.
There were some interesting discussions about creativity - including where it comes from. Martha said it comes from ‘caring’ and James said it comes from ‘being angry’! They all agreed that it comes from taking small incremental steps to make changes, but as Martha said it does need boldness and the confidence to think a small step is worth doing. She admits she picks up ideas like a magpie. James got his inspiration for his cyclone vaccumn cleaner from the timber industry!
I went to an interesting panel discussion last week hosted by Weber Shandwick. The title was ‘What’s so hard to reach about the hard-to-reach?’ It quickly became clear that the consensus was that groups were only hard to reach if companies and organisations didn’t make an effort to reach them, and that there were plenty of opportunities to do so.
The key points raised were the importance of ‘integrated communications’, using a variety of methods to reach different groups (not forgetting face-to-face) and ‘partnerships’ - working with organisations or media who do have a route into certain communities. They also discussed how groups did not want to be labelled by their ethnicity or age, something we have also seen through our own research into enterprise behaviours.
On Friday I went to a fab event to celebrate the success of BBC Blast, a BBC Learning initiative which brings together creative teenagers and gives them loads of opportunities to attend workshops, get creative intern placements, find mentors and enter competitions.
The impact it has on some of those who attend is plain to see. AJ, who is now the ‘face’ of Blast attended a workshop and as a consequence got a creative internship at the BBC. There she got the chance to do some presenting for Blast and is now the ‘face’ of its programming. All from attending a workshop…
We live in the age of information. You can find advice on love, personal finance, business, cooking, parenting, health, travel and style but what about on creating your future?
Time management is one of the key disciplines anyone needs to have to get where they want, but it’s always been a subject with a slightly boring image. Not any more! Longtime Make Your Mark Ambassador Nadine Hill of The Dream PA also writes the blog Time Management Mum, the UK’s only blog dedicated to time management tips for women (especially mums - they need it the most!). Nadine talks us through her top tips on time management…
Last time I described how motivation plays a huge part in the process of success. Without a high level of motivation to do anything in life you will not achieve the end result you are looking for.
This time, we move onto another component of success, which is Clear Aims.
Component Number 2 – CLEAR AIMS
People who are successful are very good at defining exactly what it is they want. Many people I come cross have very loose ideas about what exactly it is they are aiming for. As a result they drift about with a broad idea of where they are going but with little direction or conviction mainly because they do not know what the end result is or what it looks like.
Make Your Mark Ambassador Lisa Newton of Boogles has been shortlisted for 3 awards (so far this year!). The latest one of which is for the RBS South London Business Awards 2009 in the Entrepreneur of the Year category. Our Lisa has beaten over 200 nominations across the 12 South London boroughs to make it to the shortlisted final 6. The winners will be announced at a lavish black tie ceremony to be held at Crystal Palace Football Club, on 20th May. Best wishes from the MYM team to Lisa!
For more information about Boogles (and to hear the Boogles song!) visit the website.
Recently we held more Ambassador training at our London premises. We saw media know-nothings turn into media extraordinaires with the Media and PR Training run by Media Trust. Also more of our ambassadors undertook the Advanced Public Speaking and Presentation Training with James and Al from SpeakersBank. Check out the previous blog about the training sessions and what other ambassadors had to say.
Missed the Advanced Public Speaking Training you say?? Never fear! We’ve captured a short clip of James outlining the points that were covered … Have a look! It could help you turn into the next Barrack Obama!
Women Unlimited are holding a mini-conference in May to celebrate Women in Social Enterprise. This is a great opportunity to rub shoulders with fabulous and inspirational women who are breaking new ground!! There is a fantastic set of speakers including Erin Pizzey and Servane Mouazan from Ogunte .
Cost:£20 per ticket including lunch, Where: British Library, 96 Euston Road, London, When: 10:00 – 14:00
For more information contact [email protected] or visit the website.
In a previous post I mentioned the Special Recognition GWIIN Organisation Award that Make Your Mark will recieve from GWIIN for all our hard work with women’s enterprise. Now hot off the video camera I give you an exclusive interview with Bola Olabisi, Managing Director of GWIN, commenting on the awards:
aww thanks .. .makes us feel all warm and fuzzy inside!
Our pioneering Head of Women’s Enterprise has been shortlisted for the First Women Awards in the public service category. The First Women Awards recognize women who are trailblazers and pioneers in business and women whose achievements and individual actions have helped and are helping to remove barriers and open up opportunities for others to follow.
It is certainly an honour to be recognised along with some of the most pioneering women in British business and public life today (including Freesat managing director, Emma Scott, the “first woman of free TV, Chief Constable and Julie Spence, president of the Association for Women in policing).
GWIIN (Global Women Inventor and Innovators Network) recognises the good work that organisations are doing for the benefit of many women inventors and innovators. As a result, this year they are selecting a few organisations and presenting them with the GWIIN Organisation ‘Special Recognition’ Award. Make Your Mark will receive one of these along with 10 other companies from all over the globe! MYM receives this award for the invaluable support and assistance that we provide many exceptionally creative and innovative women.
A pat on the back for the Make Your Mark Campaign team & Spark: The National Women’s Enterprise Ambassador Network!!!
If you consider yourself a retail queen, get your entries in for the fantastic Specsavers Everywoman in Retail Awards! Supported by us, Everywoman (the UK’s leading provider of training and resources for women in business) and Specsavers, the awards aim to highlight the contributions women make in their field.
The awards, now in it’s second year, hopes to encourage more women to pursue a career in the retail sector and winners will benefit from gaining support and recognition from those in the world of industry, government and media. For more information check out our website and make sure you get your entries in by Tuesday 2 June!
The months of March and April have seen some of our ambassadors take part in Media Training and Public Speaking and Presentation courses which have proven to be a great success and very worthwhile.
Here’s what some of our Advanced Public Speaking stars from yesterday had to say:
The Independent on Sunday published a ‘Happy List’ this weekend - encompassing the top 100 people who who make Britain a better and a happier place to live.
There is a diverse list of people on there, including I might add, two very odd entries; Thomas the Tank Engine and Simba (a dog). They are clearly not PEOPLE which I thought was the point of the list.
Anyway withholding those errors there are some good people on the list including entrepreneurs Sophi from Divine Chocolate, Sam Roddick of Coco de Mer and Andrew Thompson of Sign Now. And not forgetting my own personal hero David Attenborough (I love ‘im I do).
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